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LA-Sen: Vitter Winning “Most Racist Ad of 2010” Competition For Demonizing Latinos After Katrina

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Well this ought to make mom proud… Louisiana’s David Vitter is breaking away from Sharron Angle, taking the lead for the dubious honor of “Most Racist Ad of 2010.”

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is furious with the ad, which features what the Chamber’s Darlene Kattan decries as “Hollywood stereotypes, caricature-types of Latino workers,” and which ends with the “stereotypical” immigrants pulling away in a limo while holding an over-sized welfare check.

According to Andrea Nill at the Wonk Room:

The racial overtones of the ad are so offensive that the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has called it blatantly “racist”and is demanding not only an apology but that the ad be pulled altogether.

Adam Serwer has a fact-check of the ad over at The Plum Line:

“Melancon voted to make it easier to get taxpayer-funded benefits for illegals…” Based on the citation in the ad, this vote would have “required affordable-housing beneficiaries to show proof of legal residency.” But undocumented immigrants are already ineligible for affordable housing or any other federal benefits, and the amendment was part of a motion to recommit, generally the last attempt by the minority to keep a bill from a final vote, that fell along party lines. Melancon has actually voted to prevent unauthorized immigrants from receiving affordable housing benefits.

“…and actual welfare checks.” This vote was meant to prevent unauthorized immigrants from receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC was actually a Republican idea, meant to be an alternative to traditional welfare. This amendment was also part of a motion to recommit, in other words, another Republican attempt to kill the bill in question. You have to be a legal resident in order to claim the EITC.