TV ad rips ‘traitor’ Sen. Tommy Tuberville: ‘Small man with big mouth’

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TV ad rips ‘traitor’ Sen. Tommy Tuberville: ‘Small man with big mouth’

Updated: Jul. 14, 2023, 12:06 p.m.|Published: Jul. 14, 2023, 11:02 a.m.

4–5 minutes

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By

• Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com

A new TV ad released Friday that will air in the Birmingham market from an anti-Trump group describes Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville as a “traitor” because of his holds on military promotions.

Though the ad by The Lincoln Project does not explicitly state its issue with Tuberville, it appears to focus on the fact that the Marines do not have a Senate-confirmed commandant for the first time in more than a century. That position is one of about 250 affected by Tuberville’s hold on military promotions as a protest over a new Pentagon policy that provides paid leave and travel expenses for servicemembers seeking abortions.

Related: Tuberville talks to defense secretary after first rejecting meeting

Related: Biden says Tuberville ‘jeopardizing US security’ by blocking confirmations: ‘Totally irresponsible’

“Today, the Marine Corps faces a domestic enemy,” the ad states. “A small man with a big mouth determined to destroy the corps for his petty political agenda. Tommy Tuberville is creating a national security nightmare.”

Tuberville’s office declined to comment on the ad. In addition to the Birmingham television market, the Lincoln Project said the ad will also run in Washington and Quantico, Va.

The Lincoln Project said the ad will also run digitally on “Capitol Hill, national security community and USMC bases across the nation.”

Required to leave the job after four years, Gen. David Berger stepped down as leader of the Marines on Monday. Gen. Eric Smith, the assistant commandant, has been nominated to replace Berger but will be serving in an acting capacity because he has not been confirmed by the Senate.

Under the law, Smith can serve as the acting commandant, but he can do nothing that would presume confirmation, The Associated Press reported Monday. As a result, he can’t move into the main residence or the commandant’s office, or issue any new formal commandant’s planning guidance, which is traditional for a new leader. He has the authority to implement new policies such as budget, training and other personnel decisions.

The Lincoln Project ad said that China, Russia and ISIS are winners with the Marines not having a confirmed leader as a result of Tuberville’s holds.

Tuberville started the holds in February as a strategy to overturn a policy announced last year by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to increase access to abortion for the military. Tuberville’s objection is that the policy has not been approved by Congress. The senator has insisted he will keep his hold in place until the policy is reversed or Congress votes its approval.

The strategy has brought a wave of criticism of Tuberville. The top two Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and John Thune, have said they do not approve of Tuberville’s tactics as well as Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. President Joe Biden has sharpened his attacks on Tuberville in recent weeks as well.

Tuberville has countered that the confirmation process can go forward on a one-by-one basis – which critics have responded is unnecessary and time consuming. Typically, military promotions are uncontroversial and quickly confirmed by voice vote.

“Tuberville insults every Marine who ever served and puts the men and women of the Marine Corps on the line in danger,” the ad concludes. “Every U.S. Marine is a patriot. Tommy Tuberville is a traitor.”

The Lincoln Project started in 2019 by former Republican strategists to oppose the re-election of former President Donald Trump as well as what it describes as Trumpism. Tuberville has been a strong supporter of Trump.

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