Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Editor’s note: Line of Attack is a weekly feature in which we parse a political attack, looking at the strategy behind it, how the campaign is delivering it and what facts support or refute it. We’ll assign it a rating on the fairness meter: Legit, Eye Roll, Guffaw, Laughable or Outrageous.
Attack:Democrat Shelley Berkley has a history of public corruption. In short, it’s not just the latest investigation by the House ethics committee that mars Berkley’s record.
Method of Delivery: Berkley’s Republican opponent Dean Heller unleashed his harshest indictment yet of Berkley’s ethics problems in a television spot last week. Conveniently, the ad coincides with a similar one released last week by the independent conservative group Crossroads GPS, meaning the airwaves are now saturated with the attack.
Strategy: The ad reads almost like a closing argument for the campaign, connecting the still unresolved ethics investigation with a previous ethics scandal from the late 1990s in an attempt to convince voters that Berkley is at her core unethical.
Fairness Meter: Heller’s ad delivers each attack with the confidence-inducing label: Fact. And, indeed, each facts he uses is incontrovertible. Berkley did pen a memo to her then boss Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson advising him to contribute to judges and bestow favors on county commissioners for favorable treatment. She apologized for the behavior in 1998 amid a very public and ugly fight with Adelson during her first run for Congress. She won that election.
And, as Heller’s ad mentions, Adelson did fire Berkley, though it wasn’t necessarily in connection with the memo. The two had an ugly falling out as their political philosophies collided and Adelson became more involved in campaigns.
Leading viewers to believe she was fired for the memos isn’t exactly fair.
It’s also true, and well publicized, that Berkley is the subject of an ethics investigation into whether she advocated for health policies that might benefit her husband, a well-known kidney doctor in Las Vegas.
But the ultimate conclusion of the ad, that Berkley has a “history of public corruption” is, at this point, unfounded. An investigation doesn’t equal a conviction. And neither of these cases has resulted in one yet.
So, while it’s legit to raise the facts, the ultimate conclusion that Berkley is guilty of public corruption gets a Guffaw.
The fact that Adelson fired Berkley makes her even more electable !
There's no doubt Berkley has no honor, no ethics and no moral compass. So the question becomes: Do we really need someone so scuzzy representing us in the U.S. Senate? I think not.
the other newspaper in town looked at the link between Heller, the phony diamond company, an energy drink company and his race car activities and found a credible link.
it was unfair and laughable really?
http://www.lvrj.com/news/berkley-s-campa...
So she tries to get her boss to buy judges and pushes for her husbands company, both un-ethical, and you libs still think she's squeaky clean. Can't believe you people actually vote.
Comment removed by moderator. Off Topic
Mr. Fink.
If as you say she "no honor, no ethics and no moral compass." There is something more for you to consider.
What does that say about a community that continues to elect her?
As the article states, these "charges" are nothing new. Been going on since her first time in office.
I consider it more political posturing since over all these years she has been convicted of nothing.
Neither side wants to deal with the problems, they just keep feeding the general public the Drama they so much love. That is how they get elected today. Entertain the masses with anything but facts.
Where there is smoke, there is fire....
Fox is fair and balanced?
She was always nice to me, and I didn't have a stake in her career. I like to judge people on how they behave when they are not in the public eye.
Berkley has a history of padding her own finances and is using taxpayers to do it. Its clear Berkley is steering legislation in favor of her family, while at the same time padding her retirement. We can all put a stop to it this November, the more years Berkley is in office the more she will get in the end and that not including bad governing.
TEA is 100% correct about MSNBC... we can all agree that FOX News is the ONLY place one can turn to for unbiased, fair & balanced reporting!!!
Pahhhhhhleeeeeze......
The only thing we've learned here is that people like TEA (Mark Traeger) are the ones crying wolf as they spew their BS.
Shelly Berkley is a winner and always has been. No convictions for any trumped up Tbillies bogus claims.
I'm another one of those in a long line whom support her.
No.
"Anyone that brings up a news organization as a scapegoat for justifying their beliefs is plain and simply...a crybaby. Does the other side EVER bring up MSNBC."
Yes, in fact. The Mitt Romney campaign pledged to boycott any debate with participation from MSNBC.
Mark Traeger agrees: Mitt Romney is a crybaby.
Berkley has little to fear from Heller and Karl Rove's unlimited cash (a large amount from Adelson, naturally). Nevada voters know Shelley and trust her.
Thanks, TEA (Mark Traeger) for quoting the survey questions, especially, "Do you personally agree or disagree with the following statement. Government controls too much of our daily lives."
With so many pollsters calling these days, it's important that the public be able to recognize blatant bias, and you're provided an excellent example. Thank you.
Shelley can not hide from the truth
Shelley could answer questions by showing us her tax returns. Did her husband really not make enough money?
Harry Reid needs to put out his taxes so we can see his sham land deals
Shelly is an amateur compared to Reid, just look at how he switched his support from MagLev to the Train to Nowhere when his re-election was possibly on the line.
Shelly still doesn't get it, you don't bribe a politician with money, you bribe them with the ability to deliver votes.
Always a complaint, but NEVER a conviction.
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley HAS DELIVERED much needed services for the Citizens she serves. Her heart to meet the needs of the People outshines the stupid mistakes she made in the process in doing so. We are all human, make mistakes, and learn from our mistakes.
I will elect the political candidate who will make my and my fellow citizens' lives better. Substance talks, and bullsh@# walks, folks. There are many good things that stand as a testament to the goodwill and promise keeping of Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, here in Nevada and throughout the USA. What do the other candidate(s) in this election cycle have to offer? What good things have they done for the wellbeing of Citizens? Talk, promises without results, don't count for much here.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Heller has not condemned the weird comments reguarding rape by top GOP REPUBLICAN candidate and party leader Aikin. Heller must stop his WAR on Women
http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/index...
Heller trieds to cheat people out of medicare...twice. I'll take Berkley any day!
Shelley wants to ride her "Big Oil" rant to a senate seat. Guess that is all it takes for her mindless base.
boftx,
"Train to Nowhere when his re-election was possibly on the line."
It is no longer the "Train to Nowhere". CA killed meglv and approved their side which will make this a southwest network.
http://www.xpresswest.com/network.html
Eventually, it will be a wonderful and much needed system. Thinking ahead to when gasoline dependence will have to be reduced dramatically, this is important to keeping LV alive for coming generations.
There are many forward thinking issues that should be actively planned for in a positive way.
I won't be able to enjoy this advancement, one I've been waiting 25+ years for, but I am happy others will.
Someday, the development of the corridor between LV and Jean will also help our area.
I'm glad Harry Reid prevailed, in spite of all the criticism. I see this as a positive for the future.