End Citizens United (ECU) launched a $1.1 million TV and digital ad campaign on Saturday showing how Washington is broken and Joni Ernst has become part of the problem. The TV ad, called “Knowingly and Illegally,” exposes Ernst’s ties to dark money and that she knowingly accepted thousands of dollars in illegal contributions, including from corporations.
A recent poll of Iowa voters, commissioned by ECU and Let America Vote (LAV) and conducted by GQR, that shows Theresa Greenfield leading Senator Joni Ernst 49-47 percent also reveals that the Iowa Senate race is fertile ground for Greenfield to take on and defeat Ernst by exposing Ernst’s ties to corporate special interests. The results show that voters are aware that Ernst has done little during her tenure to “make ‘em squeal” in Washington. By a 20-point margin, voters say the phrase “too close to corporate special interests” describes Ernst well.
“Iowans understand that corruption and Big Money are standing in the way of progress on the issues most important to their families, and they know Senator Ernst is part of the problem. Ernst has cozied up to dark money, knowingly and deliberately taken illegal contributions, including for corporations, and has taken $1.7 million from corporate PACs. It’s not surprising she has repeatedly voted for pro-corporate legislation that hurts Iowans,” said ECU President Tiffany Muller. “Meanwhile, Theresa Greenfield is making ending political corruption a top priority, she’s already introduced a plan on how to get it done, and she’s backing it all up by not taking a dime of corporate PAC money.”
Full ad script below:
News Anchor: “New documents are showing dark money ties to Iowa Senator Joni Ernst.”
First Joni Ernst’s campaign was found to have knowingly accepted thousands of dollars in illegal contributions, including from corporations.
And had to pay the largest penalty ever for an Iowa politician.
Now, new accusations of breaking anti-corruption laws for her dark money ties.
Washington’s broken. And Joni Ernst has become part of the problem.
End Citizens United is responsible for the content of this ad.
ECU and LAV endorsed Theresa Greenfield in July 2019 because of her commitment to ending corruption in Washington. In her first major policy announcement, Greenfield released a bold and comprehensive plan to end political corruption by getting Big Money out of politics and passing legislation that will ban dark money and corporate PAC money.
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