Dole lawyers: 'Godless' ad is truthful

janestancill — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:53:57 -0400

Lawyers for the campaign of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole say they won't pull a TV ad that links challenger Kay Hagan to a group called the Godless Americans political action committee.

In a letter sent to Hagan's lawyers today, Dole attorneys Eugene Boyce and Philip Isley say the ad is factual. They point out that Hagan attended a September fundraiser at the home of a Wendy Kaminer and Woody Kaplan, who are leaders in the Secular Coalition of America.

Kaplan, who sits on an advisory board for the Godless Americans PAC, also contributed $2,300 to the Hagan campaign committee, the lawyers say.

"Your client may not like that the ad publicly disseminates information she would prefer to keep quiet in these days before the elections, but the ad is 100% factually accurate and truthful," Boyce and Isley write.

They further say there is "contrary authority to atheist belief or affiliation being deemed 'libel per se' or even defamatory."

Hagan, who is a Sunday school teacher at a Presbyterian church in Greensboro, took offense and threatened to go to court for a "cease-and-desist" order if Dole did not pull the ad today.

Dole campaign spokesman Dan McLagan said: "Kay Hagan is yelling 'lawsuit' to distract attention from the fact that she was caught raising money from members of a group whose purpose is to advocate for the removal of the word 'God' from public life.

Related: Dole ad one of YouTube's most watched yesterday; Hagan cites Ninth Commandment in response ad; GOP strategist Ed Rollins says Dole should be "ashamed"; former Jesse Helms strategist Carter Wrenn says ad goes too far; former Helms consultant Alex Castellanos says ad crosses the line; N&O fact check finds ad misleading. See the ad here.

Document(s):
ResponseLetter.pdf