Anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage groups target Boxer, in Spanish

Introduction

California Sen. Barbara Boxer is now being hit by independent expenditure ads in two languages. Yesterday, You Report: Election 2010 noted that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has an ad criticizing the Democrat for her budget votes. Now, two socially conservative groups based in Washington are running a Spanish-language ad blasting Boxer for her record on social issues.

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is a non-profit that opposes legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The Susan B. Anthony List (SBA) works to elect anti-abortion women to Congress and to advance anti-abortion efforts. Both are 501©(4) groups which means they are not required to disclose donors publicly.

SBA reported to the Federal Election Commission it has spent $50,000 on the 30-second spot. NOM told the Center it would soon file a report disclosing about $150,000 spent on the effort.

The Spanish-language ad shows images of a wedding and highlights Latin-American values: work, family, and children. Boxer, the announcer says, doesn’t share “nuestros valores”— our values. The ad goes on to say that Boxer “supports abortion and homosexual marriage” and that she “voted against immigration reform to permit our people to come here legally to work.” It closes by praising Boxer’s opponent, Republican candidate Carly Fiorina.

Boxer does indeed support abortion rights and civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. But the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has backed comprehensive immigration reform legislation and voted for a bill in 2006. Boxer opposed temporary guest worker provisions in the 2007 bill, expressing fear they would exploit workers, but voted for cloture on the final legislation.

Kerry Brown, an SBA spokeswoman, told the Center that her group partnered with NOM on the ad because it was “generally a family values thing.” She referred questions about the substance of the ad to NOM.

Brian S. Brown (no relation to Kerry Brown), president of NOM, defended the ad. “Barbara Boxer voted against worker programs. Of course she doesn’t like it,” he told the Center. “It still stands that she opposed the guest worker provisions, whether she voted for cloture or not, I don’t see how she has any leg to stand on.” He added that his group does not disclose donors, in part, because of threats to donors of the group’s 2008 California ballot initiative campaign.

Boxer’s campaign manager, Rose Kapolczynski, told the Center, “It’s outrageous that a wealthy right-wing outside group is running attack ads lying about Barbara Boxer’s record. The fact is that Barbara Boxer is a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and has worked closely with the Latino community on everything from job creation to education.”

Ad Title: Nuestros Valores, Nuestra Senadora (Our Values, Our Senator)

Paid for By: National Organization for Marriage, Susan B. Anthony List

Cost: About $200,000

Disclaimer: La National Organization for Marriage www.nationformarriage.org y La Susan B. Anthony List www.sba-list.org son responsables por el contento de este anuncio. No autorizado por ningun candidato o comite de candidatos.