Politics makes strange bedfellows, the saying goes. The latest set of strange bedfellows to emerge in the 2016 election cycle is the fiscal conservative organization Club for Growth and the hot-tempered, foul-mouthed liberal firebrand Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL).
What brought these two together? They both oppose the Export-Import Bank, the quasi-governmental agency that provides financing for trade exports. Conservative groups staunchly object to the “Ex-Im Bank,” characterizing it as a form of crony capitalism and waste of taxpayer funds that’s rampant with fraud and abuse. The Ex-Im Bank is up for renewal soon and requires an affirmative vote in Congress to be reauthorized.
Grayson is currently considering running for U.S. Senate in 2016. His fellow Florida Democrat Rep. Patrick Murphy, who is already in the race, supports the Ex-Im Bank, and is the target of the Club for Growth’s latest TV ad:
Script of ad:
Two Florida Democrats in Congress with very different views: Alan Grayson opposes the Export-Import Bank, which spends billions of tax dollars on a handful of giant corporations. Patrick Murphy supports the Ex-Im Bank, and wants to funnel billions more to corporate fat cats.
Congress will soon vote. Tell your Democratic Members of Congress to side with Grayson, not Murphy, and stop the Export-Import Bank’s outrageous corporate giveaways.
“Congressional Democrats, like Patrick Murphy, are in virtual lockstep in their support for the big corporate special interests that gain taxpayer-provided financing from the Export-Import Bank,” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh in a statement provided to Breitbart News. “Despite the hundreds of fraud claims against Ex-Im, and the 31 open fraud investigations involving the bank, Murphy still wants an expansion of Ex-Im.”
McIntosh praised Grayson for “[standing] firm in the face of intense Democrat pressure for extending Ex-Im’s life,” noting that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential frontrunner, was publicly supporting the Ex-Im Bank’s reauthorization. “The Club for Growth is urging Florida Democrats to get involved in the fight against cronyism and corruption by calling on their Democrat representatives to join Alan Grayson in opposing Ex-Im,” added McIntosh.
Doug Sachtleben, the Club for Growth’s communications director, told Breitbart News that the ad would be a part of a statewide buy of approximately $250,000, for spots on MSNBC and a few other cable outlets where they hoped to reach Democratic primary voters.
Sachtleben said that this was about a bigger issue than just one race. “The ad is aimed at the policy itself, the Export-Import Bank,” rather than any candidate, said Sachtleben.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and in the Club for Growth’s eyes, Grayson is right to oppose the Export-Import Bank. Still, Grayson shouldn’t count on an endorsement from the conservative watchdogs: they already threw their support behind Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) earlier this month.
“We’ve done several ads,” Sachtleben added, “and we hope to continue to push on Members of Congress to oppose the Export-Import Bank.” He pointed out that Club for Growth has already been running ads with similar themes in a handful of other Congressional districts starting last month, a second round last week, and more planned.
Follow Sarah Rumpf on Twitter @rumpfshaker.
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