The campaign to re-elect Republican Senator Mitch McConnell launched a stinging attack ad against primary challenger Matt Bevin over his claims of educational ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.In the 30-second spot, McConnell's campaign highlights reports from The Hill earlier this year about the Louisville businessman's LinkedIn page.In March, Bevin had listed MIT under his education profile based his attendance at an entrepreneurial program on the MIT campus.Critics argued Bevin was misleading people that he was either a MIT graduate or graduated from a MIT affiliated program.Bevin later revised his social networking page after school officials told The Hill it was a three-week seminar with no formal link to the school.Watch:"The startling revelation that Matt Bevin never attended MIT despite listing it prominently on his resume is yet another example of his repeated attempts to mislead people about who he really is," says McConnell campaign manager Allison Moore. "Whether it is denying he has tax delinquency problems despite government documents proving he does, or misrepresenting his education, it appears the only thing we really know about Matt Bailout Bevin is that he's not a Kentucky conservative."
The ad is a six figure buy according to the McConnell campaign, and is the third attack to air on television against Bevin this month. McConnell has also gone negative in a web video and mailer targeting his primary opponent.
The Bevin campaign is rebuking the latest McConnell accusation, however, saying it shows the GOP leader is desperate.For two years Bevin attended the Birthing of Giants MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Program at the MIT Endicott House. That is the official name of the seminar printed on the certificate Bevin received upon finishing the program and it's Facebook page.Other McConnell ads targeting Bevin have been slammed by fact-checkers, but unlike other attacks Bevin did backtrack on the MIT scandal by revising the LinkedIn page when the story first broke in March.Bevin says McConnell is refusing to talk about issues such as de-funding Obamacare or immigration reform, and is taking the "childishness of campaign name-calling" to a new low."Just when you think the lies can't get any more ridiculous, Mitch McConnell proves that he'll stoop to any level to hang on to his job," he says.
