Monday, June 21, 2004
"The Black Jesse Helms"
From National Journal:
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OPEN SEATS - NORTH CAROLINA 05: Aprobación Malo?
Campaign Tip Sheet
Primary/Filing Dates, Latest Polls, Latest Ads...
WSJS radio station "has suspended broadcast of the ads of all candidates
for the 5th District Congressional District" due to confusion over
candidate Vernon Robinson's (R) latest ad. The station is unsure whether
Robinson "legally can air an English language ad that gives a required
disclaimer about how it was paid for in Spanish." In the ad, "an
announcer says that illegal immigrants 'sponge off the American taxpayer'
and 'commit heinous crimes against us'" then says that "the prevalence of
Spanish in the United States can make Americans feel like they are in The
Twilight Zone." "The ad ends in Spanish with the words, 'Yo, Gringo!
This episode of The Twilight Zone was paid for by Robinson for Congress.'"
Robinson says the "point" of the ad is that "it's hard for most of the
citizens to understand the disclaimer because it's in Spanish. Robinson:
"That's ... why we want English to be the official language." He claims
stated who paid for the ad in Spanish is legitimate because neither the
FEC nor FCC offer any "guidance about whether the required disclaimer has
to be in English." However, WSJS is not so sure and "is waiting for
advice from Infinity Broadcasting Corp, which owns the station, before" it
runs the ad. "The corporation ... is researching whether the disclaimer
can run in Spanish and is consulting with the FCC and FEC." "In the
meantime," WSJS "is suspending other 5th Congressional District ads," so
as not to give "the other candidates an advantage" if "it turns out that
the Spanish disclaimer is permitted." The stations "hopes to have an
answer by today"
