Gloves Off - Bera Releases 'Allegations' TV Commercial Against Jones

September 16, 2016 |

In what appears to be the first of several attack TV commercials to surface in the hotly contested California Seventh Congressional District race, Democratic incumbent Dr. Ami Bera has taken the gloves off with a spot titled "Allegations."

In the commercial, which can be viewed below, Bera focuses on sexual harassment allegations leveled against his opponent, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. Those accusations surfaced in mid-July when a female Deputy Sheriff accused Jones of sexually harassing her in 2003 when Jones was a Sergeant.

The allegations surfaced in depositions regarding the larger lawsuit where four female Deputy Sheriffs were recently awarded $3.5 million in a lawsuit against the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department for harassment and retaliation. Even though the allegations against Jones surfaced in that case's depositions, it was not part of the civil trial indicating there was insufficient evidence for its inclusion.

At the time they surfaced, Jones vehemently denied the allegations. In response to today's commercial, Jones' and his campaign again denied the allegations and threw some punches of their own.

“Congressman Bera’s increasingly desperate campaign has sunk to a new low by airing an ad containing allegations that are not only 13 years old but are patently false. I have denied these allegations repeatedly, including during testimony under oath," Jones said. "I have never been the subject of any internal complaint of misconduct of any kind during my 27-year career with the Sheriff's Department, and have consistently opened up my personnel records for review." 

Jones' campaign Davis Gilliard counter punched the commercial pointing to the recent conviction of Bera's father on election fraud charges. Babulal Bera recently plead guilty to federal charges of refunding money to contributor's who contributed to his son's 2010 and 2012 campaigns. Congressman Bera has denied having any knowledge of his father's illegal funding activities.

"Congressman Bera’s flagging and increasingly desperate campaign is trying to shift the blame from his campaign’s own illegal — and felonious — behavior to smear someone who has spent 27 years protecting the people of his county,” Jones’ campaign consultant Dave Gilliard said. “It’s understandable. Congressman Bera’s laughable claims of ignorance while watching his father go to prison show the true character of this Congressman."

Interestingly, Bera is appearing this afternoon with the Elk Grove Police Department to announce a grant to fight domestic violence.