AFL-CIO calls Clay's TV ad a 'lie'

The head of Georgia's AFL-CIO said Tuesday that Calder Clay is running a "flat-out lie" in a TV ad that suggests the labor organization is displeased with U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, and he called on Clay to pull the ad and apologize.

"The AFL-CIO has never said any such thing or made any such allegation," said state president Richard Ray, reading from a letter that the union mailed to Clay.

"Your claim is absolutely false, and the use of our logo is improper and misleading."

The AFL-CIO is an umbrella organization that includes most of the unions in the state. Ray issued the statement during a Macon meeting of the state AFL-CIO's executive board.

The Clay campaign stood by the ad.

"We quoted the sources that were there," said Clay spokesman Rufus Montgomery.

Clay's ad refers to a trip last January that Marshall took to India, paid for by an Indian trade group. According to an April 30 article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a union official with the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers called the trip "outrageous," and suggested that it was aimed at helping outsource American jobs to India.

Clay's ad attributes the "outrageous" quote to the entire AFL-CIO. Montgomery said the Washington union's Web site says it is part of the AFL-CIO.

But Ray said Clay's ad jumps to the wrong conclusion.

"No individual local speaks for the AFL/CIO," Ray said.

He added, "Jim Marshall is a strong congressperson. He has voted at least two times against outsourcing and (is) trying to make trade fair for the people in his district and the people here in America."

The labor group has endorsed Marshall.

Marshall has said he used the trip to discuss the war on terror, and said he made it clear to his Indian hosts that he opposes outsourcing American jobs.

Montgomery accused Marshall of bringing in defenders from out of town to respond when Clay criticizes his record.

He cited the recent visit by state leaders of the Disabled American Veterans who said Clay was wrong to air an ad attacking Marshall's support for disabled veterans.

But the union officials said the Marshall campaign had nothing to do with their Tuesday news conference.

"The American public and certainly the citizens of this congressional district need to know that a person will resort to this type of politicking, which is an outright lie," Ray said.