Hispanic Group Criticizes Anti-Stabenow Web Site

Lansing, Mich. — A national Latino advocacy group said Wednesday that it is upset about a Web site set up by the National Republican Senatorial Committee that criticizes Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

The Web site, paid for by the NRSC and not authorized by any candidate, pictures a cutout of Stabenow in a sombrero. “Mexican Hat Dance” plays while the NRSC’s review of Stabenow’s voting record on immigration and border security is displayed in Spanish or English.

The National Council of La Raza asked for the Web site — https://www.muchasgraciasdebbie.com — to be removed, saying it is offensive and misrepresents some policy debates.

The site is just one set up by the NRSC to criticize Stabenow, who faces a re-election challenge from Republican Mike Bouchard, the Oakland County sheriff.

Another NRSC site criticizes Stabenow’s recent efforts related to the importation of Canadian trash in both French and English. Another tackles Stabenow’s record on the economy and other topics in English only.

A site set to debut soon will criticize Stabenow’s record on China in both Chinese and English, the NRSC said.

NRSC spokesman Brian Walton said in a statement that the Web sites are a way to show voters Stabenow’s record in the Senate that he says “she is misrepresenting and the mainstream media is failing to examine.”

Walton said the NRSC does not plan to pull down the Web sites.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also has been criticized this election season by Hispanic groups that said a Web ad unfairly depicted illegal immigrants as terrorists. That Web ad was taken down.

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