WATCH: Karen Handel Falsely Suggests Jon Ossoff ‘Has $30 Million Behind Him’
Falsely Suggests Democrats Outspending Republicans in Georgia Special Election
Surrounded by a few supporters Monday afternoon Republican congressional candidate Karen Handel criticized her Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff just one day before Tuesday’s special election.Â
After telling a reporter she wasn’t concerned the race was so tight and it would not influence they way she votes in congress should she get elected, Handel said, “you know, the Democrats put a lot of money into this.”
The former Komen for the Cure senior vice president who almost single-handedly destroyed the breast cancer non-profit when she tried to remove the organization’s funding of Planned Parenthood, then offered up a fib.
After suggesting Democrats spent more than Republicans in the Georgia race – they did not, according to a report by NBC News – Handel said: “I mean, not for nothing, a squirrel is going to get a pretty decent percentage of the vote if he has $30 million behind him.”
Karen Handel to @ABC: “A squirrel is going to get a pretty decent percentage of the vote if he has 30 million dollars behind him.” pic.twitter.com/AxWrbocIq9
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) June 19, 2017
That’s false, on every front.
First, if Handel thinks so little of her potential constituents that she thinks they would vote for a squirrel, she shouldn’t be running. Period.
(And if she’s comparing Ossoff to a squirrel, that’s just offensive.)
But saying, or even suggesting Democrats spent $30 million on this race, well, that’s wholly false.
Handel drew enormous outrage last week when she told a conservative mom that her “faith” wouldn’t allow her to support the woman’s LGBT daughter, insisting that she shouldn’t even be allowed to adopt children or raise a family.
Now, Handel falsely claims Democrats pumped $30 million into the Georgia race.Â
NBC News last week reported that Republicans spent more than Democrats, and neither party has spent $30 million.
GOP organizations are “spending a total of $21 million on the airwaves to defend the reliably Republican seat vacated by now-Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price,” NBC News reports. “Democrats, boosted by record-setting fundraising by candidate Jon Ossoff, have spent a total of $18.7 million on the air.”
$18.7 million is no where close to $30 million.
Should members of congress play fast and loose with the truth?
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