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PAC Group To Launch Anti-Corbett Television Ad

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Gov. Tom Corbett is not up for reelection until 2014, but beginning Wednesday, one group will start to run television ads against him.

A group called American Working Families said it's not campaign-related.

Gov. Corbett is in the middle of his first term. Now, he finds himself the target of a strong attack ad funded by a Washington-based group called American Working Families.

"We're launching a two-week ad campaign, drawing attention to Gov. Corbett's record with middle class people. He's one of the worst governors in the country when it comes to helping the middle class and he's been making things harder for them," the group's founder, Bud Jackson, said.

Jackson, the group's founder, said Corbett is duplicitous, a charge the ad makes directly.

"Corporate friends and campaign donors - he chose to give them tax breaks. His staff - pay raises. And a new SUV for himself and his wife while eliminating health care for our children and cutting our schools by more than $1 billion," Jackson said.

The ad, which is meant to be educational and not political, is timed to influence the budget season in Harrisburg.

"It's time Pennsylvania citizens stood up and took notice of what's going on, especially as we head into the budget session," Jackson said.

However, it is unknown who is paying for these ads.

KDKA-TV's Jon Delano: Who's paying for these ads?

Jackson: All the money is being generated from people inside Pennsylvania.

Delano: Their names?

Jackson: We're not releasing their names. A lot of them are fearful of a vengeful governor. But also we're not legally obligated to, and we're not going to.

The ad is called a 501-c-4 issue ad. That means as long as the ad does not urge you to vote for or against somebody, the donors can remain anonymous.

The substance of the ad is one that the Legislature will be addressing in the next few weeks.

The budget is supposed to be approved by June 30.

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