The corruption plagued AFL-CIO launched a $1 million TV ad blitz on Sep. 15 to lie about Republicans’ tax cut votes. AFL-CIO spokeswoman Naomi Walker said, “We chose areas that have a strong union presence to get enough pressure going to generate enough calls into the lawmaker’s district office.” One target is Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.). The ads assert Tiahrt and the “others chose to use all of the current budget surplus on a ‘huge tax cut for the wealthy instead of preserving Medicare and making sure that prescription drugs are covered in Medicare benefits packages.” Other targets include Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), Reps. Ernie Fletcher (R-Ky.), Anne Northup (R-Ky.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Cal.) on the ads: “These ads just scream status quo for the big labor bosses” [Nat’l J. 9/21/99; Roll Call 9/20/99]
