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Capitol View®
Tim Nelson

Emmer campaign asks remodeler to pull video testimonial

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It's a rare public-private partnership: 6th Congressional District GOP contender Tom Emmer is endorsing a construction company in a campaign-like ad posted to YouTube.

Emmer is seen in the video endorsing Integrity Exteriors and Remodelers, urging viewers to contact the company and declaring "They're the best."

He identifies himself as a congressional candidate at the start of the ad:

http://youtu.be/x3YharogymE

Emmer campaign manager David FitzSimmons called the ad a "misunderstanding," and said that the testimonial wasn't meant for public distribution. The YouTube posting promotes the video "as seen on the CW Twin Cities channel 23."

"They came into the office, and Tom was in there, and they asked if he would do a testimonial for the company, and that's what he did,". FitzSimmons said.  "It's a local company out of Elk River and he just thought he was helping out. There was certainly no intention for it to be an ad for the campaign in anyway."

That said, FitzSimmons says the campaign is asking for the ad to be taken down.

"We just asked them if they could discontinue any availability or distribution of it," he said.

It isn't clear what legal status the cross-endorsement might have, and whether broadcasting the ad might qualify as a campaign contribution or a violation of state or federal campaign finance regulation.

Emmer was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2010, and is one of four Republicans seeking their party's nod to succeed U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who decided not to run for another term.

h/t: Bluestem Prairie