Posted on 12/01/2015 4:44:21 PM PST by Isara
Ad Makes Bogus Claim About Cruz Support for Oil Subsidies
HOUSTON, Texas - The Cruz for President Campaign today sent a letter to Iowa radio stations requesting they stop running a false ad placed by America's Renewable Future, a lobbyist group that wants to keep taxpayer subsidies going to the ethanol industry.
The ad falsely claims, "Politicians like Ted Cruz support subsidies for Big Oil, but want to end support for ethanol."
"It is blatantly false to suggest that Sen. Cruz wants to end the Renewable Fuel Standard while maintaining subsidies for oil," Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler said. "Cruz has repeatedly stated that he would end all energy specific subsidies, both ethanol and oil among others."
Earlier this year in a speech delivered at Heritage Action in Washington, D.C., Cruz said, "Big government energy mandates don’t stop with ethanol. There are tax credits for almost every form of energy. Each designed to give one industry a leg up over the other."
He went on to say that we should level the playing field, end the special interest handouts, and stop the energy cronyism. He supported the Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act, sponsored by Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, which would eliminate all technology-specific energy tax credits.
Tyler continued, "While Cruz stands consistently in support of the free market, Sen. Rubio champions corporate giveaways like the RFS and sugar subsidies that pick winners and losers in order to enrich lobbyists at the expense of the American taxpayers."
The text of the letter to the radio stations is below and may be viewed here:
December 1, 2015
Dear Station Manager:
On behalf of Cruz for President, I write this letter to inform you that, based upon available information, America's Renewable Future, Inc. has purchased media time to publicly disseminate a false and misleading advertisement regarding Senator Ted Cruz.
The ad falsely claims, "Politicians like Ted Cruz support subsidies for Big Oil, but want to end support for ethanol."
To the contrary, Ted Cruz has repeatedly stated that he would end energy subsidies for both ethanol and oil among other energy subsidies.
He specifically supports the Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act, sponsored by Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, which would do just that.
Because this advertisement makes a flatly false factual claim for which your station is ultimately responsible, we urge you to exercise your discretion as a licensee to refuse to continue to broadcast this advertisement, and, because it is already airing, immediately pull the advertisement from your rotation.
As an FCC licensee you have the legal responsibility to exercise independent editorial judgment and discretion to oversee and protect the marketplace of ideas, but also to avoid deliberate misrepresentations and intentional libel. Political Programming Policies, 7 FCC Rcd 678, 685 n.54 (1991)("licensees are not required to accept any political material that is not authorized by candidates"). Such obligations must be taken seriously because courts command broadcasters to "protect the public from false, misleading or deceptive advertising." Licensee Responsibility with Respect to the Broadcast of False, Misleading or Deceptive Advertising, 74 FCC 2d 623 (1961). Your failure, as an FCC licensee, to fulfill this obligation, may be deemed an "underlying abdication" of your duties as such a licensee and result in the loss of your station's license. Cosmopolitan Broadcasting Corp. v. FCC, 581 F.2d 917, 927 (D.C. Cir. 1978). With this letter, Cruz for President reserves all rights, remedies and recourse to which we are entitled in connection with the potential or actual broadcast of the advertisement referenced herein, and that no action or inaction by Cruz for President shall be deemed to constitute a waiver, relinquishment or other impairment of such rights, remedies or recourse.
Thank you for your consideration and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Eric S. Brown
General Counsel
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"The big question for us 'is the republic actually dead?' and is Obama just the first caesar?"
the artist said. "The welfare state and the Kardashians are the 21st century version of bread
and circuses... Is this a democratic republic, or just a Washington D.C. TV show that is
pretending to be one, while the Federal government laughs at the plebes... If Cruz is the
candidate, we have a chance at restoring the republic."
Why don’t we just turn all this corn into nice sour mash and stop putting it in our gasoline?
Burning it as fuel is so stoopid. Ethanol sucks if it ain’t flavored and bottled.
Ted has never held any other position. He began his campaign making it very clear that he does not support ethanol subsidies and why, while addressing a crowd full of Iowa farmers.
Absolutely. As Cruz says, the government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. That is why he is for ending all subsidies.
Ted, you might get more traction, if not in Iowa, by pointing out the waste of good food entailed with ethanol when there is no shortage of oil to power the nation.
Iowa runs on corny capitalism (pun intended), which is what your supporters are trying to eliminate. Come back to the ranch.
Yes, I believe that is his position
Exactly.
Iowa is a Blue State but one that can get flipped Red with the right message.
IA,WI,MN are very different than TX.
We will need LOTS of Blue State pickups to win 2016
Good on him. That takes guts.
Messes up our boat like crazy!
you “gather” WRONG - Why don’t you, as the poster suggested, READ the article?
Instead, you double down on your assumption without checking the facts.
You could probably get a writing stint with Huff Po and the like...
He supported the Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity ActLOL!
sponsored by Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, which would eliminate all technology-specific energy tax credits.That's a big, brave, bold step there with an impressive title full of double speak. What is a "technology-specific energy source? Solar? Windmill? It's very specific to not include oil or ethanol.
Specifically taking away subsidies of (intentionally not) named sources is a HUGE boost for those sources NOT named continuing to get subsidies.
All part of keeping the Koch head's crony capitalist money donors happy...without being obvious about it.
They're all RINO/liberals hooked on Koch...Cruz included.
Can't read. Must be a Trumpkin.
'Twas always so. There was a legendary campaign between incumbent Senator Claude Pepper (D FL) and challenger George Smathers in the 50's. As the story goes, Smathers was encouraged by President Truman: "I want you to do me a favor. I want you to beat that son-of-a-bitch Claude Pepper."
Smathers supposedly gave a campaign speech denunciating Pepper, in which he said:
"Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law, he has a brother who is a known homo sapien, and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage habitually practiced celibacy."Pepper lost the election to Smathers in 1950. Voters told reporters that they weren't quiet sure words like "extrovert", "nepotism" and "thespian" meant, but they were sure they were connected to bad, immoral or illegal activities. Hey, they had Low-Information voters even back then!
Smathers proved you can't lose an election by underestimating the intelligence of the average American voter - a political truism that controls the campaign system even more so today.
Agreed. Ted not backing down on ethanol tells me he’s the real deal. Unfortunately that may sink him in Iowa.
Ethanol is not the big issue this year for Iowans IMO. At least not for Republicans. Cruz will have a shot at winning Iowa.
LOL! Man, you people sure get your huggies all wadded up easy.
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Read the letter!
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