Comptroller hopeful Eliot Spitzer launched his first attack ad on rival Scott Stringer today, accusing the Manhattan borough president of making closed-door deals to get Mayor Bloomberg a third term.
Spitzer, who once held a commanding deal over Stringer, has suddenly found himself in a dead heat for the Democratic nomination, with just days to go before the election.
In a bold twist, Stringer’s campaign sought to publicize Spitzer’s attack. Stringer’s camp even issued a press release, that included little more than the full text of his rival’s radio spot.
“Term limits: We voted for them twice to make sure no one in this city could serve more than two terms in office – until Scott Stringer decided to overturn it, cutting a backroom deal to hand Mayor Bloomberg a third term,” the ominously voice spot said.
“Even testifying before the City Council to get it done. The law was overturned, the peoples will overridden and the keys to City Hall handed back to a mayor who has been no friend to us. Failing our schools, and creating a stop-and-frisk policy run amok.”
Spitzer’s spot then went on to hype the issues he’d previously touted in the campaign.
But he still included a shot at Stringer.
“Eliot Spitzer has been our friend, standing up to the same powerful interests and backroom politicians supporting Stringer, fighting to get low-wage workers their back pay, fighting against fraudulent mortgage workers targeting our community, and investigating stop and frisk before anyone else,” according to Spitzer’s spot.
“Look, It wasn’t just our term limits Scott Stringer took away. It was our voice. But this Sept. 10, we get to use that voice again. And make sure that this time we are heard loud and clear.”
Stringer’s campaign spokeswoman Audrey Graham said Spitzer’s smells of desperation.
“Eliot Spitzer’s decision to launch the first negative attack ad of this campaign is a desperate attempt to mislead voters by a flailing candidate,” she said.
“It’s disappointing that Eliot Spitzer’s campaign to return to public life is reverting to the same old politics that destroyed his governorship – baseless, false attacks that seek to divide our city.”