UPDATE: 5:15 p.m., May 31, 2018:
KPBS received an emailed response from the Butner campaign to our inquiries about the mailer. Campaign manager Francis Nguyen provided a link to a February 2017 opinion piece written by Ammar Campa-Najjar, in which the Democratic candidate wrote:
“And while I disagree with the first implementation, I cannot categorically object to the current administration’s efforts to temporarily restrict travel from what the Obama administration identified as “countries of concern.” If President Obama’s former director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, expressed concerns with our vetting process, then it’s sensible for President Trump to place temporary restrictions on these countries until his Cabinet determines whether better vetting procedures are needed.”
The “sensible” comment in the above quote had not been part of the Breitbart article cited in the mailer, nor was it included the Butner-sponsored website also mentioned on the mailer.
Nguyen also provided a link to a March 2017 CNN interview, in which Campa-Najjar said he did not want to call President Trump’s order a “Muslim ban.”
Nguyen included this statement in the email:
"From meeting with Donald J.Trump in Trump Towers, to defending his policies, Ammar Campa-Najjar has demonstrated that when given the opportunity to stand up to Donald Trump, he did not."
Original story:
KPBS continues to fact-check campaign mailers in our series, “#ShowUsYourMailers.” We’re looking at one from Josh Butner. He's a Democratic candidate for the 50th Congressional District.
RELATED: Voters In 50th Congressional District Seek Balance In A Representative
The mailer makes claims about another Democratic challenger, Ammar Campa-Najjar, and alleges he supported President Donald Trump's travel ban.
The words are next to a smiling picture of Trump and Campa-Najjar. Butner’s mailer reads "Ammar Campa-Najjar pledged to work with Donald Trump. He even defended Trump’s Muslim ban and called it 'sensible.'"
Butner’s mailer goes on to say, "Congress needs to stand up to Trump, not help him. We can't risk Ammar Campa-Najjar advancing more of Trump’s agenda."
The mailers reference an article in Breitbart which cited an interview with The Hill.
Butner’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the mailer.
Campa-Najjar did respond. In a statement he sent to KPBS he called the allegations a deliberate lie and his opponent, former Republican turned Democrat, Butner, desperate.
RELATED: Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar Counting On Underrepresented Voters In 50th District
KPBS checked the Breitbart article Butner cites, it said Campa-Najjar, "noted several areas where he disagrees with Trump, including his temporary visa ban on travelers from six designated terror-prone countries ..."
That's much different from the claims made in Butner’s mailers. Also, Campa-Najjar said the picture with Trump was taken back in 2015 while he was working with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Right next to incorrect information on Butner's mailer are promises to fight for middle class tax breaks, good paying jobs, affordable housing and stronger schools.
