Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Today the Humane Society Legislative Fund launched its third TV ad in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District opposing Steve King for Congress. The new ad is running today in Des Moines, Sioux City, and Rochester-Mason City, and you can watch it here.

Steve King has one of the most extreme voting records on animal protection in the entire nation, often leading a rogue group of lawmakers who fight against stronger penalties for illegal animal fighting, policies to protect pets and service animals in disasters, restricting the trade in dangerous exotic wildlife, and other common-sense reforms. As I told Kevin Bogardus of The Hill newspaper over the weekend, “He has made himself the self-appointed leader of opposing animal welfare laws in Congress. He speaks out against these laws nearly every time they come out and we want the voters in Iowa's Fourth District to know his record in support of animal cruelty.”

King tries to defend his record by saying there should only be state laws, not federal laws, on animal issues. But he has also introduced his own amendment to the Farm Bill seeking to nullify state and local animal protection and food safety laws around the country. His only consistency is that he opposes animal welfare whether it’s at the state or federal level.

Our new ad says that politicians like Steve King try to confuse the truth, and tells voters the facts about his voting record on animal cruelty. It cites the Des Moines Register editorial exposing “King’s voting record on dog-fighting legislation,” including his vote against a ban on taking children to dogfights. Steve King says he’s against animal cruelty, but just doesn’t vote that way. Watch the ad here, and please share with your friends and family.