GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

Letters/My View

October 26, 2012

Letter: Political ads and assaults on truth

To the editor:

In war, it is said, truth is the first casualty; so, too, with political campaigns.

The main theme of Sen. Brown’s ads is that “Elizabeth Warren is not who she says she is.” He feels he has to throw dust because, the more you know about her, the more you might like her.

Currently, he is attacking her as a hired gun for Travelers Insurance to deny benefits to workers injured by asbestos exposure. But Sen. Brown, again, fails to shoot straight.

Elizabeth Warren did represent Travelers in a Supreme Court case that would give further immunity to the company but only in order to secure a $500 million settlement by Travelers for compensation to sick workers. The asbestos workers organization supported this settlement. These items are missing from Sen. Brown’s ads.

Also missing from his ads is the notice that Sen. Brown received a $7,000 contribution from the Travelers Insurance political action committee (PAC). He returned it in early September, just before he started attacking Elizabeth Warren on this issue.

Now, Travelers doesn’t insure against these assaults on the truth. But we can, if we refuse to believe the charges in attack ads- especially in these last weeks of the campaign.

If we do this, we will be that much closer to the much-battered truth.

DAVID McCAULEY

Woodward Avenue, Gloucester

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