Give the money back, Brad

Yesterday, Nebraska Democratic Party official Phil Montag was caught on a secret recording saying he was glad Congressman Steve Scalise was shot, and wished he was dead after last week’s assassination attempt.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Montag has been removed from his post and reported to the police for a presumed death threat against the Congressman. This comes after another Nebraska Democratic Party official refused to resign last week for calling reactions to the shooting “so funny.”

Don Bacon has been a leader in calling for civility in our public discourse. He immediately denounced Montag’s comments as “vile and totally unacceptable.”

But Democrat Brad Ashford has received four separate campaign contributions (Ex. 1, Ex. 2) from Montag, as recently as last year. Ashford and Montag served together on Hillary Clinton’s Nebraska Leadership Council, which Brad led, and Montag even hosted at least one campaign event for Ashford. Not surprisingly, then, Ashford has done nothing to denounce Montag or his comments.

“Brad Ashford must stand up for civility and decency by immediately ridding himself of Phil Montag’s campaign contributions and publicly denouncing these Nebraska Democratic Party officials’ hateful words. Anything less would be implicit acceptance of this disgusting rhetoric that has no place in our politics.” -NRCC Spokesman Jack Pandol