Congressman Hayworth’s False Attacks

By now I am sure you have seen the Hayworth campaign's latest attempts to smear Senator McCain's honorable record. Congressman Hayworth is currently running two different attack ads that include blatantly false information about the facts of the Senator's record.

But don't take our word for it. The nonpartisan website FactCheck.org examined Hayworth's ads and discovered that both of them are -- to put it mildly -- full of untruths.

So what kind of disinformation do the ads include?

Well for starters, Congressman Hayworth tries to accuse Senator McCain of voting to grant Social Security and Medicare benefits to illegal immigrants.

FactCheck.org calls

this claim "just wrong," pointing out that the amendment Hayworth cites "would not have allowed anyone who is here illegally to get a penny of benefits." Never in his career has Senator McCain supported any measure that would allow any person living in this country illegally to collect retirement benefits. On this point, Congressman Hayworth is sadly just lying.

Congressman Hayworth also falsely argues that Senator McCain opposed the border fence. But as FactCheck.org points out, Senator McCain not only voted to build the 700-mile border fence, he was described as one of the "Republican architects" of the 2006 bill which authorized its construction! The amendment Senator McCain voted against, which Congressman Hayworth cites to back up this claim, failed overwhelmingly -- with a majority of Republicans voting against it -- because it only funded the border fence by cutting funding to other vital Homeland Security programs, like the Border Patrol. In reality, Senator McCain has voted repeatedly in favor of building and funding the border fence.

Senator McCain needs you to help us fight back against the lies the Hayworth campaign is spreading over the airwaves by checking out these posts from FactCheck.org:

- FactCheck.org: "Hayworth's Misleading Attack on Immigration"

- FactCheck.org: "Hayworth Distorts McCain's Immigration Record -- Again"

Send them to your family and friends. Get the word out, so people know the truth about Senator McCain's record. As the final days of this campaign approach we expect the Hayworth campaign to continue to spread lies and untruths about Senator McCain and his service to Arizona. We need your help now more than ever to set the record straight.

Thank you for your continued support, and onward to victory!

Mark Buse
Campaign Manager, McCain 2010