This is an ad that captures the race.
ABC 15: FACT CHECK: Attack ad on Vernon Parker
By: Tim Vetscher
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/state/FACT-CHECK-Attack-ad-on-Vernon-Parker#ixzz27ZofDtHC
PHOENIX - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rolled out an ad this week attacking Republican Vernon Parker .
Parker is running for Congress in Arizona's 9th District against Democrat Kyrsten Sinema .
The ad's narrator states "Parker touted a plan that would replace Medicare, leaving seniors at the mercy of insurance companies, costing them an extra $6,400 a year."
ABC15 determined that claim to be FICTION.
In an interview earlier this month, Parker does talk about looking at entitlements when asked about the Paul Ryan budget but doesn't reference Medicare specifically.
In fact, just a few moments later in the interview Parker says "we have to honor our commitment with seniors."
However, Parker never elaborates on what form that commitment would take.
The ad's next claim is that "(Parker) would end the Social Security guarantee."
ABC15 determined that allegation is, once again, FICTION.
The ad references a candidate forum from June of this year in which Parker does say "everything must be on the table" when it comes to social security but he does not say he'd end the social security guarantee as the ad claims.
The ad's final allegation is that Parker would "Abolish the Department of Education which could cost Arizona schools over 800-million-dollars."
ABC15 determined that claim to be a FACT.
In a meeting with the East Valley Tea Party back in May , Parker tells the crowd "we need to start by getting rid of the department of education."
The Parker campaign released the following statement to ABC15:
We have sent letters to all the network television stations demanding that the false and deceitful DCCC ad be pulled from their air. The ad is full of lies, is intentionally misleading and is the latest attempt to smear Vernon Parker by out of state special interests. We call on all stations to pull the ad immediately.
No Tea For DCCC
Yellow Sheet Report
September 25, 2012
http://yellowsheetreport.com/http://yellowsheetreport.com/
Considering the centrist nature of CD9, one might think it would be to Dems’ advantage to make Parker’s name synonymous with the tea party, which is exactly what Sinema and PACs that are supporting her have been doing. But the entry for Parker in DCCC’s online opposition research file received a curious revision on Monday, as the Dems’ congressional campaign arm warned against tagging him with the tea party label. “Note: Watch the tone. Be careful not to attach him to TEA Party Republicans but as someone who is more out of the mainstream,” reads the warning at the top of the Parker page on DCCC’s website (LINK). The message is ironic, considering that the first words of the ad that the DCCC’s PAC began airing on Saturday identified the Republican as “tea party politician Vernon Parker,” and a press release announcing the ad used the same language. House Majority PAC, a Dem IE led by Nancy Pelosi, said in its recent ad that Parker “put the tea party first” and criticized his “tea party call to eliminate the Department of Education” in its press release. Sinema’s own press release this morning referred to her opponent as “District 9 tea party candidate Vernon Parker.” DCCC spokeswoman Amber Moon did not respond to an email from our reporter by deadline. NRCC spokesman Daniel Scarpinato, however, fired back at the DCCC, saying, “Apparently, even the Democrats don’t believe these dishonest ads. We all know the only extreme candidate in this race is self-described ‘Prada Socialist’ Kyrsten Sinema.” Note: Sinema characterized herself as a ‘Prada socialist’ not in terms of her politics, but her fashion sense, saying people can still believe in fairness and justice “and still have fabulous accessories” (LINK).