Credit: SD City Beat

Americans for Tax Reform, otherwise known as Grover Norquist, has released the quintessential political attack ad featuring Scott Peters. Peters, a former San Diego city councilman, is in a heated battle for a US congressional seat against longtime incumbent Brian Bilbray.

Norquist’s video, released yesterday on Youtube, is a masterpiece in the world of negative ads. Entitled “Scott Peters – Typical Selfish Politician,” it opens with a fast talking, concerned narrator amidst quick cut edits and X-ray filters.  The images are blurry and lines of text are blacked out. The voice over talent sounds as if she’s on some sort of two way radio, as though she had to record it in a secret location. The attack ad pulls out all the stops, accusing Peters of extreme mismanagement, reckless decision making, and a slew of crimes. The ad goes further and implicates Peters’ wife in an insider investment scheme. The last frame has Norquist’s signature all over it and reads, “Vote no on Scott Peters for Congress;” and right below that, “Tell Peters to sign the tax payer protection pledge.”

Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform, which labels itself a taxpayer advocacy group. Norquist is famous for continually demanding every candidate for federal and state office sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which is a written promise stating the candidate will oppose all tax increases once elected. According to the ATR website, in the 112th Congress, 238 House members and 41 Senators have heeded to Norquist and signed the pledge. On the state level, 13 governors and 1249 state legislators have also joined the cause.