Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick unveiled his first TV ad of the election and it concerns the issues with the Veterans Administration.

“Our veterans protect and defend us and we should protect and defend them,” Fitzpatrick states. “The Veterans Administration mistreated our veterans and I’m holding them accountable.”

The Congressman goes on to detail his work on the VA backlog.

Overall, it is an effective spot highlighting the work that the incumbent has done while also criticizing bureaucratic incompetence. It also showcases the work Fitzpatrick has done for veterans, which is important because his Democratic opponent Kevin Strouse is an Iraq and Afghan War vet.

There was a problem with the ad that the Strouse campaign was happy to point out. The footage of the man in the wheelchair and the doctor is stock footage. This is a common problem campaigns face as stock photos and footage are of course much cheaper but the revelation of their use could prove embarrassing.

The Strouse team sought to highlight the moment to make the broader point that Fitzpatrick is not as strong on veterans’ issues as he makes himself out to be. Specifically they point to his vote against a Democratic alternative to an appropriations bill that would have provided more funds to the Veterans Administration.

“This year, we saw Congressman Fitzpatrick jump onto a bandwagon with his colleagues to put a bandaid on a problem that he helped create in the first place,” Strouse campaign spokesman Will Block said. “Disabled veterans are real heroes with real stories who deserve a Congressman that will fight for the care that they deserve not some stock footage that can be purchased online. The fact that Fitzpatrick suddenly cares about the disability backlog, especially when he’s running against a combat veteran, is exactly what’s wrong with politics.”

“Fitzpatrick’s anti-veteran record speaks for itself,” Block continued. “It’s especially egregious for Fitzpatrick to claim to be working to end the disability claims backlog after voting in 2013 against a measure to do exactly that. These issues at the VA are nothing new unfortunately, they only seem to matter to Congressman Fitzpatrick in an election year.”

Fitzpatrick Campaign Manager Sam Bolstein responded to the charge by citing the Congressman’s record.

“Congressman Fitzpatrick is a recognized leader on veterans issues in our area,” Bolstein said. “From bringing the National Veterans Cemetery to Bucks County to fighting against President Obama’s military tuition cuts to holding the VA accountable, Congressman Fitzpatrick has a record unmatched supporting veterans.”

Bolstein also pointed to comments that NJ-3 Democratic nominee Aimee Belgard made in a recent debate where she praised Fitzpatrick’s work on the VA.

“The bogus votes cited by our opponent’s campaign are procedural gimmicks,” Bolstein concluded. “Congressman Fitzpatrick will always be an active voice for our nation’s veterans.”