In the Ugliest and Most Expensive Senate Race, Republican Scott Brown Accuses Relatives of Asbestos Victims of Being Paid Actors

But It’s Okay, He Apologized So His Ignorance and Insensitivity Doesn’t Count

The Massachusetts Senate race between incumbent Scott Brown (why do so many Republican conservatives have Scott in their name?) and Democrat Elizabeth Warren turned ugly some time ago.  Because he is losing in the polls, Mr. Brown has done what politicians of all parties and stripes do, he is panicking and spouting outrageous statements to try and recover.

The latest thing Mr. Brown did was respond to an ad by Ms. Warren that explained her role in asbestos lawsuits.  She featured relatives of individuals who had died from lung disease, and Mr. Brown reacted this way.

“A lot of them are paid,” Brown said. “We hear that maybe they pay actors. Listen, you can get surrogates and go out and say your thing. We have regular people in our commercials. No one is paid. They are regular folks that reach out to us and say she is full of it.”

Of course, this was not true.  The people were real and they were not happy.

John F. English said in a statement that he moved in with his father during the final stages of his life, before he died of mesothelioma. “Let Scott Brown tell me to my face that I am nothing but a ‘paid actor,’ and I’ll set him straight on what it was like to watch my father suffocate to death,” English said.

And yes, Mr. Brown has since apologized.

Brown issued his apology ­after the story was reported in the Taunton Gazette Wednesday evening. “It was wrong for me to have jumped to those conclusions and I apologize to those I ­offended,” Brown said in a statement issued Wednesday night.

So nothing to see her folks, move along.