PR Firm Targeted For Running Pro-Palestinian Ad

PR Firm to G.O.P. Stars – Including Tom DeLay – Also Baits Israel
05/31/02

Washington, DC: Today’s New York Post reports that a series of political advertisements aiming to shift public opinion against Israel were prepared by a Washington-based political advertising firm with ties to the G.O.P. and many top Republican officials. According to the article, “Qorvis [Communications] executive Michael Petruzello said the ads were produced and placed by Sandler-Innocenzi, a D.C. advertising firm run by two former top officials for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Petruzello – who said he vetted the ads – said the financial backers of the ‘alliance’ include the Arab-American Institute, the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council and the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee.” The client roster for Sandler-Innocenzi listed on the firm’s Internet site includes the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the Republican Governor’s Association, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) and many other senior Republican elected officials.

An earlier article in the Boston Phoenix reports that one of the ads, “titled ‘Occupation,’ extolled the Arab League’s ‘fair plan to end the senseless violence in the Mideast.’ The plan, according to the advertisement, involved Israel’s ‘withdrawal from the Palestinian land it has unjustly occupied for years.... There will be no more midnight raids and random searches, no more violence.’ It did not condemn Palestinian terrorist bombings aimed at Israeli civilians.”

“One can give these top Republican officials the benefit of the doubt and assume that they did not know of Sandler-Innocenzi’s work to produce ads baiting Israel. But now that they know, Rep. DeLay, the RNC, and many other G.O.P. leaders and organizations must sever ties immediately with this firm that creates ads hectoring Israel while not saying a word against terrorism,” said Ira N. Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council. “The Post article further indicates that these disgraceful advertisements were ‘vetted.’ With whom were they vetted? With officials from the Republican Party?

“Sandler-Innocenzi, whose two named partners were formerly the communications director and media director respectively of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is working against the best interests of our sole democratic ally in the Middle East, and against the best interests of those in the region who desperately need an end to terrorist violence. The many top Republican leaders and institutions with close ties to this firm must cut all ties immediately.”

Source National Jewish Defense Council