Molinaro launches new ad tying Democratic challenger to Harvey Weinstein

No, it’s not 2022, but the 19th Congressional District race is already as heated now as it was then. Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro has released a digital ad, attacking Democratic candidate Josh Riley for his tenure at the law firm Boies, Schiller and Flexner. The ad specifically criticizes Riley for working in the firm’s government relations and crisis management practices at a time when the firm represented clients like Harvey Weinstein and Apple.

“Don’t believe Josh Riley,” the ad states. “He’s a D.C. insider who made millions protecting powerful people and corporations.”

While there is no record of Riley personally representing Weinstein during the course of his sexual assault trials, Republicans have used the connection as a source of attacks ever since Riley left the legal profession to enter politics, rolling it into their portrayal of him as a “D.C. insider.”

“Josh Riley is a total fraud who silenced sexual assault victims for Harvey Weinstein and his chief fundraiser was booted from the Senate for being a pervert,” Molinaro said in a statement. Former Sen. Al Franken, who resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations, has regularly featured in Riley ads, asking for donations as recently as this month. 

In response, Riley’s campaign has accused Molinaro of purposefully twisting the facts about his tenure at Boies, Schiller and Flexner. 

“The difference between Josh Riley and Marc Molinaro summed up in one week: Last Monday, Josh Riley launched the first TV ad of the campaign, highlighting his deep roots in Upstate New York and positive vision for communities like the one he grew up in,” Riley’s campaign manager Daniel Fleiss said. “On Tuesday, Marc Molinaro responded by doing what he does best: spouting an unequivocal lie.”