Virginia NOW Blasts Gerry Connolly

By: Lowell
Published On: 4/22/2008 1:05:02 PM

Gerry Connolly's Use of NOW's Logo "Disrespectful" and Misleading to Voters

Virginia NOW President Marj Signer is issuing this statement to the press today:

Candidate Gerry Connolly's use of NOW's logo in a new mailing - which states that Connolly has "always stood with women" - is disrespectful to Virginians who have fought for women's rights and misleading to voters. Virginia NOW members who have fought for the ERA and abortion rights for more than 30 years have no recollection of Connolly being publicly engaged in the women's rights movement in Northern Virginia. We are deeply concerned that voters will think Connolly has the national NOW PAC's endorsement, which he does not.  

The national NOW PAC has endorsed Leslie Byrne in the race for the Democratic nomination in the 11th Congressional District because she has championed women's rights for decades. We know that we can count on Leslie Byrne to fight for fair and equitable economic and social policies for women, men and families as a Member of Congress.

In the mailing, Connolly states he has "always fought for women's rights" and specifies those as the ERA, abortion, and pay equity. A photo showing NOW's logo and placard "Keep Abortion Legal" occupies the top third of the page. Connolly's campaign did not talk to NOW about using the photo.

We welcome Connolly's interest and support and ask that he clarify his record and his current positions so we can work together. We are particularly encouraged by the statement in the mailing that he would support a federal law to ensure abortion rights at the state level if Roe v. Wade is overturned and would like to know more about his plans to do so.

P.S. By the way, note that you read all about this on the blogs, didn't see a word about it in the Washington Post or other corporate media.  Same thing with a gazillion other important stories about Virginia politics, I'd point out.  

Comments



Just a question (acluka - 4/22/2008 2:31:59 PM)
If the photos are in public domain, can he not use them without an endorsement? Also, since the logo is in the photo, and not as a stand alone symbol (as your first sentence implied it was), does NOW have any say in how the picture is used?

I mean, I agree that using the photos does give the appearance of having their backing, and that it is pretty shifty on Connolly's part, but if NOW doesn't own the rights to the picture (which I am sure they don't), I don't think they can really do anything about it.

Yes? No?



Good questions (Lowell - 4/22/2008 2:37:23 PM)
Any lawyers in the house? :)


They just DID something abou it (Progress First - 4/22/2008 3:09:25 PM)
Their statement doesn't claim any legal infringement; it simply contends that Gerry's message is deceiving, and that they want to set the record straight on the candidate in this race who actually HAS stood and fought with them for women's rights. It seems to me the point NOW is making is not about the law, but about integrity and character.


Is it the law or is it the ethics? (VAFeminist - 4/24/2008 1:38:21 AM)
Thanks, Lowell. Well said. In addition, consider that Connolly knows full well that NOW endorsed Leslie --so his use of the photo with the logo is a sneaky way to score points on women's rights without actually doing anything.
Marj Signer, VA NOW President


Actually, I think you're responding to (Lowell - 4/24/2008 5:39:52 AM)
"Progress First," who made the comment above.  Anyway, what I'm curious about is whether or not Gerry Connolly fought for the ERA, choice, etc. as he claims to have done for decades.  Do you guys know?  Thanks.


I AM SHOCKED (Lee Diamond - 4/22/2008 4:04:52 PM)
To think that The Honorable Gerald Connolly would do something like this.....stunning.

It is not like every politically active person in Fairfax County knows about a bag of tricks and certain hangers on who execute the sort of tactic illustrated here.  I mean, it isn't like they troll around looking for this stuff.  Personally, I love Cool Cities, "managed growth", and Mr. Jerry's and Uncle Tom's (Davis) allies.   It isn't like the US where George W. Bush believes that a lie a day is good for his health.  It isn't even like Mr. Gerry has a higher IQ than W, altho, believe it or not I am going to guess that he does.  Point is, it is all very confusing.  Who knows what to think?

Well, it seems that every where we turn, we live on a Merry Go Round.  Does anybody know what reality is?

Look at the record.  Compare what they say today to what they said in the past.  Everyone changes their mind.  The problem is when you see a pattern, there is political opportunism.  Now, I never said that Mr. Gerry is a political opportunist.  I can't imagine who would say such a thing about him.