Democrat Senate candidate Jon Ossoff is pulling out all the stops with wild accusations that even CNN reports as false. Ossoff, who is facing Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), couldn’t resist trashing the Republican in Georgia’s other senate race. In response to Fox Newsman Peter Doocy’s question, Ossoff dug deep into the dirt, claiming Republican Kelly Loeffler had been campaigning with a Ku Klux Klan member.
On Wednesday, Mr. Ossoff, who isn’t running against Loeffler, left his lane to land the false charge against her – and, naturally – Ms. Loeffler’s challenger couldn’t resist the temptation to double-down on Ossoff’s allegation. Rev. Raphael Warnock put out a tweet showing Loeffler with a man who had ties to the Klan.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Photos
A campaign spokesman for Loeffler told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Kelly had no idea who that was, and if she had, she would have kicked him out immediately because we condemn in the most vociferous terms everything that he stands for.” Loeffler was asked to pose for the photo at an event in Dawsonville, GA, in December. Candidates routinely pose with hundreds of people while running for office. It’s not customary for campaigns to check the bio on everyone who wants a selfie with its candidate.
Republican Loeffler was shown with Chester Doles, who says he is a former white supremacist but has since renounced his affiliation with the KKK and, according to a report in the Associated Press, has “asked for God’s forgiveness.” But for those who are “headline readers,” this is a damning association for Ms. Loeffler in a hotly contested Senate race. Ossoff and Warnock are banking on those headlines to malign the GOP candidate in the eyes of Georgia voters.
This type of below-the-belt campaigning is becoming commonplace, and one wonders if the lies will work. Warnock himself has a host of personal and professional issues he’s had to skirt, including but not limited to charges of domestic violence and turning a blind eye to child abuse in a Maryland summer camp with which he is associated.
The Democrat’s troubles, however, are legitimate for discussion because police records validate the accusations. The Loeffler story, however, is another kettle of fish.
When CNN calls out a Democrat for false claims, you can bet there is something amiss. In a “fact-checking” article published on December 31, the network said there was “no evidence” that Loeffler sought the Klan’s support or is associated with the white supremacy movement. CNN’s Holmes Lybrand asserted: “[T]hese photos do not demonstrate that Loeffler campaigned with a former member of the KKK, as Ossoff alleged.”
As the Democrats in Georgia dance the political Limbo (As in, how low can we go?), one wonders if the dirty dancing will tarnish Loeffler’s reputation just enough to push Ossoff over the finish line. As of noon on Friday, January 1, the Real Clear Politics poll average had Ossoff leading Ms. Loeffler by less than one percentage point.
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Read more from Leesa K. Donner.
