After Ignoring Pleas, NRSC Claimed to Take Ad Down — But They Never Did
Hickenlooper for Colorado Communications Director Melissa Miller released the following statement after the organization Senator Cory Gardner formerly ran lied to Coloradans and Firestone survivor Erin Martinez by continuing to run their “horrifying political ad” exploiting her family’s tragedy. The NRSC said the ad would be coming down last Thursday, but it has continued to run since.
“It’s been nearly two weeks since Erin Martinez called for this despicable ad to be taken down and Senator Cory Gardner has refused to honor her call to forcefully speak out and demand the organization he used to run pull the ad. Washington Republicans lied to Coloradans in their ad and about their ad — these disgusting political games are exactly what’s wrong with Cory Gardner’s Washington.”
The NRSC has now spent nearly $400,000 running this ad hundreds of times on Colorado television.
Gardner waited days to return calls from Firestone survivor Erin Martinez, who asked that the ad exploiting her family’s tragedy come down. Gardner ran the organization behind the ad in 2017-2018, and has accepted its financial support throughout his reelection.
Last week, Martinez said, “Sen. Gardner underestimates his power to have the ad taken down if he publicly speaks forcefully to make it happen. After talking to him, I wonder if he really understands the harm it has inflicted.”
Fact checkers have already called claims in the ad “misleading” and outright false. As Governor, John Hickenlooper held oil and gas companies accountable, ordered inspections of gas lines immediately after the explosion, levied tough fines for violations and implemented industry-wide reforms. The company responsible for the Firestone tragedy was fined $18.25 million, following an investigation initiated under Hickenlooper’s administration.
