Yesterday I heard an ad on a Des Moines radio station criticizing Representative Steve King for taking a “five-week taxpayer-funded vacation instead of working to create jobs.” The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee paid for the ad in IA-04 and 17 other Republican-held House districts. The ad script is in a press release I’ve posted after the jump. This radio campaign is not targeting Representative Tom Latham in IA-03 for whatever reason. (The National Republican Congressional Committee recently added Latham to its incumbent protection program.) King has received so much unflattering media attention over the past two weeks because of his comments about undocumented immigrants that the DCCC may have felt it was the right time to focus on driving up King’s negatives with Iowans.

Meanwhile, during an interview with Sioux City-based KSCJ Radio, King criticized the Obama administration’s decision to close some U.S. embassies this week. Excerpts from his comments are after the jump, along with reaction from IA-04 Democratic candidate Jim Mowrer, who accused King of politicizing national security.

King spoke to KSCJ Radio on August 5:

“We should not be pulling out of our embassies because of a threat of al Qaeda. We should be reinforcing our embassies,” King said on KSCJ Radio. “We are the United States of America. We should be able to bring the force to bear to defend them.”

Prison breaks in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan in late July freed hundreds of terrorists linked to al Qaeda. U.S. intelligence agencies reported heightened internet chatter about attacks on Western targets planned for this week, at the end of Ramadan, a month-long period of fasting and self-reflection for Muslims. King, a Republican, said the embassy closings were the wrong move.

“If we build a reputation that we’re going to retreat from internet chatter, what kind of a country are we?” King asked.

King suggested Obama has inappropriately sent “signals” to the enemy.

“I wouldn’t be telling ’em any of this,” King said. “If I made a decision to have an ambassador someplace else, I wouldn’t tell the world that.”

Press release from Mowrer for Congress, August 6:

Jim Mowrer calls Congressman King’s comments dangerous

Boone, IA – In response to Congressman Steve King’s comments regarding the temporary closure of several US embassies’ Iraq Veteran Jim Mowrer, King’s opponent in next year’s election released the following statement:

“As a former intelligence professional I am very aware of the amount of threats the US gets on a daily basis. Some threats are credible, while some are not. Those that are credible will cause you to take some type of action to protect American interests. For Congressman King to politicize national security shows he doesn’t understand the work our intelligence agencies do and is undermining the safety of American personnel abroad.”

What makes King’s statements particularly outrageous is the fact that in 2012 he voted to cut funding to embassy security.  Several high profile members of both parties have supported these measures.

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Background

Congressman King criticizes embassy closures, says reputation of US harmed

http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/…

In March 2012, King voted for the House Republican budget for FY 2013. [CQ Floor Votes, 3/29/12]

The budget resolution was adopted, 228-191.[H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12]

Ryan Budget Cut $400 Million to Embassy Security.

In 2012, Think Progress reported that under Ryan’s budget “non-defense discretionary spending, which includes State Department funding, would be slashed nearly 20 percent in 2014, which would translate to more than $400 million in additional cuts to embassy security.” [Think Progress,10/10/12]

Peter King: Terror Intelligence Suggested ‘Enormous’ Attack, Possibly in United States

http://www.newsmax.com/Headlin…

Note: Peter King chairs the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee press release, August 5:

DCCC LAUNCHES RECESS RADIO ADS AGAINST REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN

As House Republicans left for a five-week vacation without bills on jobs, transportation or comprehensive immigration reform, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched radio ads titled “Wrong Priorities” calling on 18 Congressmen to get their priorities straight.

“House Democrats repeatedly asked House Republicans to stay and work together on solutions to issues like jobs, comprehensive immigration reform, a balanced approach to reducing the deficit and a transportation bill, but House Republicans refused to cooperate and left for vacation instead,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “While House Republicans take a five-week taxpayer-funded paid vacation, we hope that they listen to their constituents and fix their misplaced priorities.”

The 15-second ads are running during news, weather and traffic programming. An example from Congressman Steve Southerland’s (FL-02) radio station follows:

“You work hard, so you deserve the same from your Congressman. But did you know Congressman Southerland is on a five-week taxpayer-funded vacation instead of working to create jobs? Tell Congressman Southerland to get his priorities straight.”

The 18 vulnerable Republican districts include:

Congressman Dan Benishek (MI-01)

Congressman Kevin Cramer (ND-AL)

Congressman Steve Daines (MT-AL)

Congressman Sean Duffy (WI-07)

Congressman John Fleming (LA-04)

Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03)

Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02)

Congressman Bill Johnson (OH-06)

Congressman David Joyce (OH-14)

Congressman Steve King (IA-04)

Congressman Gary Miller (CA-31)

Congressman Steve Pearce (NM-02)

Congressman Scott Rigell (VA-02)

Congressman Steve Southerland (FL-02)

Congressman Glenn Thompson (PA-05)

Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10)

Congressman Kevin Yoder (KS-03)

Congressman Bill Young (FL-13)