The attack ad distorts and misuses copyrighted video of Jones at a Victory Fund event
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund is demanding through a cease and desist letter that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) remove from the air and internet a false advertisement attacking U.S. Congressional candidate Gina Ortiz Jones. The ad, released Tuesday in support of U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, used footage of Jones at a Victory Fund event and through editing distorted its meaning to mislead voters. The NRCC did not request permission to edit and distribute the video and Victory Fund’s legal team determined it constitutes copyright infringement. Victory Fund is non-partisan.
The video shows Jones encouraging event attendees to contribute to Victory Fund’s efforts to elect openly LGBTQ candidates who will advance equal rights for LGBTQ people. The NRCC purposely edits the video to make it appear as if Gina is asking for contributions for her own campaign – which she was not. Victory Fund is demanding the NRCC end all use of the attack ad.
“Gina attended our event and gave a powerful speech about how being a child of immigrants and serving under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ have fueled her desire to make a difference for average Americans,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “The NRCC and Will Hurd apparently find no moral obligation to be truthful – purposefully distorting Gina’s deeply personal speech to mislead voters. We have demanded that the NRCC to end all use of the attack ad immediately because of the unauthorized misuse of our copyrighted material.
“Will Hurd should also condemn the false attack ad and demand the NRCC remove it from the air. Rep. Hurd continues to make self-aggrandizing calls for ‘civility’ in public discourse, but quietly nods and smiles as his supporters spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on false attacks that are the antithesis of civility. If Rep. Hurd wants to live up to his own hype, he must condemn this ad and these tactics.
“At our event in April, Gina called on those in the room to support our non-partisan organization with a contribution – which Victory Fund could then use to support openly LGBTQ candidates who have long been marginalized in American politics. The NRCC and Hurd may oppose our mission to elect openly LGBTQ candidates who must overcome homophobia and transphobia to win elected office, but we appreciate having a leader like Gina on our side.”
Gina Oritz Jones is endorsed by Victory Fund and would become the first openly LGBTQ person in Congress from Texas if elected in November.
View all Victory Fund endorsed candidates at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
victoryfund.org
