Ami Bera caught plagiarizing AGAIN
Last week, Ami Bera came under fire after it was revealed that he had lifted talking points from the White House and other advocacy groups in a recent op-ed. Today, it came to light that Bera has other op-ed indiscretions in his past – this time in an op-ed on women’s issues from 2014. Full story below.
Bera copied-and-pasted entire sections from Nancy Pelosi’s memo on the subject, attempting to pass off Pelosi’s opinion as his own.
First, Bera parroted White House talking points. Now, Nancy Pelosi’s. With a history of plagiarism, how can 7th District voters trust Ami Bera’s word on important issues?
NRCC Comment: “With more evidence of Ami Bera’s cut-and-paste public policy coming to light, the hardworking people in his district have every right to question Bera’s honesty and leadership. With his history of plagiarism, how can 7th District families trust Ami Bera to shoot straight with them on important issues?” – NRCC Spokesman Zach Hunter
Democratic Congressman Ami Bera Recently Caught Plagiarizing—This Isn’t The 1st Time He’s Done It
Independent Journal Review
By JOSEPH PERTICONE
May 13, 2015
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/05/320777-congressman-ami-bera-plagiarism-accusations-copied-op-ed/
Last week, BuzzFeed discovered a handful of counts of plagiarism in an op-ed by Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) for the Sacramento Bee. Bera took words and phrases from Third Way, Business Roundtable, and even the White House’s talking points.
Now there are additional examples of plagiarized words and phrases.
In a March 19, 2014 guest opinion piece for the Folsom Telegraph, which is cross-posted on Bera’s campaign website, there are several instances of copying; some word-for-word.
From Rep. Bera’s op-ed:
“Today, women play an expanded role in America’s workforce, in businesses small and large, and in our homes. Almost half of all workers are women, and 40 percent of working women are the primary breadwinners in their families. The success of our nation relies upon the economic security of women.”
House Democrats’ Agenda:
“Today, women play an expanded role in America’s workforce, in businesses small and large, and in our homes. Almost half of all workers are women, and 40 percent of working women are the primary breadwinners in their families. The success of our nation relies upon the economic security of women.”
Bera’s op-ed was to advocate support for the House Democrat’s agenda titled: “When Women Succeed, America Succeeds: An Economic Agenda for Women and Families.” But Bera’s advocacy for the plan uses word-for-word quotes without any citation or reference to the original document.
Bera’s copying of the House Democrats’ 2013 agenda continued:
Bera’s op-ed:
“Unfortunately, too many women face financial pressures due to policies that constrain opportunities for their full participation in our economy. They lack good-paying jobs, and they’re dealing with the rising costs of education and debt, making it difficult for them to put food on the table for their families.”
House Democrats’ Agenda:
“Unfortunately, women – and specifically unmarried women – are the most economically insecure today. Too many women face financial pressures simply due to outdated policies that constrain opportunities for women’s full participation in our economy. Too many women are faced with the lack of good-paying jobs, the rising costs of education and debt, and the daily challenge to put food on the table.”
Bera’s op-ed:
“Family and medical leave protections fail to cover nearly half of full-time employees, and women-owned businesses continue to lag behind men-owned businesses, making on average only 27 percent of the average revenue of men-owned businesses.”
House Democrats’ Agenda:
“Family and medical leave protections fail to cover nearly half of full-time employees. Women-owned businesses continue to lag behind men-owned businesses. The average revenue of women-owned businesses is only 27% of the average revenue of men-owned businesses.”
When BuzzFeed caught Bera’s plagiarism, it was in support of the President’s trade deal. Bera’s staff said that his Sunday op-ed in the Bee was due to meeting with “many different people, with many different opinions,” and Bera himselfapologized, saying:
“After an internal review of our editing process, it has become clear that widely used and disseminated statements made their way into the final draft, and for that I apologize.”
IJReview reached out to Bera’s office, but Allison Teixeira, Bera’s spokeswoman, did not respond for comment.
You can read PDF documents of Bera’s op-ed here and the “Economic Agenda for Women and Families” here.