DeMaio retaliates after California Democrats’ ‘Dishonest and Defamatory’ sex trafficking ads

California State Representative Carl DeMaio is blasting an ad campaign launched this weekend by the California Democratic Party at the behest of CA State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas as “dishonest and defamatory.”

While political ads on both sides may sometimes flirt with shades of truth, the ads being run by Democrats are “flat out lies – which makes them libelous,” DeMaio said.

False claims in Democrat ads
The Democrat ad buy claims that DeMaio – along with several other Assembly Republicans – “voted against stronger laws protecting 16- and 17-year-old victims of sex trafficking.”

The truth
DeMaio and all Assembly Republicans voted no on an amendment that removed felony convictions for buying 16- and 17-year-olds for sex.

Democrats voted for the amendment to eliminate protection for 16- and 17-year-old victims of sex trafficking.

Ashely Zavala with KCRA reported, “The California Democratic Party over the weekend began running misleading ads on Facebook claiming Republican lawmakers ‘voted against stronger laws protecting 16- and 17-year-old victims of sex trafficking.’ The ads come after a contentious vote in the California Assembly when Democratic leaders last week refused to move forward with a proposal that would make it an automatic felony to purchase or solicit 16 and 17 year olds for sex.”

DeMaio announces retaliation plan
DeMaio is not taking the dishonest ad attacks lying down. Yesterday, DeMaio’s campaign committee launched retaliatory ads in five targeted Assembly Districts currently held by vulnerable Democrats — Esmeralda Soria, Pilar Schiavo, Corey Jackson, Cottie Petrie-Norris, and Darshana Patel.

DeMaio said the counter-ad campaign is only the beginning – and that he is meeting with attorneys to explore all legal options to hold the California Democratic Party accountable for their defamation.

 Statement from DeMaio on ad controversy
“Last week, California Democrats voted to kill a bill that would have made it a felony to purchase 16- and 17-year-old minors for sex. If that were not bad enough, now Democrats are lying to the voters with dishonest and libelous ads that try to pin the blame on Republicans. Unlike in the past when California Republicans would just roll over and take it, there will be consequences for these lies – and it begins with a counter-ad campaign that I am directing the Reform California movement to fund against five top target seats currently held by vulnerable Democratic Assemblymembers who voted to gut AB 379. We are currently meeting with our lawyers and additional consequences are forthcoming.”

About Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio is a State Assemblymember representing District 75 and is chairman of Reform California – a statewide movement dedicated to holding state and local government accountable by supporting reform-minded ballot measures and candidates to office. DeMaio also hosts a daily podcast covering news and state politics that receives 1-2 million unique views and listens a week. DeMaio’s 75th Assembly District includes the communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Valley Center, Ramona, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Julian, Borrego Springs, Pala, Jamul, Pine Valley, Pauma Valley, and Bonita.

For more information go to CarlDeMaio.com or ReformCalifornia.org.