THE TRUTH: American Crossroads Latest Ad Fact Check Credit AK 6/26/14

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1 THE TRUTH: American Crossroads Latest Ad Fact Check Credit AK 6/26/14 Seen these ads from Mark Begich? They make him sound like a Senate superhero. Begich takes credit for the road in the National Petroleum Reserve, the Dena ina Center, and on it goes. Text: Seen these ads from Mark Begich? Senate Superhero? Begich takes credit I got the road approved Begich takes credit I got the Dena ina Center built Begich takes credit I expanded Begich takes credit I got Alaskans Know: Begich Has A Record Of Delivering Results For Alaska Successfully Pressed Obama Administration To Move Forward With Development In National Petroleum Reserve: Begich Successfully Pressed Regulators To Approve Colville River Bridge To Allow ConocoPhillips To Move Forward On NPR-A Drilling. Reported Hearst in February 2014, Begich has cast himself as a different Democrat from day one -- departing from the national party on gun control as well as energy policy. Begich pressed regulators to allow ConocoPhillips to build a bridge over Alaska's Colville River, despite environmental objections, so the company could access its drilling lease in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. That milestone in late 2011 paved the way for production expected to start late next year. [Hearst, 2/13/14] Scheduled 2015 Production Will Be First-Ever Commercial Production From NPR- A Since It Was Established In Reported the Alaska Journal of Commerce in December 2011, The company will seek corporate approval in the last half of the year, and will then spend about a year in engineering and planning, Lowman said. The schedule would have construction under way in 2014 and the first production from CD-5 -- the first commercial oil production from the NPR-A since it was created in toward the end of 2015, she said. [Alaska Journal of Commerce, 12/21/11] ConocoPhillips Had Been Trying To Receive Permitting Since Reported Platts Oilgram News in February 2010, ConocoPhillips said it would appeal a decision by the US Army Corps of Engineers to reject the company's request for a key permit linked to its planned development of the CD-5 drill site on the Alpine field in Alaska. We are disappointed with Corps of Engineers. We have diligently tried to permit this project for five years, and we plan to exercise our right to appeal this denial, ConocoPhillips spokeswoman Natalie Lowman said late February 5. The company needed the permit to construct a bridge crossing the Colville River that would provide access to the CD-5 site. [Platts Oilgram News, 2/9/10] Petroleum News: ConocoPhillips Had A Tough Time Getting A Permit For CD-5. Reported Petroleum News in February 2014, ConocoPhillips had a tough time getting a permit for CD-5. The Corps initially denied the permit, saying the satellite could be a roadless development with a pipeline punched beneath the river channel, rather than suspended over it. [Petroleum News, 2/16/14] Feb. 2010: Begich Slammed Army Corps Denial Of NPR-A Construction Permits For ConocoPhillips. Reported the Alaska Journal of Commerce in February 2010, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied a key permit for ConocoPhillips' CD-5 project on the North Slope, throwing a wrench into the company's plans for developing small oil deposits near the producing Alpine oil field and producing the first oil from the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.... Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, also expressed disappointment at the decision. After the parties worked together for years to get agreement on NPR-A development, I am deeply disappointed the first project just got knocked off track, Begich said. [Alaska Journal of Commerce, 2/12/10] June 2010: Begich: Comprehensive National Energy Policy Must Include NPR-A Drilling. In a June 2010 op-ed for the Anchorage Daily News, Begich wrote, And it's why I disagreed with President Obama's Oval Office speech last week when he said,... we're running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water. In fact, Alaska has

2 three prime spots available right now: the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the enormous oil and gas reserves beneath our Arctic coastal waters. Responsibly developing these areas should be part of a comprehensive national energy policy, as Alaska continues as the nation's energy storehouse. [Begich, Anchorage Daily News, 6/19/10] July 2010: Begich Wrote To President To Urge Progress On NPR-A Production. Reported Petroleum News in July 2010, In a July 14 letter to President Obama, Sen. Mark Begich outlined Alaska s energy priorities, as part of a dialogue over federal energy policy and energy legislation.... He emphasized seven priority issues for the state:... The need for increased domestic energy production, including production from the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, the Arctic outer continental shelf and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. [Petroleum News, 7/25/10] Dec. 2010: Delegation Wrote To Three Federal Agencies To Push For Swift Review Of Corps Rejection Of Bridge Permit. Reported the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in December 2010, The state's Congressional Delegation just asked three federal agencies to swiftly review the US Army Corps of Engineers' February decision to reject a North Slope exploration plan from ConocoPhillips. The delegation Rep. Don Young and Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski said a cumbersome alternative pitched by the feds would handcuff firms' efforts to explore the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. They said its decision, which denied Conoco's plan to build a gravel road and bridge, ignored years of environmental and socio-economic study. They said Murkowski also questioned the Corps' decision to label the Coleville River an aquatic resource of national importance without first subjecting the designation to a public review process. The letter comes days after the Corps said it would revisit its February decision. [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 12/13/10] May 2011: Begich, Murkowski Called On Obama Administration To Commit To Permitting Drilling Proposals In NPR-A, Including ConocoPhillips CD-5 Plan. Reported Environment and Energy Daily in May 2011, Alaska's senators say the Obama administration must follow up on its promise to hold annual lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve with a commitment to permit drilling proposals from existing leaseholders. Sens. Mark Begich (D) and Lisa Murkowski (R) emphasized the importance of a proposal by ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. to drill a production well on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) using a bridge over the Colville River to access the drill site.... While additional lease sales in the reserve are a positive step, companies will need a clear signal that they will be able to obtain drilling permits if they purchase new leases, the Alaska senators said. If you're going to do more [leasing], you've got to resolve CD5, Begich told E&E Daily. [Environment and Energy Daily, 5/18/11] June 2011: Begich Met With BLM Director To Discuss NPR-A Leasing Schedule. Reported Greenwire in June 2011, [Bureau of Land Management Director Bob] Abbey also met with Alaska Sen. Mark Begich (D) to discuss his plans for leasing NPR-A. The next step was the leasing schedule to make sure that's going to be robust and focused and not be delayed, that they're going to go back to some study process, Begich told Greenwire. It's clear to me that's not the case. Begich said BLM, which manages NPR- A, was preparing a document laying out a potential leasing schedule, but that he was not sure when the next lease would occur. [Greenwire, 6/9/11] Aug. 2011: Begich Held Roundtable Discussion With Secretary Salazar And Deputy Sec. David Hayes To Discuss Permitting Issues, Including CD-5. Reported the Alaska Journal of Commerce in August 2011, Salazar said Hayes is tasked with heading a new Arctic energy permit and regulatory review group formed as a part of President Barack Obama's initiative to encourage new domestic oil production, and that the Colville River

3 bridge to CD-5, a drill site within NPR-A ConocoPhillips and Anadarko Petroleum Co. want to develop, is one of the most pressing matters before Hayes' group. The bridge permit, which would also open access to other recent discoveries in NPR-A, has been stalled for over two years as the Corps has worked to sort out pressures from other federal agencies, mainly the Environmental Protection Agency, that ConocoPhillips and Anadarko build a pipeline crossing below the river instead of a bridge. On other issues raised in Salazar's meeting with Alaska business and labor leaders, the Secretary and the two U.S. senators also at the briefing, Begich and Rhode Island senator Jack Reed, expressed concerns over whether reductions in federal decided on in the recent congessional debt reduction compromise could hamper federal agencies' abilities to process permits for Arctic energy projects. [Alaska Journal of Commerce, 8/12/11] Dec. 2011: Army Corps Of Engineers Issued Permit To ConocoPhillips To Construct Bridge & Pipeline To Begin Drilling In NPR-A. Reported National Journal in December 2011, The Obama administration on Monday cleared the way for ConocoPhillips to begin the first-ever oil drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska, a vast 23-million-acre reserve believed to hold more than 1 billion barrels of oil. The reserve was created by President Warren Harding in 1923 as an emergency oil supply for the Navy, but it has never been tapped by commercial drillers. Although the Interior Department has issued leases for companies to drill in the reserve, the area was inaccessible to drilling equipment until now. On Monday, the Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit authorizing construction of a bridge and pipeline into the area, officially opening up the oil reserve for business. [National Journal, 12/19/11] Dena ina Center Called Crowning Achievement Of Begich s Mayoral Administration: July 2003: Begich Pledged To Move Forward On Efforts To Construct New Downtown Civic Center. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in July 2003, Anchorage needs and will get a new downtown civic center to attract big conventions and big-spending tourists, Mayor Mark Begich told a group of tourism industry leaders Thursday.... Begich told the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau that he thinks voters will be more receptive if they have a concrete plan to look at and a better understanding of it. There is no question in my mind that a new convention center is needed now, Begich said. With you, I supported the effort that the voters turned down last year. But we cannot be discouraged. The time is right and we need to move forward. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/18/03] 2005: Mayor Begich, Developers Signed Agreement To Build $103 Million Convention Center In Downtown Anchorage. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in January 2006, City officials and four developers have signed an agreement for construction of a new, $103 million convention center in downtown Anchorage, and a bond sale to finance the project is set for next week. About $70.5 million of the total will go toward building the 215,000-square-foot center, a marginal $1.1 million increase from an estimate presented to the Anchorage Assembly last month, and about $13 million more than the original price tag in City officials blame the increase on spikes in the price of steel, concrete and other building materials in the wake of the hurricane destruction in Louisiana and Mississippi. [Anchorage Daily News, 1/21/06] First Event Held At Newly Opened Dena ina Center Was Rally For Sarah Palin s VP Campaign. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in September 2008, City officials gave a sneak peak tour of the center to the media and other guests on Friday morning, a day ahead of the center's first money-making event: a rally for Gov. Sarah Palin's vice presidential campaign.... The event was scheduled only a couple of days ago, and other big venues, like the Sullivan Arena, were already booked. It goes to show that this is a needed facility, said Con Jager, the convention center's director of sales and marketing.

4 [Anchorage Daily News, 9/13/08] Estimated Economic Impact Of Dena ina Center: Nearly 2000 Jobs, $133M In Annual Spending. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in September 2008, Estimated economic impact: more than 1,900 jobs and $133 million in annual spending, generated by new, bigger events. [Anchorage Daily News, 9/13/08] Anchorage Daily News Editorial Applauded Begich s Work To Establish & Improve Cultural Landmarks Like Dena ina Center Begich s Crowning Achievement. Wrote the editorial board of the Anchorage Daily News in January 2009, Begich's crowning achievement was construction of the $100 million Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center downtown -- a classy building that is a fitting tribute to the original inhabitants of this area. His administration also remodeled E and F Streets, put in some heated sidewalks, and spruced up Town Square Park, though the downtown roadwork has run into snafus. And, with funding from the Rasmuson Foundation, the city is expanding the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, another $100 million project.... he deserves credit for building up many other Anchorage parks. The Anchorage Park Foundation, created under his tenure, has marshalled private and public funds and hundreds of volunteers to dress up parks across the city. The best park improvement: Cuddy Family Midtown Park next to the Loussac Library. Once a quiet, under-used green space, it re-opened this summer as a city treasure, with trails, a pond, gardens, an outdoor amphitheater and a speedskating oval. [Editorial, Anchorage Daily News, 1/3/09] Anchorage Daily News: Dena ina Center Was Biggest Example Of Begich Working To Make Things Happen. Wrote the editorial board of the Anchorage Daily News in May 2012, Sen. Mark Begich as boomer? That's what you might think from comments this week about his frustration in watching the Alaska Legislature go round and round and essentially nowhere with gas line plans and other projects. Truth is, the senator always has had some boomer in him, a streak of Wally Hickel, in that he likes to make things happen -- the Dena ina Civic and Convention Center is the biggest example from his terms as Anchorage mayor. [Editorial, Anchorage Daily News, 5/3/12] Don Young says of Begich, quote don t take credit for something you did not do. Text: Alaska leader speaks out Don Young on Mark Begich: Don t take credit for something you did not do. REALITY: Rove & Sullivan Super PAC Consultant Art Hackney Orchestrated Young Video Claimed That Video And Crossroads Work Were Two Different Things Don Young Remarks Were Originally Orchestrated For Web Video By Art Hackney, Spokesman And Strategist For American Crossroads. The filming was orchestrated by Art Hackney, a veteran Anchorage political consultant who works with Young, Hackney said in a phone interview Thursday. Hackney also works as a spokesman and strategist for American Crossroads, an independent political action committee based in Washington, D.C., that s been running ads attacking Begich -- including a spot launched Wednesday that will get $450,000 of air time. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/12/14] Hackney Claimed Young Video And His Work For Crossroads Were Two Different Things And The Idea For The Young Video Arose Organically. Hackney said the Young video and his work for American Crossroads, a so-called super PAC, are two different things, and that the idea for the YouTube spot arose organically. Don had made a statement to me that he was ticked off, Hackney said. And I don't know who said it first, but I said, We can put it up on the website. Young s remarks, Hackney added, are typical, extemporaneous Don. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/12/14]

5 Anchorage Daily News:... Hackney Said There Were No Plans To Distribute The Video More Broadly. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/12/14] Young Spokesman Denied That Video Represented A Shift From Young s Earlier Comments Praising Begich For Doing A Great Job Of, Very Frankly, Representing The People. Young s video comes after statements he made in January to a Washington, D.C., publication in which he praised Begich for doing a great job of, very frankly, representing the people. In a follow-up story later that month in Alaska Dispatch, Young said he got a lot of flak for those comments, but he nonetheless stood by them and added Begich had been good in the energy industry -- though he noted Begich had made bad votes, too.... Asked if Young s comments in the YouTube video represent a shift, campaign spokesman Matt Shuckerow said: I don t believe that's necessarily the case. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/12/14] Don Young: Mark's Done A Great Job Of Very Frankly Representing People. He's Not Always On My Page, That's For Sure, But He's Done A Good Job. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in January 2014, Begich, a Democrat, is drawing praise from across the aisle from one of Alaska's top Republicans, The Hill said on its campaign blog. Mark's done a great job of very frankly representing people. He's not always on my page, that's for sure, but he's done a good job, Young told The Hill, according to the blog item. [Anchorage Daily News, 1/15/14] Don Young, On Begich: He s Followed The Example Of Myself... He Travels. He s Got Good Constituents, A Rapport. Reported the Alaska Dispatch in January 2014, Young, however, said Begich has worked to build a solid base of support in the state. He s followed the example of myself, Young said. He travels. He s got good constituents, a rapport. [Alaska Dispatch, 1/24/14] Young, On Begich: I Think He s Been Good In The Energy Industry, And I Think That s Smart. Reported the Alaska Dispatch in January 2014, In fact, Young expounded on the statement on Wednesday for the first time, saying Alaska s junior senator -- currently embroiled in tough re-election fight -- has performed well on energy issues that are so critical to Alaska. I think he s been good in the energy industry, and I think that s smart -- that s where we re getting most of our income in the state, Young said. [Alaska Dispatch, 1/24/14] Murkowski: There s Not Too Much Daylight Within The Delegation. Reported the National Journal in April 2012, For his part, Begich himself has often toed the line on energy issues. He has repeatedly voted with Republicans against efforts to repeal tax breaks for the oil and gas industry and has been vocally supportive of the Keystone pipeline. Together the two lawmakers have forged a unique coalition that they say has strengthened their efforts on issues such as Arctic drilling. There's not too much daylight within the delegation, Murkowski said. I think what we have been able to do is show bipartisan support and make things happen, Begich added. [National Journal, 4/17/12] Begich takes all the credit on TV but votes with Barack Obama 97% of the time in Washington. Text: Mark Begich takes all the credit on TV Mark Begich votes with Obama in Washington 97% 2013 Votes, CQ Voting The Truth: Independent Fact Checker Rated 97% Claim False Politifact Rated Sullivan 97% Claim False. According to a February 2014 fact check by Politifact, Sullivan s campaign claimed Begich supports Obama s economic policies 97 percent of the time.... Sullivan s claim hinges on one statistic in a way that doesn t accurately reflect Begich s voting record on economic policy. We rated this claim Mostly False. [Politifact, 2/21/14] Politifact: Begich Is Among The Most Independent Senators Currently Serving. According to a February 2014 fact check by Politifact, OpenCongress ranked Begich at

6 Study, February th for 2013 when it comes to voting with his party. That shows that Begich is among the most independent senators currently serving. [Politifact, 2/21/14] Politifact: Begich Has Split With National Democrats On Budget Proposal, Free Trade Agreements, Oil & Gas Taxes. According to a February 2014 fact check by Politifact, On economic policy, Begich voted against the March 2013 Senate budget proposal passed by nearly every other Democrat. Begich has also opposed Democratic measures in favor of free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama, and legislation that would put more taxes on the oil and gas industry. National Democrats often try to pay for something with oil and gas taxes, Begich told Politico in January. And I have to explain that ain t happening: That ain t happening over my dead body. [Politifact, 2/21/14] Alaskans Know: Mark Begich Votes With Alaska Politico: Begich... Has Aggressively Positioned Himself As An Alaskan First And A Democrat Second. Reported Politico in March 2013, In Alaska, Democratic Sen. Mark Begich beat Ted Stevens in 2008 by just a few thousand votes. But Begich, the former mayor of Anchorage, has aggressively positioned himself as an Alaskan first and a Democrat second. Though he voted for Obamacare, he has broken with Democrats on issues important to the oil industry. [Politico, 3/19/13] Anchorage Daily News: Begich And Murkowski Voted Together More Than 80% Of The Time. The ad also says that Begich supports Obama s anti-gun judges and votes with Obama 97 percent of the time. That s not independent. [ ] The 97 percent figure refers to a Congressional Quarterly ranking on votes for which President Obama has taken a position. In 2013, there were 108 such votes in the Senate. Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted on the same side as the president 72 percent of the time and in the House, Rep. Don Young agreed with the president s stance just 22 percent of the time, according to Congressional Quarterly. Begich and Murkowski have been on the same side for 84 percent of all votes, his campaign said. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/11/14] Anchorage Daily News Alaska Ear: Begich And Murkowski Rank Squarely In The Moderate (Sane) Range. According to the Anchorage Daily News Alaska Ear in February 2013, For earwigs who like numbers, the conservative National Journal, which is obsessed with Congress, has ranked U.S. senators based on an analysis of their votes. Of the 100 senators, Lisa is ranked 56th most conservative and 44th most liberal. Mark is ranked 41st most liberal and 59th most conservative. Since we're talking about a pool of 100, this means both our guys are squarely in the "moderate" (sane) range -- about halfway between right-wing wackos and left-wing loonies. Given that Lisa and Mark both occasionally take positions that make Ear's brain matter leak from its lobe, and given that the process of electing good people to office is like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree, we have apparently lucked out. Yes, d'ears, The Divine Appendage is saying something nice about a couple of our politicians. Don't worry, it won't happen again. [Alaska Ear, Anchorage Daily News, 2/23/13] Politico Called Begich One Of The Most Conservative Members Of The Senate Democratic Caucus. Reported Politico in July 2009, Alaska Sen. Mark Begich is positioning himself as one of the most conservative members of the Senate Democratic Caucus - a role that makes him a swing vote for Democratic leaders eager to get 60 senators to support their hot-button initiatives. [Politico, 7/9/09] Young, On Begich: It's Because Of Our Long Shared Personal History That We Have Been Able To Work Well For Alaska. Reported McClatchy in March 2013, Young has known him almost from his birth. I just celebrated 40 years in Congress, and it's ironic that I would pass that milestone while serving with the son of the man I

7 was elected to replace under such sad circumstances, Young said in a recent interview. Back then, I would never have thought that Mark, who I've known since he was in diapers, would be my colleague in Congress one day, Young said. It's because of our long shared personal history that we have been able to work well for Alaska. [McClatchy, 3/30/13] Murkowski: Begich Is Working On Issues Important to Alaska Constituents - Begich Has Been Keying In On The Issues That I Think Alaskans Are Worried About And Doing What He Was Tasked To Do. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in January 2014, Asked how Begich was doing, she said, As an Alaska delegation, we've got to be working on those issues that are important to our constituents. Sen. Begich has been keying in on the issues that I think Alaskans are worried about and doing what he was tasked to do. U.S. Rep. Don Young last week said Begich was in a tough race in a conservative state, but also said the Democrat was doing a good job in the Senate. [Anchorage Daily News, 1/20/14] Anchorage Daily News: Begich Has Consistently Taken Votes And Pushed Bills To Protect Oil And Natural Gas Companies... An Industry Vital To Alaskans. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in March 2013, Since joining the Senate in January 2009 to replace the late Sen. Ted Stevens, Begich has consistently taken votes and pushed bills to protect oil and natural gas companies, such as preserving their tax subsidies or opposing more federal regulation of them. That stance helps an industry vital to Alaskans while placing him at odds with all but a handful of other Senate Democrats. Begich's support for Big Oil led the League of Conservative Voters to give him a score of 64 percent on important environmental votes last year, a lower grade than most other Democratic senators. [Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/13] Anchorage Daily News: Begich Has Spent Much Of His Time In Washington... Focused On More Local And Regional Issues Of Vital Importance To His State. Reported the Anchorage Daily News in March 2013, For Alaskans, Begich has spent much of his time in Washington away from the Senate floor glare of controversial votes, focused on more local and regional issues of vital importance to his state. Begich crafted an accord that enables Indian Health Service clinics to treat non-native veterans, and he helped members of the National Guard or National Reserve gain access to seats on military planes, a perk previously limited to active-duty soldiers. Begich is working with Republicans to expedite the export of liquefied natural gas to NATO and to Japan, Alaska's largest trading partner. Crossing party lines to work with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the state's senior senator, Begich preserved surcharge-free mail delivery to Bush Alaska and blocked a plan to relocate the F-16 squadron at Eielson Air Force Base. The two senators have also teamed up to push legislation requiring all oil tankers in the Prince William Sound to be escorted by two tugs. As part of the 2009 stimulus package, Begich helped secure $197 million to modernize Alaska's military bases and $152 million to build a hospital in Nome. And the senator has proposed the creation of a U.S. ambassador to the Arctic and an Arctic Advisory Council to help coordinate policies of the United States, Canada and the other seven countries in the region. [Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/13] Cook Political Report: Begich Is Very Alaska-First. Reported McClatchy in August 2013, Democratic Sen. Mark Begich won his first term in 2008 with 48 percent of the vote in a three-way race and he s been a Republican target for years. Duffy of The Cook Political Report said, One of Begich s advantages is that he s very Alaska-first. [McClatchy, 8/14/13] Begich, On Making Sure Alaska Is Represented In Legislation: Almost Every Issue Has An Alaska Nexus... And If That's Not In, Don't Talk To Me. Reported the Reported the National Journal in February 2013, Identify a big national issue, and

8 Begich drills it down to an Alaska issue. Almost every issue has an Alaska nexus, Begich said. And then the poor leadership gets to hear from me on a regular basis, why this is important to Alaska, whatever that little segment is, and if that's not in, don't talk to me. [National Journal, 2/1/13] REALITY: CQ Selects Small, Arbitrary Number Of Votes To Determine Presidential Support Score 2013: U.S. Senate Took 291 Roll Call Votes CQ Examined Just 108 Votes. [Senate Roll Call Votes 113 th Congress, First Session, 2013; CQ Weekly, 2/3/14] CQ Used Only 37.1% Of Total Votes Case By Senate To Determine Presidential Unity Score. In 2013, CQ used 108 out of a total of 291 roll call votes case by the U.S. Senate to determine its presidential unity score. [Senate Roll Call Votes 113 th Congress, First Session, 2013; CQ Weekly, 2/3/14] 71 Of The 108 Votes Scored By CQ Almost Two-Thirds Were Senate Nomination Votes. In 2013, CQ used 108 votes to determine presidential unity 71, or 65.7%, of which were nomination votes. [CQ Weekly, 2/3/14] 2012: U.S. Senate Took 251 Roll Call Votes CQ Examined Just 79 Votes. [Senate Roll Call Votes 112 th Congress, Second Session, 2012; CQ Weekly, 1/21/13] CQ Used Only 31.5% Of Total Votes Case By Senate To Determine Presidential Unity Score. In 2012, CQ used 79 out of a total of 251 roll call votes case by the U.S. Senate to determine its presidential unity score. [Senate Roll Call Votes 112 th Congress, Second Session, 2012; CQ Weekly, 1/21/13] 40 Of The 79 Votes Scored By CQ More Than Half Were Senate Nomination Votes. [CQ Weekly, 1/21/13] 2011: CQ Scored 89 Senate Votes Out of 236 Total Votes Cast by U.S. Senate. [CQ, 2011 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 2011] CQ Used Only 38 Percent of Total Votes Cast by Senate to Determine Presidential Unity Score. In 2011, CQ used 89 votes out of the total 236 votes cast by the U.S. Senate to determine each Senator s presidential unity score. [CQ, 2011 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 112 th Congress, First Session, 2011] 51 Of The 89 Votes Scored By CQ More Than Half Were Senate Nomination Votes. [CQ, 2011 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 112 th Congress, First Session, 2011] 2010: CQ Scored 64 Out of 299 Total Votes Cast by U.S. Senate. [CQ, 2010 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 111 th Congress, Second Session 2010] CQ Used Only 21 Percent of Total Votes Cast by Senate to Determine Presidential Unity Score. In 2011, CQ used 64 votes out of the total 299 votes cast by the U.S. Senate to determine each Senator s presidential unity score. [CQ, 2010 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 111 th Congress, Second Session 2010] 33 Of The 64 Votes Scored by CQ More Than Half Were Senate Confirmation Votes. [CQ, 2010 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll

9 Call Votes 111 th Congress, Second Session 2010] 2009: CQ Scored 79 Out of 397 Total Votes Cast by U.S. Senate. [CQ, 2009 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 111 th Congress, First Session 2009] CQ Used Only 19 Percent Of Total Votes Cast By Senate To Determine Presidential Unity Score. In 2009, CQ used 79 votes out of the total 397 votes cast by the U.S. Senate to determine each Senator s presidential unity score. [CQ, 2009 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 111 th Congress, First Session 2009] 32 Of The 79 Votes Scored By CQ Were Senate Confirmation Votes. [CQ, 2009 Senate Presidential Position Votes; Senate Roll Call Votes 111 th Congress, First Session 2009] That s just not true Alaska. American Crossroads is responsible for the content of this advertising. Text: That s Not True Alaska Vote No REALITY: Sullivan Relying On The Support Of His Friend Karl Rove Politico: Crossroads Targeted Alaska In Its Largest TV Offensive Of The 2014 Cycle. In their largest TV offensive of the midterm cycle so far, both the American Crossroads super PAC and the nonprofit group Crossroads GPS will go on the air in the coming weeks in states including Arkansas, Alaska, North Carolina and Colorado. [Politico, 5/19/14] Sullivan Spokesman: At The End Of The Day, Dan Does Support Citizens United. In a follow-up call after the conversation, campaign spokesman Mike Anderson gave the first affirmative support for the decision. At the end of the day, Dan does support Citizens United, Anderson said. [National Journal, 6/10/14] American Crossroads Super PAC Intervened In The GOP Primary On Behalf Of Sullivan. American Crossroads, a super-pac founded with help from Republican Karl Rove, has intervened in the primary on behalf of Sullivan, who s raised the most money and also has the backing of the Washington-based Club for Growth, which seeks to slash spending, taxes and regulation. The Sullivan campaign didn t return a message seeking comment for this article. [ ]Sullivan, a Marine and former U.S. State Department official, is tireless in the defense of his country, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in the American Crossroads ad defending Sullivan from Democratic attacks. American Crossroads siding with Sullivan over Treadwell and Miller shows how some Republican officials are identifying the strongest general-election candidates and want to avoid burdensome primaries that could hamper the party s ability to win a majority. [Bloomberg, 4/6/14] Rove: Crossroads Is Strongly Supporting Dan Sullivan. During a June 16 interview on Fox News Karl Rove said, Point of, you know full disclosure, Crossroads, the group I m associated with is strongly supporting Dan Sullivan who is the front runner in the Republican sweepstakes there. [Fox News, Video, 6/16/14] Rove: I Know [Sullivan]... A Terrific Human Being. During a June 16 interview on Fox News Karl Rove said I know [Sullivan]; he was a White House fellow, a Marine Major, a terrific human being. [Fox News, Video, 6/16/14] REALITY: Karl Rove s Crossroads Has Already Been Called Out For Lying About Mark Begich s Record Politifact Has Never Rated An American Crossroads Ad True. [Politifact,

10 accessed 6/11/14] Headline: FactCheck.org: Twisting Begich s Response To VA Scandal. [FactCheck.org, 6/4/14] Crossroads GPS Misused Begich WSJ Quote By Conflating Two Separate VA Management Problems And Insinuating Begich Did Not Take VA Controversy Seriously. Crossroads GPS misuses a quote from Sen. Mark Begich and conflates two separate management problems at the Veterans Administration to insinuate in a TV ad that Begich doesn t take the current VA scandal seriously. The conservative group attempts to link Begich who sits on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to news reports that some veterans died while waiting for VA medical appointments. The ad quotes Begich as saying, If there s a problem, they need to fix it, and then asks incredulously, if there is a problem? to suggest that Begich doesn t believe there is one. But three weeks before he made that remark, Begich condemned reports of mismanagement at the VA as a disgrace and called for an immediate investigation and a national policy to allow veterans to get care at non-va health facilities. The ad also suggests that Begich should have known about the current problems at the VA because four years ago the VA inspector general failed the Anchorage VA office in 13 of 14 areas. But that report concerned the processing of disability claims and was unrelated to the scandal. And Begich did press former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to fix the claims backlog at the time. [FactCheck.org, 6/4/14] Crossroads GPS Ad Repeated Misconstrued Quote Used In Sullivan Op-Ed One Week Earlier. Crossroads GPS misuses a quote from Sen. Mark Begich and conflates two separate management problems at the Veterans Administration to insinuate in a TV ad that Begich doesn t take the current VA scandal seriously. [ ] The leading GOP candidate in the Alaska race, Dan Sullivan, also used that quote in an opinion piece that was published in the Anchorage Daily News on May 20. Sullivan wrote: Incredibly, Senator Mark Begich, has barely acknowledged that there is a problem. He seems to view himself as a bystander to the crisis facing America s veterans. If there s a problem, Senator Begich said, they [the Obama Administration] need to fix it. The quote comes from a May 15 Wall Street Journal story, which said: Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat facing re-election this year in conservative-leaning Alaska, said that after the HealthCare.gov issues, the administration should be vigilant to correct any problems. They should have learned from that if there s a problem, they need to fix it, he said. [FactCheck.org, 6/4/14]