EMILYs List Statement on CLF’s Unethical Weaponization of Personal Security Information
For Immediate Release
August 29, 2018
EMILYs List Statement on CLF’s Unethical Weaponization of Personal Security Information
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a super PAC aligned with Speaker Paul Ryan, has used private information on Abigail Spanberger’s government security clearance application to attack her in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. CLF has previously said it plans to spend nearly $10 million in August to defeat Democrats in 14 races across the country, many of whom are EMILYs List-endorsed candidates. Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications at EMILYs List, released the following statement:
“It's the season for political attacks and Abigail Spanberger knew they were coming. What's shocking is that Paul Ryan's super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund, would cross ethical lines in using information inappropriately obtained from her security clearance application and weaponizing it as a political attack. The Republicans are clearly willing to do anything to win, but this shameful act is beyond the pale and every Republican currently benefiting from CLF's attack ads should have to answer for their actions.”
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Since the 2016 election, thousands of women and counting have reached out to us about running for office. To harness this energy, EMILYs List has launched Run to Win, an unprecedented effort to get more women to run at the local, state, and national levels.
