Targets Heller, Coffman and Paulsen for Putting Interests of Mega-Donors Ahead of Constituents
Part of Big Money 20 Campaign to Expose the Worst of Washington’s Rigged System
Washington, D.C. – End Citizens United today kicked off the next wave of its Big Money 20 campaign with the release of digital issue ads aimed at Senator Dean Heller (Nevada), Congressman Mike Coffman (CO-06), and Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) for their record of putting their mega-donors ahead of their constituents.
In Nevada, the ads focus on Heller’s widely covered flip-flop on the Affordable Care Act, in which he reversed his position to please his mega-donors and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In the two House districts, the ads focus on Coffman’s and Paulsen’s support for the GOP tax bill that will increase taxes for middle class families while giving the top one percent of earners almost all of the tax giveaways by 2027.
“Senator Heller, Congressman Coffman, and Congressman Paulsen represent some of the worst of Washington’s rigged system. They’ve proven time and again they’ll sell out families in their districts in favor of those writing them the biggest check,” said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United. “These ads are only the beginning. We will continue to expose the way politicians in the Big Money 20 are hurting their constituents to do the bidding of mega-donors.”
In December, End Citizens United named Heller, Coffman, and Paulsen to its Big Money 20, a list of some of the 20 worst incumbents who do the bidding of special interests while also voting to keep the rigged system in place. The Big Money 20 campaign targets states and districts where the issue of reform resonates, notably with independents – many of whom voted for Donald Trump and his message of draining the swamp. While the swamp is only worse, Americans continue to hunger for reform with independents ranking the influence of special interest money in politics as their second biggest priority.
The ads highlight some of the most outrageous examples of politicians doing the bidding of mega-donors, and how unchecked money in politics directly harms American families. A recent poll conducted by The Washington Post confirms that Americans believe the amount of money in politics is the top reason for dysfunction in Washington. ECU’s own comprehensive polling shows that Americans overwhelmingly believe that the amount of spending in elections harms them and that Washington works only to benefit a few. As in the case of health care or the GOP tax bill, ECU’s polling also found that tying the issue of reform to economic issues enhances the effectiveness of the economic message.
In Nevada and the two Congressional districts, the ads will include a 15-second video, which will appear on Facebook and YouTube as well as Pandora ads. The buy will also include a homepage takeover of The Last Vegas Sun in Nevada on January 21, the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which opened the door to the overwhelming flood of corporate and special interest money that is corrupting our politics.
To read the full ad backups click HERE
For the full list of Big Money 20 members and additional background click HERE.