CAMPAIGN AD REALITY CHECK

Brian Wargo / staff writer

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006 | 8:14 a.m.

What the ad says

Rep. Jon Porter: As parents, we need to know that our schools are not hiring teachers that are sexual predators.

Thats why I wrote a law in Congress that gives our local school districts the information they need to ensure that sexual predators are not teaching our children. Helping Nevadans solve problems, thats why I ran for office.

Im Jon Porter, and I approve this message because issues that affect you matter to me.

Announcer: Jon Porter, the independence to do whats right. The experience to get it done.

What the ads trying to do

The issue of cracking down on pedophiles has come up in other races, too. Its a hot button with the public. And this is Porters attempt to remind the public of his accomplishment on the issue.

Whats accurate

Did Porter really write the law to help school districts avoid hiring sexual predators? The answer is: sort of.

Porter wrote part of a law called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act the part that created a national database to help track sex offenders. President Bush signed it into law in July, and Porter was invited to the Rose Garden signing ceremony.

The rest of the ad echoes a message Porter has been using much of his political life. Porter has long portrayed himself as a consensus- builder. Hence his helping Nevadans solve problems line.

Whats wrong or misleading

Can this bill ensure that sexual predators are not teaching our children? Of course not. But it gives schools and law enforcement more tools to try to prevent it from happening.

The last line of the ad, however, is tailored to his campaign against Tessa Hafen, a former press secretary for Sen. Harry Reid. Hafen has stressed Porters overwhelming loyalty to the Bush administration. So Porter is stressing his so-called independence. What does that mean considering he has a track record of strongly supporting Bush ? He doesnt say.

During a year in which Republicans will be morphed into the unpopular president by their Democratic opponents, Porter has mounted a distancing campaign early.

And just a few months after he appeared in Las Vegas arm in arm with the president!

One more note: There is a glaring grammatical miscue in this ad about schools.

Porter uses that in reference to teachers. Teachers are who.