PROVIDENCE, RI — House Republicans are airing a TV ad in Rhode Island linking freshman Democratic Rep. David Cicilline to a child molester and a murderer he defended when he was a lawyer two decades ago.
“What do a child molester, a murderer and a violent attacker all have in common? Defense attorney David Cicilline,” says the spot sponsored by the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The spot began running statewide this week and is designed to boost GOP hopeful Brendan Doherty.
The NRCC ad is “one of the harshest ads I’ve ever seen in Rhode Island politics,” said former Democratic Congressman Bob Weygand.
Asked about the fairness of an ad attacking an attorney for defending those charged with crimes, NRCC spokesman Nat Sillin criticized Cicilline for choosing to “fight for violent criminals” over victims.
“David Cicilline chose to represent convicted child molesters and murders. He chose to make a career out of doing that,” Sillin said.