Sen. Tester, how about an apology?

Sen. Tester’s honesty and integrity are now on trial. His campaign has engaged in a dishonest smear attack that should unnerve all Montanans. Sen. Tester’s campaign falsely stated that Concerned Women for America (CWA) — which has 500,000 members nationally and more than 2,500 in Montana — lobbied Congress against child pornography protection. This charge is completely false, and Sen. Tester should immediately apologize.

In fact, CWA has spent the last 30-plus years defending children and families against the evil of child pornography, as well as against obscenity and indecency. We have gone to great effort and expense to work in both the states and Washington to advocate good public policy and compel the Department of Justice to enforce the law. We are made up of many volunteers — grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and even a few like-minded men. In Montana alone, we have six chapters and two steering committee members — women who will not take kindly to Sen. Tester’s dishonesty.

Pornography is one of our core issues; we spend a lot of time and work hard on this issue. So when Sen. Tester’s campaign falsely stated that we lobbied Congress against child pornography protection, we knew it was necessary to set the record straight. (Editor’s Note: The charge was made in a campaign e-mail signed by Stacy Rogge-Senterfeit, co-chair of Women for Tester.)

CWA strongly supports tough penalties for those who peddle child pornography. And Sen. Tester should have known better — it is publicly known that our national CEO Penny Nance was personally the victim in an attempted sexual attack by a suspected pornography addict. She was rescued by a passing motorist and has spent the last 15 years as a champion against child pornography and indecency — including more than three years of public service at the FCC working on this issue.

Sen. Tester attacked CWA because its sister organization Concerned Women for America LAC had the temerity to run television ads here in Montana that disagree with reckless spending in Washington that is harming our families and communities. Even this smear attack won’t stop CWA from speaking the truth to Montanans, and the Treasure State deserves a U.S. senator that remains truthful in all circumstances.

Kanduch, of Philipsburg, is state director of Concerned Women for America of Montana.