TV Ad Exposes King’s “Disappointing” Voting Record on Animal Fighting, Pets in Disasters
WASHINGTON (Sept. 28, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy group for animal welfare, today launched a new TV ad in the Des Moines, Sioux City and Rochester/Mason City media markets opposing Steve King’s reelection to Congress. The ad responds to King’s recent claims that he loves animals and opposes dogfighting.
The narrator tells viewers: “Politician Steve King—says one thing, does another. Steve King says he’s against animal cruelty. But his record? Disappointing.”
The ad tells viewers the facts on King’s voting record in Congress:
- King voted against including pets in disaster plans. (5/22/2006 vote on H.R. 3858)
- He voted against strengthening the penalties for interstate dogfighting. (3/26/2007 vote on H.R. 137)
- King even voted against a federal ban on bringing children to dogfights and cockfights. (7/11/2012 vote on amendment to H.R. 6083)
The narrator continues: “Steve King. Says he’s against animal cruelty. Just doesn’t vote that way. That’s not Iowa values.
It’s easy for a professional politician to say he’s against animal cruelty,” said Dane Waters, political director for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “But the acid test is their voting record. Time and again, Steve King votes against the most modest animal welfare reforms. He is out of step with Iowa values, and has a callous and uncaring record toward the care of all of God’s creatures.”
A previous TV ad exposing Steve King’s voting record on dogfighting laws in Congress was rejected by Iowa TV stations after King complained that he loves animals and opposes dogfighting. The Des Moines Register said in an editorial that the ad criticizing King’s voting record on dogfighting is “accurate” and “true” and the stations’ rejection of it is “puzzling.” The controversy has led to more than 10,000 people watching the ad online, which is available at StopKingofCruelty.com.
While King says he is an animal lover, his record tells an entirely different story: He’s the self-appointed leader of the fight to block any animal welfare legislation, and he’s amassed the record to match that goal. He scored 10 percent on the Humane Scorecard for the 108th Congress, zero out of 100 percent for the 109th Congress, 8 percent for the 110th Congress, 13 percent for the 111th Congress, and zero for the 112th Congress—the only Iowa member of Congress who failed to support any animal welfare provisions during this session. Now, he has a provision in the Farm Bill to invalidate a whole host of local and state animal protection laws. He says he’s for states’ rights when it’s convenient, and he says he’s for federal authority at other times. The only thing he’s consistent on when it comes to animal welfare policies: he’s against them all.
Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@hslf.org
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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.
The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.
Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.
