ALBUQUERQUE – Michelle Lujan Grisham's Washington supporters began airing an attack ad against Steve Pearce today that says more about Lujan Grisham's failed leadership than it does about Pearce's candidacy. The ad is nearly identical to an attack ad from 2010, which was completely debunked by nonpartisan fact checkers. This year's edition was paid for by a front group established by the Democratic Governor's Association, which rented a mailbox in Santa Fe in order to hide the fact that Lujan Grisham received air support from party leaders in Washington, D.C.

"Opponents are free to disagree with Steve Pearce's policies such as reducing regulations or lowering taxes to create jobs, but they are not entitled to lie," said RPNM Chairman Ryan Cangiolosi. "New Mexicans deserve better than recycled smear tactics and outright lies by shady front groups. This ad is a laughable attempt by Lujan Grisham's allies to distract from the fact that her entire political career has been about lining her pocket off of sick people through her corrupt Delta Consulting scam and then lying to Congress about the extent of it."
 
When Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund ran a nearly identical ad in 2010, Factcheck.org found the accusations were false:
 
"This ad says Republican Steve Pearce was 'named one of the most corrupt members of Congress.' We find that's a bum rap. The ad also falsely attacks the former GOP congressman for voting in 2005 to give 'big oil giants like BP … billions in tax breaks.' Pearce's vote actually resulted in a net increase in taxes for oil and gas companies."…
 
"Based on two unsubstantiated allegations, a left-leaning watchdog group branded Pearce 'corrupt.' Pearce was officially cleared of one of those allegations by the House ethics committee. Furthermore, the watchdog group acknowledged it made a mistake in failing to report the committee's decision when it repeated its 'corrupt'" rating most recently in a 2008 report." (Factcheck.org, 8/11/10)
 
BACKGROUND:
1. Michelle Lujan Grisham's Washington DC friends rented a mailbox at a UPS store in Santa Fe to pretend to be New Mexicans.
2. Stronger New Mexico was created and paid for by the DGA in Washington DC according to Secretary of State records.
3. Stronger New Mexico's TV ad is demonstrably false. It was proven false 8 years ago by FactCheck.org a project from the non-partisan Annenberg Public Policy Center.
4. CREW, the organization that made this false allegation, admitted they were wrong and is now run by Hillary Clinton ally David Brock. USA Today wrote that "One of the most vocal congressional ethics watchdog groups is becoming part of a Democratic political operation."
a. CREW staffers are closely tied to Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.
b. CREW does not disclose its donors.
5. In 2010, a nearly identical ad was removed by KOAT for being false and misleading.