April 7, 2025
“Calling Navy veteran Senator Mark Kelly a ‘traitor,’ while delighting in firing thousands of honorable U.S. veterans from continuing their service, is a disgrace.”
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Last week, 314 Action launched a new ad slamming Elon Musk for his repeated disrespect of veterans—including Senator Mark Kelly. “Musk” will run in battleground states with VA hospitals, including Arizona, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. In total, the ad will reach 21 medical centers.
“Musk” is a part of 314 Action’s ongoing seven-figure advocacy work to hold Trump’s dangerous anti-science Administration accountable. The ad builds upon the organization’s recent digital ad campaign demanding 12 of the most vulnerable House Republicans to stand up to Elon Musk’s attacks on public health.
Daily Beast: Democrats Go After Humiliated Musk With Salute Attack Ad
David Gardner
04/02/25
Key sections:
- Democrats are doubling down on attacks targeting Elon Musk by resurrecting his evocative straight-arm salute in an ad set for release in battleground states across the U.S.
- The ad zeroes in on Musk’s feud with Senator Mark Kelly. The DOGE billionaire branded the retired astronaut and Navy vet a “traitor” after the lawmaker said the U.S. should “stand with Ukraine.”
- The digital ad from 314 Action–a progressive advocacy group dedicated to getting Democrats with a scientific background elected–pays tribute to Kelly before complaining that Musk had taken “billions in federal funds” and was firing “thousands of our veterans.”
- “It’s time to fire Elon Musk,” the ad concludes, showing footage of Musk making his controversial salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration rally.
- Earlier, the ad says: “When America needed his courage to fly combat missions, Mark Kelly answered the call. An aerospace engineer, Mark Kelly led shuttle missions to space. When Arizona families, including his wife, were struck by violence, Mark Kelly listened and helped them heal.”
- “Elon Musk seems to think this is all just a joke—that he can say and do whatever he wants without consequences,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action.
- “Calling Navy veteran Senator Mark Kelly a ‘traitor,’ while delighting in firing thousands of honorable U.S. veterans from continuing their service, is a disgrace.”
- “Meanwhile, in between Nazi salutes and chainsaws, he’s enriching himself and his companies off government contracts. It’s beyond time to fire Musk,” she added.
- The ad, called “Musk,” will run in battleground states with VA hospitals, including Arizona, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio—reaching 21 medical centers.
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