McGrath Tricked Letcher County Miners With Dishonest Stunt
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Team Mitch today released a new ad featuring two Letcher County coal miners who Amy McGrath tricked into appearing in her ad last year that falsely attacked Senator Mitch McConnell’s record of being a champion for Kentucky coal miners and their families. In “Lied To,” Randy Robbins and Albrow Hall, Jr. share how they felt after unexpectedly seeing themselves in Amy McGrath’s false attack ad. The men then go on to express their gratitude to Senator McConnell for keeping his promise to take care of miners and their families.
“To Amy McGrath, coal miners are simply political props to use in her campaign to deceive Kentuckians,” said McConnell Senate Committee press secretary Kate Cooksey. “McGrath duped these miners into being in her ad. Once she got caught, McGrath replaced miners like Randy and Albrow with cartoon caricatures, revealing her true feelings about Kentuckians. During a time of need, Senator McConnell told miners he would deliver for them, and the miners knew they could trust him to keep his promise. While Amy McGrath lies about wanting to help Kentucky coal miners, Mitch McConnell is in the Senate saving health care and pension benefits for miners and their families.”
Click here to watch “Lied To.”
SCRIPT:
RANDY ROBBINS: I was lied to and cheated. Now that’s exactly how I feel.
RANDY ROBBINS: Last year, we visited Senator Mitch McConnell to help miners with black lung.
ALBROW HALL: But we ended up in an Amy McGrath ad attacking Mitch.
RANDY ROBBINS: We thought we was trying to help the people to hear our story about black lung, but that wasn’t what it was. It was a campaign commercial. I think Amy McGrath’s responsible for it, and I’m not going to be part of it. And I made them take my picture off of it.
ALBROW HALL: I don’t think I was treated fair. I believe I was lied to.
RANDY ROBBINS: McGrath’s ad is a lie, and that’s why she had to take us out of it. Amy McGrath’s telling of the meeting with Mitch McConnell was not truthful.
ALBROW HALL: Truth is, Mitch visited with us, and he told us miners he’d take care of us. And he did.
RANDY ROBBINS: Mitch helped miners with black lung and helped protect our pensions, too.
ALBROW HALL: That’s the truth, and nothing Amy McGrath can say can change that.
ALBROW HALL: Amy McGrath flat out lied about Mitch.
RANDY ROBBINS: And Kentucky deserves better.
MITCH MCCONNELL: I’m Mitch McConnell and I approve this message.
###
BACKGROUND:
Amy McGrath came under fire last year for exploiting Kentucky coal miners in a false attack ad against Senator McConnell.
- “Two miners shown in a campaign ad for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Amy McGrath have sent a cease and desist letter demanding the campaign stop using their images” […] “said through an attorney that they were led to believe the footage was being used for a documentary for the Black Lung Association and that they ‘did not know and were never told they were being filmed for a political advertisement.’” (Lexington Herald-Leader, 9/5/2019)
- “Randy and Albrow felt that the trip was a success,” the letter states. “They deeply appreciated the warm receptions they received from a number of elected representatives who took the time to meet with the group, including Senator Mitch McConnell.” (Free Beacon, 9/5/2019)
- “Two coal miners featured in an attack ad against Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) from Democrat Amy McGrath said they were not told the footage would be used for a political ad and are demanding the campaign stop using their images.” (The Hill, 9/5/2019)
- “Miners’ attorney sends cease and desist letter to McGrath campaign following ad” (WKYT, 9/5/2019)
The United Mine Workers of America praised Senator McConnell for protecting health care and pension benefits for thousands of Kentucky coal miners and their families.
- In 2017, Senator McConnell led negotiations on bipartisan legislation to secure health care benefits for Kentucky coal miners and their families, and Leader McConnell’s language made it into the final legislation. (Louisville Courier Journal, 5/2/2017)
- Officials from the United Mine Workers praised Leader McConnell’s “decisive role” in ensuring health care benefits did not expire. (Lexington Herald-Leader, 5/1/2017)
- “Senate Democrats almost forced a government shutdown in December over the issue before McConnell worked out a four-month extension. McConnell had sought a one-year extension…” (Lexington Herald-Leader, 5/1/2017)
- Under Senator McConnell’s leadership, Congress approved legislation preventing the pension plan for 92,000 coal miners from running dry and expanding health care benefits for 13,000 miners. (WYMT, 12/19/2019)
- United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts: “And while words cannot truly express what retired miners and their families are feeling this day, I can say this: Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s support was crucial to securing this legislation, and on behalf of America’s retired coal miners I thank him for his efforts to ensure this became a reality. We will never forget it.” (WHAS, 12/17/2019)