Remember Ken Smukler, the Brady aide who had to resign very quickly last week after it was disclosed that he worked for Brady's mayoral campaign, in violation of the city campaign-finance ordinance?
A fact that came to light when it was revealed he met with a local PR operative to stir up "independent" attack ads against Tom Knox?
He is trying a new approach.
He's created his own attack ad, bought one spot on Channel 6's 6 p.m. newscast -- and posted it on YouTube. (He also made sure the city's reporters knew it was there.) His hope is that the community will love this ad so much that they will donate to a 527 to keep it on the air.
The ad targets Knox's background in payday lending, his contract with the Convention Center (misidentified in the ad as a "city" contract) and his Maryland HMO. You can see the ad here, or read the script below the jump.
Now, I am not boosting Knox here. And I sure don't have a problem with other candidates challenging his record or his claims, aggressively, in advertising. Good for Bob Brady for putting his money, and his name, to his attack ad.
But I began to suspect something was up when I realized that precious few of us have actually seen the 527 ads that everyone has heard about. Perhaps they've been written about, talked about -- but not really aired that much?
And now -- an attack ad by disgraced staffer Smukler -- which was carefully leaked to the media (with an embargo of exactly 6:30 p.m.) so we can all carry, at no cost to Smukler, the story of his one-man campaign?
And that ad sitting on the Internet with a virtual collection box in front of it?
Ken Smukler's "Shameless" ad:
The money you made by wiring yourself a no-bid, no-work city contract: $28,000.
The money your HMO paid in fines for telling patients to get a doctor's note before calling 911: $70,000.
The rate of interest your bank charged working families in a predatory loan scheme consumer groups called credit heroin: 400%.
Tom Knox calling this a record of success? Shameless.
There are some things Tom Knox's money can't buy.
Comments (11)
I saw the attack ad. It was LAME. If this is the best this guy Smuckler can produce, he won't get hired much. He should change his name to 'Schmuckler'. Ha ha
Posted by Anonymous | May 1, 2007 8:23 PM
Smukler is a hero. Everyone who is silent about this creep knox are the ones who are shamed.
Y'all know that fraud Knox is a bad person and he ain't ever gettin' to 215.....book that brother!
and Jnaie...we ain't forgettin you sellout!
Posted by Evans the Can do Candidate | May 1, 2007 8:36 PM
Smukler is a hero. Everyone who is silent about this creep knox are the ones who are shamed.
Y'all know that fraud Knox is a bad person and he ain't ever gettin' to 215.....book that brother!
and Jnaie...we ain't forgettin you sellout!
Posted by Evans the Can do Candidate | May 1, 2007 8:37 PM
Brady 527 has trained Jim Nixon to blog like he is from the hood. My oh my.
Posted by Anonymous | May 1, 2007 9:14 PM
What a lame ad. If I were Brady, I wouldn't talking about other people getting no-bid contracts.
Does he not remember his wife is bringing home $100K/year of no-bid city contract money?!
Posted by Anonymous | May 2, 2007 6:22 AM
Hey - Jonny Doc is anonymous
Posted by Evans the Can Do Candidate | May 2, 2007 10:32 AM
nice empty accusation about brady and no-bid contracts.
you can be sure that if you offered knox 100k you still couldnt get knox to do anything for anyone but himself.
id like to add that im tired of hearing bradys wife get smeared. i dont know if anyone has done any comparison across the market in terms of what someone of her responsiblities gets paid, but, if anyone bothers to do anything but put her down, theyll find she is surely not overpaid.
Posted by joao bautista | May 2, 2007 1:17 PM
The "attack Knox" ads are so far off it is a joke --- Right, a guy worth millions got a 'no bid' contract for....wait for it....$28,000....WOW !! And all the "facts" are wrong anyway....
First - it was not a City contract. Second, it wasn't a "contract" at all in any normal sense. Third, Blue Cross paid, not you and me. Fourth, it lasted a very short time (versus say Brady's wife's $100,000 per year 'job' at a no-bid contractor for the City - an 8 year contract by the way). Fifth - oh heck, you get the drift...
Look - it's pretty simple - The power broker establishment is afraid their gravy train is about to run out of steam...that's what is going on 100% !!!!!
The others all say they have "experience" - well we have all experienced everything they have done the last many years...if you want more of that (crime, failed schools, the whole mess) then vote for the establishment...if you want something new - vote Knox...
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