Greensboro, N.C. — Today, two major Triad TV stations refused to continue airing America First Action’s attack ad against Kathy Manning because it is inaccurate and misleading. WXII and FOX 8 will stop running the false ad as of today. “Congressman Budd and his special interest allies are lying to the voters of North Carolina,” said Kathy Manning. “Our Congressman and his allies are trying to distract from his own abysmal record in Congress. Congressman Budd asked for our votes, then he sold us out in Washington by voting against affordable health care, protecting payday lenders who prey on veterans and their families, and doing the bidding of big banks and credit card companies.”

Additionally, despite multiple TV stations refusing to air these false attacks, Congressman Budd continues to spout these lies in his own campaign advertisements.

BACKGROUND: This week, in what appears to be a coordinated attack with an independent expenditure PAC, Congressman Ted Budd and his allies launched false and deceptive attacks on Kathy Manning and her family, including a television ad and website riddled with lies. These shameful attacks are just another example of the lies Congressman Budd and his Washington special interest allies will tell to voters in an attempt to distract from Congressman Budd’s own record of selling out to the highest special interest bidder in Washington.

FACT CHECK: Immediately following the launch of the false attacks, Kathy Manning’s campaign issued the below fact check on the false ad.

CLAIM: “..They want a luxury hotel, but they want taxpayers to help pay for it.”

• FACT: Neither Kathy Manning nor her husband has ever received a dime of taxpayer money from this project: The attack ad falsely claims they received $2 million in Greensboro government money. As the News & Record reported in 2018, the developers “never got” money from the city and no city money will come to Manning or her husband from these projects.
• FACT: The Kaplan-Manning family is receiving no profits from the hotel project. They have publicly pledged to donate any and all profits the family may earn from the project to an area-wide charity, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.
• FACT: Kathy Manning has no role in the Westin Hotel project: Kathy Manning has nothing to do with the Westin hotel being built in downtown Greensboro by a group of investors that includes her husband. Like countless other women, Manning has pursued her own professional and philanthropic ventures.

CLAIM: “…So, they got $2 million in government money from Greensboro.”

• FACT: Neither Kathy Manning nor her husband has ever received a dime of taxpayer money from this project: The attack ad falsely claims they received $2 million in Greensboro government money. As the News & Record reported in 2018, the developers “never got” money from the city and no city money will come to Manning or her husband from these projects.

CLAIM: “…Kathy took part in a $30 million scheme for a parking garage…”

• FACT: Kathy Manning has no role in the Westin Hotel project: Kathy Manning has nothing to do with the Westin hotel being built in downtown Greensboro by a group of investors that includes her husband. Like countless other women, Manning has pursued her own professional and philanthropic ventures.
  
• FACT: This is the City of Greensboro’s parking deck: According to a FAQ on the new Downtown Parking Decks from the City of Greensboro, “Q: Will the City own the deck? A: Yes.”
• FACT: The City Of Greensboro commissioned a study showing the need for more downtown parking: This study found that according to Kimley-Horn and Associates, “Off-street parking availability and options are limited. The City has not added new parking decks or surface lots in almost 30 years, while Downtown business activities have increased in recent years.”

CLAIM: “Kathy Manning and her husband Randall Kaplan are cashing-in their political connections to build a parking deck that will benefit their luxury hotel — to the tune of $30 million of your tax dollars, plus $2.3 million every year of tax dollars to Manning and her husband’s pet project.”

• FACT: Kathy Manning has no role in the Westin Hotel project: Kathy Manning has nothing to do with the Westin hotel being built in downtown Greensboro by a group of investors that includes her husband. Like countless other women, Manning has pursued her own professional and philanthropic ventures.
• FACT: The Kaplan-Manning family is receiving no profits from the hotel project. They have publicly pledged to donate any and all profits the family may earn from the project to an area-wide charity, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro
  
• FACT: The City Of Greensboro wanted more downtown parking to accommodate new downtown business: This study found that according to Kimley-Horn and Associates, “Off-street parking availability and options are limited. The City has not added new parking decks or surface lots in almost 30 years, while Downtown business activities have increased in recent years.
• FACT: The hotel project will create jobs and economic development for the area: Budd and his allies’ falsely claim the hotel is a “pet project,” when in fact economic impact studies have shown the hotel project will create over 170 full-time jobs in Greensboro.

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