Scott Wallace, the Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District who is locked in a tight race with Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick, released an ad wrongfully suggesting that his wife was present during the 1998 terrorist bombings at the U.S. embassy in Kenya.
Wallace implied within a television ad that his wife Christy "served" in Nairobi at the time of the bombing. Wallace was responding to criticism of his family foundation, the Wallace Global Fund, which has given millions to radical left-wing groups, while also defending his patriotism.
"By now you've probably seen the false attacks against the foundation that my wife and I ran," Wallace says in the ad. "Now they're even questioning our patriotism. I'm Scott Wallace and I'm proud that my wife served our country in the Foreign Service in danger zones around the world."
As Wallace starts describing his wife, an image of the wreckage of the United States embassy in Nairobi after the 1998 bombing appears on the screen with the caption, "Bombing of U.S. Embassy: Nairobi, 1998."
The Wallace campaign ran the ad on Oct. 11 and pulled it the next day, according to media buying trackers. A revised version of the ad—which does not include the image of Nairobi—was put up a week later.
Within the revised ad, a picture of Christy is shown with just "U.S. Diplomat" appearing on the screen.
The Washington Free Beacon confirmed with a source that Wallace's wife was not in Nairobi at the time of the embassy bombing.
Lists of key personnel in Nairobi from the beginning and middle of 1998 obtained from the State Department Historian's office do not include Christy who, prior to marrying Wallace in December 1998, had the maiden name Limpach, according to Montgomery County, Md., marriage records.
Furthermore, documents obtained from the Association of Diplomatic Studies and Training gathered for the 20th anniversary of the bombings—which contains what the group has in relation to survivors along with submitted recollections from employees and staff who were present at the U.S. embassies in Africa during the attacks—does not show Wallace's wife.
On Aug. 7, 1998, bombs exploded at the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, killing 224 people and wounding more than 5,000. In November 1998, U.S. officials indicted Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda military chief Muhammad Atef on 224 counts of murder for the bombings.
Wallace's campaign spokeswoman did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Wallace, a wealthy progressive philanthropist who is a partner in the Democracy Alliance, the left's largest secretive dark money donor network that was cofounded by liberal billionaire George Soros, made the ad in attempt to defuse "attacks" on both his patriotism and donations from his family foundation.
The Wallace Global Fund has disbursed millions of dollars to far-left groups that include hundreds of thousands that went to an organization that promotes the boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaigns against Israel. The Democratic candidate defended the donations by claiming they were made by another member of the foundation and added that he is "unequivocally pro-Israel, pro-peace, and pro-democracy."
The fund, however, had no more than five officers at the time of the donations with most of the individuals being Wallace and members of his immediate family, according to a review of its tax forms. While the fund gave away millions to radical groups, it did not give any financial assistance to any organizations in Pennsylvania's first district where he is now running.
Wallace was born in Bucks County, Pa., but spent decades away from the area before moving back to challenge Rep. Fitzpatrick for this year's midterm elections.
Wallace and his wife maintained an address in Maryland but spent "most" of the time in South Africa running the family fund. While Wallace was in South Africa, he collected homestead tax credits in Maryland, which call for individuals to maintain residency in the state at least six months out of the year.
Wallace also told the Wall Street Journal that he last voted in Bucks County in 1978, but records previously obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show that this was not the case. Wallace did not register in the district until Dec. 31, 2017, and did not cast his first vote until May 15, the day of his Democratic primary.
The race between Wallace and Fitzpatrick is a virtual dead heat, according to the Real Clear Politics average. A number of recent polls show both Wallace and Fitzpatrick with slight leads.
The toss-up race is one of the most pivotal in the country and is part of a handful of contests that could decide if Democrats reclaim control of the House of Representatives.