Harry Reid’s Senate Majority PAC is running ads attacking New Hampshire Republican candidate Scott Brown for a vote he took on oil subsidies – but two vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this year voted the same way.
The liberal super PAC’s ad states: “Scott Brown’s carrying some big oil baggage. In Massachusetts, he voted to give companies big tax breaks. They make record profits. He collects over $400,000 in campaign contributions…Scott Brown — out for himself and big oil at our expense.”
But while the Senate Majority PAC — run by former aides to Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate — attacks Brown for the vote, it doesn’t mention that two prominent Democrats up for re-election this year agreed with Brown on the legislation.
The ad attacks Brown over his May 17, 2011 vote against repealing certain subsidies for oil companies. Forty-five Republicans and three Democrats voted against it, including Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu and Alaska Sen. Mark Begich.
In addition to going after Brown — the former senator from Massachusetts who is now running in New Hampshire for the seat occupied by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen — the Senate Majority PAC is spending money to help Landrieu and Begich win their tough re-election races.
Both Landrieu and Begich spoke out publicly against the bill and have taken money from the oil and gas industry, like Brown.
“This piece of legislation they have put down without a committee process on it is a gimmick; a gimmick to get the next week of activity, get some press out there,” Begich said May 11.
“Why are we doing it? Will it create jobs?” Landrieu said of the bill. “No. It will actually hurt job production in the United States.”
According to data on OpenSecrets.org, Landrieu has taken more than $1.3 million from the oil and gas industry. Likewise, Begich has taken almost $350,000.
This Senate Majority PAC ad against Brown has been in the news this week as Republicans, in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission, accused the Shaheen campaign of illegaly coordinating with the political group on the ad.