On the day of a Congressional District 8 debate at the Jewish Community Center, Republican Jesse Kelly is the subject of a television news report about how he was endorsed by ALIPAC, a group that has been linked anti-Semitic groups, white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
When Kelly, who is facing Democrat Ron Barber in the June 12 special election to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional term, was questioned about the 2010 endorsement by KGUN-9’s Jennifer Waddell, Kelly spokesman John Ellinwood stopped the interview and said the question was illegitimate:
Ellinwood, who was sitting to the side off camera, interrupted Waddell and announced that he was stopping the interview because of a question Waddell had just asked. That question, which came from a KGUN9 viewer, sought an explanation for an endorsement Kelly had accepted from a controversial anti-immigration group. Ellinwood objected to viewer’s use of the word “recent” to describe Kelly’s acceptance — Ellinwood strenuously insisted that the word did not fairly describe something that had happened in 2010. But even though Waddell immediately offered to correct the viewer’s wording, Ellinwood continued pressing his objections.
Kelly sat politely listening. He held his hand up, twice, to try to get Ellinwood to stand down, which Ellinwood eventually did.
However, Ellinwood continued his verbal assault in the hallway afterwards, using some choice terms to describe the question and attacking Waddell’s professionalism for asking it.
After KGUN’s story about Ellinwood’s blowup was posted online, Ellinwood called the station and cancelled an interview that was scheduled for today.
It’s the latest example of Kelly’s fear of tough questions from the media. Kelly has refused to sit down for interviews with the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Weekly.
What’s the big deal about ALIPAC? The group is an anti-immigration political action committee that has been criticized in the past by the Anti-Defamation League for links to anti-Semitic groups, white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
Kelly signed a pledge to ALIPAC to his 2010 campaign in order to receive the organization’s endorsement. Just days ago, ALIPAC endorsed Kelly in the 2012 campaign:
Americans for Legal Immigration PAC is renewing endorsements for 14 federal candidates running in 2012 who were previously endorsed in 2010. These candidates have strong stances in favor of enforcing America’s existing border and immigration laws instead of any form of Amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Each candidate completed ALIPAC’s candidate survey and pledge in 2010 indicating their opposition to illegal immigration and Amnesty for illegals. These candidates have now been added to ALIPAC’s 2012 endorsed candidates found at http://www.alipac.us/campaign/
After Ellinwood’s blowup at the KGUN-9 studio, Kelly refused to address the issue of the ALIPAC endorsement, saying it was “out of bounds,” according KGUN-9 News DIrector Forrest Carr. But according to ALIPAC, the Kelly campaign had to fill out a questionnaire and take a pledge to the organization in order to receive an endorsement. So why is he now unable to discuss his pursuit of the organization’s endorsement?
In 2010, U.S. Sen. John McCain criticized his GOP opponent, J.D. Hayworth, for accepting ALIPAC’s endorsement, saying that ALIPAC was among “extreme groups that condone racism,” according to Politico:
It’s the latest iteration of one of McCain’s most consistent messages: that Hayworth, a vocal immigration hawk, holds views that go beyond the conservative mainstream and into the fringe. Earlier this year, McCain’s camp blasted Hayworth for comments that appeared to question President Obama’s citizenship, and for a web ad that showed an image of McCain in “Avatar”-like face paint that the senator’s supporters called offensive.
“Let’s be clear: Congressman [J.D.] Hayworth’s continued flirtation with extreme groups that condone racism only opens the door for liberals to falsely paint all opponents of illegal immigration as bigots. Congressman Hayworth should immediately disavow this group’s support and commit to never again associating himself with groups that accept this kind of hateful and counterproductive rhetoric,” McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers said in a statement Friday.
Kelly and Barber will face off in a live debate at 7 p.m. tonight at the Tucson Jewish Community Center.
This article appears in May 17-23, 2012.
Kelly can’t or won’t answer tough questions because he is a blatant liar and a hack. He can’t afford to defend any of the things he’s said or done so he slings mud, runs dishonest ads and ducks questions while bullying anyone who tries to ask. Kelly is counting on CD8 voters being too stupid to realize that his entire campign is a fraud-sadly, judging by the close contest, he may be right
lets face it, Republican = Neo-Nazi.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say all Kelly’s supporters are stupid. It is more likely that they are bigots. But the bigot vote, combined with the stupid vote, has been a winning combination in Maricopa County for years…and it might work for Kelly.
Why won’t Jesse Kelly answer the question at all? Do we really want a Congressman that is afraid of of his own actions being openly discussed before the voters of CD 8? We deserve better, far better than that.
I went to the debate at JCC this evening, and a thought comes to mind when Jesse talks about lowering taxes to create more jobs (blah blah blah), and no doubt to me he unquestionably wants to eliminate medicare . Here is a fellow who won’t tell the people the simple truth that republican, tea party, or large corporate employers don’t want to pay employment tax. This is a tax contribution to our medicare benefits. Yes, we do pay the other half ourselves. Why can’t someone ask him about this directly and insist that he gives a straight answer???
Only in Arizona can someone with a high school education with little knowledge of government be considered qualified to run for congress. Kelly is capable of memorizing his talking points and little else. There is a reason he won’t do interviews, he’ll be exposed! This has to be the dumbest and most apathetic electorate in the nation.
Someone asked once, How can Kelly live in Texas and run for Congress in Arizona?
Does he really live here? Or does having his fathers company doing business here qualify he?
Conservative Independent – Sorry I forgot to use my sarcasm font. however your response is quite telling.
If Jesse Kelly was not an ignorant fool, he’d be a monumental liar…
He’s a perfect example of the old saying, “How can you tell Jesse’s lying? His lips are moving.” Everything out of this man’s lips is either a facile, meaningless talking point or a blatant lie.
Of course, he’s in good company. Allegedly “intelligent” republicans like Kyl are also fountains of facile, meaningless talking points and lies.
It seems quite disingenuous for Jesse Kelly to accept the endorsement by ALIPAC in 2010 (which was just renewed last week) and consider that endorsement to be “out of bounds”. Either he wishes to accept that endorsement, or he does not.
A lack of candor, to include feeling no necessity to be forthright in his views, is not the mark of a person suitable for national office.
Vote for Ron Barber.
Who cares?
Obviously you have an army of left wingers who hang on your every word. I am not. You are taking every opportunity to report, distort and crucify Kelly. I AM, like many thousands of my neighbors, voting for Kelly for one reason: neither candidate can accomplish anything as a freshman in congress. Barber will do everything Pelosi tells him to do, regardless of his campaign promises. Kelly will do everything Boehner tells him to do, regardless of his campaign promises. Since I consider Pelosi one of the lowest forms of life on this planet, I will vote for the lesser of the evils, Kelly. I think he is a dolt. I think Barber is a “Yes, Ma’am, just tell me how to vote” rubber stamp for that horrible woman. Now here come the thousand thumbs down because nobody reads you except extremist liberals.
What I learned from m a t t h e w:
left wingers are a army.
m a t t h e w has “thousands” of neighbors.
A pelosi is the lowest form of life.
kelly does what his boehner tells him to do.
No one reads except extremist liberals.
One last comment, take ONE thumb and stick it up your Culo.