An environmentalist group is shoveling nearly a million dollars into ads targeting a Republican senatorial candidate trying to replace Democratic Sen. Harry Reid.
The League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund announced Tuesday it would spend $860,000 on campaign ads bringing down Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada. The ad focuses most of its ire on how Heck has caused rampant unemployment by pushing policies that give “Big Oil” tax breaks.
“Twenty-five thousand jobs. That’s how many jobs Nevada’s created in clean energy,” the ad states.
“That’s how many Nevada jobs Joe Heck puts at risk when he votes Big Oil’s way. Joe Heck’s taken hundreds of thousands in big oil money. And voted their way, protecting billions in tax breaks for big oil. Threatening Nevada’s solar economy,” it notes. “Twenty-five thousand Nevada jobs at risk. Because Joe Heck’s in Big Oil’s pocket.”
The group plans to spend $1.4 million on campaigning for Cortez Masto, a two-term former Nevada attorney general. The fund has already dumped $750,000 into running ads against Heck. Heck has earned a spot on the group’s list of “Dirty Dozen” lawmakers working against environmental issues.
“It’s unconscionable that Heck has taken votes that threaten tens of thousands of high-quality jobs in Nevada’s solar economy just to please his Big Oil benefactors,” said Andy Maggi, Nevada Conservation League executive director.
The group’s campaign also criticizes Heck for his supposed antagonistic view toward solar energy.
“Threatening Nevada’s solar economy,” the narrator in the 30-second ad states. “Twenty-five thousand Nevada jobs at risk. Because Joe Heck’s in Big Oil’s pocket.”
Heck spokesman Brian Baluta called the group’s ad one of the “most dishonest” attacks on Heck, adding that the state representative has actually been a “strong supporter” of solar jobs in Nevada.
Nevada’s Supreme Court struck down a ballot measure in August to amend the state’s Constitution to subsidize solar panel providers like SolarCity, which is chaired by billionaire Elon Musk.
The court rejected the measure, backed by SolarCity, and called the petition used to get signatures for the referendum “inaccurate,” ”misleading” and “argumentative.” The ruling removes the measure from ballots in November.
The amendment received solid support from Reid.
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