The Republican Jewish Coalition on Wednesday called on New Jersey Democratic House candidate Tom Malinowski to stop using footage of the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in campaign ads in his tough re-election fight.
"To wait until the passing of Sen. McCain to release a political ad featuring his kind words, and implying support for Malinowski, a claim that McCain is no longer here to refute, is disgusting," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a statement.
"Tom Malinowski must take this disgraceful commercial down."
The 30-second spot, released Wednesday, opens with McCain introducing Malinowski to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2013.
"I am forever grateful," McCain says, praising Malinowski's efforts to end torture when he worked at Human Rights Watch.
McCain, who died last month of brain cancer at age 81, was a Vietnam POW for nearly six years.
The Senate confirmed Malinowski the next year as assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labor in the Obama administration, CQ Roll Call reports.
He and McCain met in 2005, working on legislation to ban torture.
Malinowski, 52, is trying to defeat five-term Republican Rep. Leonard Lance, 66, in New Jersey's 7th District in the northwestern part of the state.
Brooks slammed Malinowski for using the McCain footage in his campaign spot. The Republican Jewish Coalition is headed by Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.
"John McCain’s strong support of Israel flew in the face of Malinowski's lobbying against supplying Israel’s military with American weapons and his support for the Iran nuclear deal."
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