Group was subject of ethical complaint
Springfield, PA – Today Americans for Job Security, a shadowy advocacy group that is funded by the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, launched an attack ad against Bryan Lentz’s campaign in the 7th Congressional District. The ad is the latest sign that Republicans are skirting ethical boundaries in order to back the flagging political campaign of Pat Meehan.
Over the past two decades, media outlets have reported that Americans for Job Security has served as a secretive front organization for the American Insurance Association, the pharmaceutical industry and other corporate interests to funnel large, untrackable sums of money towards candidates that put the interests of large corporations over those of hard-working American families. The group has also been the focus of an ethical complaint alleging that U.S. Senators strong-armed lobbyists representing corporations for donations to the group in return for actions on legislation.
Americans for Job Security also has strong links to the failed Bush-era policies that led to the lax oversight of Wall Street that led to the recent economic downtown. Americans for Job Security’s lawyer is Benjamin Ginsberg, who played a key role in the 2000 Florida recount vote for President Bush, and its former head executive’s career benefited from his close association with Karl Rove.
“At a time when insurance companies are gouging hard working families of the 7th District with outrageous premium hikes and pharmaceutical companies are making billions profiteering off the backs of seniors it’s no wonder that Americans for Job Security are rushing in to rescue Pat Meehan so he can protect corporations in Congress,” said Kevin McTigue, Bryan Lentz’s campaign manager. “Bryan Lentz rejects the attacks made by Americans for Job Security, a right-wing, corporate front group funded by the Insurance industry with a history of ethical problems. It’s lead attorney was George Bush’s lawyer in the Florida recount. This group is wrong for the 7th District and Bryan will continue to fight against special interests like Americans for Job Security whose radical agendas hurt hard-working families.”
Bryan Lentz has made saving and creating jobs the cornerstone of his campaign for Congress. He is the only candidate with a published plan to get our economy moving again and the only candidate who supports Wall Street reform and the creation of a consumer financial protection agency to ensure another collapse does not happen. Lentz has also pledged to end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas while his opponent Pat Meehan has signed a pledge that has bound him to oppose legislation that has been introduced to end those tax breaks.
A former Airborne Ranger, criminal prosecutor and Iraq War veteran, Bryan Lentz currently serves in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Delaware County. He was awarded both the Bronze Star for Service and the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for his military service. He lives in Swarthmore with his wife Jennifer and their son Thomas.