WWE's 'Stand Up' Campaign Causing Major Issues - Details
Credit: CQ Politics (CQPolitics.com)
Ed Patru, spokesman for Linda McMahon's U.S. Senate campaign, stated to Brian Lockhart that they have nothing to do with the "Stand Up for WWE" campaign promoted by Vince McMahon yesterday.
"The company didn't consult the campaign; we didn't ask for anything. It acted independently. You should address questions about that to WWE."
In response, WWE Spokesperson Robert Zimmerman said: "It had absolutely nothing to do with the Linda McMahon campaign, It's trying to correct inaccuracies that have been reported. ... The attention that's been put on WWE by Linda's opponents have focused media attention on the company."
Robert Zimmerman also stated that the upcoming "Fan Appreciation Day" event on October 30 in Hartford, CT was indeed a response to campaign rhetoric. "WWE wanted to thank our fans for the support and putting up with everything that's been said about the company and sticking by us and putting on a fan appreciation show."
The Connecticut Democratic State party spokeswoman Kate Hansen obviously then ripped on the campaign, commenting, "Linda McMahon's $50 million attack machine now has corporate reinforcements, thanks to the 'Stand up for WWE' campaign launched by her husband Vince McMahon. No coincidence, it looks a lot like her political campaign... except this one is probably against the law," reads a statement from the state party that refers to federal election law that prohibits corporations from coordinating with political campaigns.
Hansen added, ""Linda McMahon's claim that her husband's aggressive public relations campaign is independent of her own political campaign is unbelievable, particularly after Vince McMahon specifically cites the Senate race as the reason for the offensive."
As noted earlier here on the website, Linda McMahon's Senate campaign is reportedly distancing itself from the WWE initiative.
This could get interesting.