Ohio gubernatorial Democratic primary candidate Richard Cordray was appointed by Barack Obama to be the first head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and is endorsed by the bureau's policy architect, progressive champion Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Yet a new ad, from a new group called Citizens Policy Institute, is attacking him in an ad as a right-leaning "Republican Lite" candidate.
Even stranger than that, the donor is friendly with Cordray's Democratic primary opponent, the left-wing former Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
And even stranger than that, George and Kucinich have met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have opposed efforts to oust him militarily.
"Why do Republicans like Rich Cordray so much?" asks the narrator in the ad, "He has an A-plus rating from the NRA. And he hurt consumers by quitting his job as America's consumer watchdog so Trump could appoint his replacement."
And while Cordray stepped down from his CFPB post on Trump's watch to run for governor, if he wasn't running for governor Trump would have fired him. In fact, Republicans didn't like Cordray at all, so no matter what, Trump was going to put his own person at the bureau.
"Democrats are supposed to be for working people," says the narrator, twisting the knife, "Democrats are supposed to be for responsible gun ownership. Cordray is for neither. We can't win with Republican Lite."
Of course, George doesn't want Democrats to win at all, since he's donated the maximum amount to Republican candidate Mary Taylor. But he does seem interested in giving Kucinich a hand. And he's not shy about admitting it, informing Buzzfeed that he's putting "lots" of money into the anti-Cordray spot.
However, the Kucinich campaign is strenuously denying any involvement with the ad, telling Buzzfeed in an email, "why would WE have any comment about this? It has nothing to do with us."
Yet a new ad, from a new group called Citizens Policy Institute, is attacking him in an ad as a right-leaning "Republican Lite" candidate.
Republican Donor Tony George Is Helping Democrat Dennis Kucinich
Even stranger, the lone donor behind Citizens Policy Institute, Tony George, is a pro-Trump Republican who is supporting a member of his party in the upcoming primary.Even stranger than that, the donor is friendly with Cordray's Democratic primary opponent, the left-wing former Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
And even stranger than that, George and Kucinich have met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have opposed efforts to oust him militarily.
"Why do Republicans like Rich Cordray so much?" asks the narrator in the ad, "He has an A-plus rating from the NRA. And he hurt consumers by quitting his job as America's consumer watchdog so Trump could appoint his replacement."
How Close Is Richard Cordray to the NRA?
Much if what's in those opening lines in disingenuous. For example, it would be more accurate to say Cordray had an A rating (not A-plus) in 2010 when he ran for state Attorney General. He's still pretty gun-friendly for a Democrat, but his support for expanded background checks will likely result in a NRA downgrade if it issues new ratings.And while Cordray stepped down from his CFPB post on Trump's watch to run for governor, if he wasn't running for governor Trump would have fired him. In fact, Republicans didn't like Cordray at all, so no matter what, Trump was going to put his own person at the bureau.
"Democrats are supposed to be for working people," says the narrator, twisting the knife, "Democrats are supposed to be for responsible gun ownership. Cordray is for neither. We can't win with Republican Lite."
Of course, George doesn't want Democrats to win at all, since he's donated the maximum amount to Republican candidate Mary Taylor. But he does seem interested in giving Kucinich a hand. And he's not shy about admitting it, informing Buzzfeed that he's putting "lots" of money into the anti-Cordray spot.
However, the Kucinich campaign is strenuously denying any involvement with the ad, telling Buzzfeed in an email, "why would WE have any comment about this? It has nothing to do with us."