Rep. Justin Amash’s (R-Mich.) primary opponent issued a brutal attack in his latest ad, using a former Marine to repeat comments that Amash is “Al Qaeda’s best friend in Congress.”
{mosads}”We were out there fighting for the country and he’s voting against anything that would help us,” former Marine Ben Thomas says in the ad for businessman Brian Ellis (R) after attacking Amash for wanting to close Guantanamo Bay.
“Mr. Amash, you were called Al Qaeda’s best friend in Congress, and for good reason. Your votes put America at risk and that’s a disgrace,” Thomas says, referencing Rep. Devin Nunes’s (R-Calif.) comments from last month.
Ellis has been receiving support from more hawkish establishment Republicans who are unhappy with Amash’s libertarian views and frequent challenges to House Republican leadership.
Amash fired back against the ad’s accusations.
“Our brave men and women in uniform don’t support unconstitutional NSA spying on ordinary Americans — which Ellis specifically endorses in his ad. They don’t support unwise, open-ended wars. As I’ve heard from hundreds of veterans in my district, they want what I consistently vote for: a well-equipped and well-trained Armed Forces that honors its commitment to veterans and a government that protects our rights,” Amash said in a statement to The Hill.
This post was updated at 11:00 a.m.