In case you hadn’t heard about this yet, an ad in support of Arkansas GOP Rep. French Hill is getting quite a bit of attention for being highly problematic. Like, legit highly problematic:
This is a real radio ad currently running in Arkansas in support of Republican Congressman French Hill on radio stations targeted to the African American community. I don't even have words to describe it. pic.twitter.com/vpzt1nGPlc
— (((Ben Tribbett))) (@notlarrysabato) October 18, 2018
What is there to say about it, really? Other than “Dear God, what fresh hell is that?”
Oh My. https://t.co/d7Roug4Wl7
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) October 18, 2018
— Randy Rhodes (@randy_rhodes123) October 18, 2018
sweet jesus what did I just listen to https://t.co/aGPK0I1DYD
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) October 18, 2018
What in god name did i just listened to. https://t.co/3hJLSKf5CU
— ????? ???? ???? ?????! (@BradEssex) October 18, 2018
This is so horrific, it's almost funny. My god https://t.co/HvFh0xp6s1
— ConservativeBlackMan ???? (@NevilleD35) October 18, 2018
This campaign ad goes out of its way to try to stir up enmity & mistrust & division between white people & black people, specifically plays on a variety of negative racial stereotypes (against white & black ppl), & is *almost* funny in how transparently evil & exploitative it is. https://t.co/E2C0CFFtGP
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) October 18, 2018
Did you catch that bit at the end, though? The part that said “Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee”? Because that’s pretty important.
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This isn’t an ad for a fringe candidate. It’s for an incumbent member of Congress. https://t.co/cBluJnVSWI
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 18, 2018
Yes, Maggie. But the ad was put out by a fringe group. Run by a fringe lunatic.
Just got off the phone with Vernon Robinson, who runs the PAC airing this ad—he's spending a little less than $50K total to air it on urban contemporary radio in the St. Louis, Kansas City & Little Rock markets for 2 wkshttps://t.co/vE4M7F6IfL
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) October 18, 2018
"A man from North Carolina named Vernon Robinson is behind this… He's a former Congressional candidate and long-time crackpot. He's black. Anti-gay and xenophobic messaging are his stock in trade," the Arkansas Times reports: https://t.co/8YK629KSo4https://t.co/NiAxTcv8f8
— Lois Beckett (@loisbeckett) October 18, 2018
Hill had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Maggie’s tweet falsely gives the impression that the candidate has something to do with this ad. In reality, it’s an ad from a small 3rd party group with hardly any money and no known relationship to the Congressman. https://t.co/70VnS4hOAF
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) October 18, 2018
Hill condemned it pretty unequivocally, in fact:
I contacted @ElectFrench regarding this ad, apparently produced by a group called Black Americans for the President’s Agenda. “I condemn this outrageous ad in the strongest terms. There’s no place in Arkansas for this nonsense,” @RepFrenchHill said in an email from his campaign. https://t.co/YvsphZDFuA
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) October 18, 2018
Some may have heard an appalling ad on the radio. I condemn this outrageous ad in the strongest terms. I do not support that message, and there is no place in Arkansas for this nonsense.
— French Hill (@ElectFrench) October 18, 2018
Good for Hill. Shame on anyone trying to pin this ad on him — and shame on the people who put it together in the first place.
***
Update:
When I mentioned French Hill denounced the ad, Robinson laughed and said "It’s not gonna come down b/c it’s an important message & so is the ad on abortion & [an upcoming ad] on jobs. I only regret I don't have more money so I can spend more time talking about immigration." #AR02
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) October 18, 2018
Vernon Robinson, in defense of his French Hill ad, said "All it is is hard-hitting. I believe the #metoo movement deserves every hit they take. Shifting the presumption of innocence to the presumption of guilt is very dangerous for black men." #AR02
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) October 18, 2018
Robinson explained his French Hill ad this way: "I'm just making an historical reference that white Democrats were responsible for the lynchings of every black person since 1880." Asked for evidence, he said "the Klan was the paramilitary wing of the Democratic Party." #AR02
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) October 18, 2018
To be clear, Vernon Robinson is airing a version of his controversial ad warning Democrats "will take us back to the days of…lynchings" focused both on the #MOSen race & #AR02 race. He thinks GOP doesn't talk to black voters enough & cutting Dem margin there is key to winning.
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) October 18, 2018
We should also be very clear that Robinson is one of the biggest grifters on the right, is not sanctioned by any candidate or party, and is doing all this as a stunt to raise more cash, build his list, and line his own pockets. https://t.co/obJevZOuHZ
— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) October 18, 2018
This thread is a good place to start for a refresher in old Vern https://t.co/eTr19BJtAI
— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) October 18, 2018
Like we said: Lunatic.
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