Photo by George Lauby Ben Nelson

Sen. Ben Nelson won’t be swayed by phone calls that stem from a TV ad that seems to connect political corruption to employees' unions.

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"The ads cook up a stew of innuendo,” Nelson said Friday in a prepared statement about special interest advertisements on the “Employee Free Choice Act” -- a bill that could make it easier to form workers’ unions.

The ad seem to link Illinois’ embattled governor Rod Blagojevich to political campaign contributions to ‘bailouts’ for banks and automakers to the Employee Free Choice Act.

That bill would allow workers to sign cards and form a union. Critics say union backers could go door-to-door, possibly while selling insurance policies, opening the doors to bribery or extortion.

Currently, workers can only form unions by majority vote in a secure, secret-ballot vote. Critics of the process say workers are often bullied not to form unions long before the issue ever gets to a ballot.

Nelson said there are valid arguments both pro and con. The bill is expected to be considered next year by Congress.

“There are clear views for and against this idea,” Nelson said. “While I have expressed concerns about the legislation and continue to weigh it, these ads are unfair to those who deserve an honest, fact-based debate -- if it is considered next year by Congress.”

Nelson said the ads are dumb, sleazy and intentionally confusing.

The ads are paid for by a Washington special interest group called “Americans for Job Security”, which hides its donors, Nelson said.

“I can’t imagine how this demeaning and misleading media campaign would persuade any member of Congress to vote ‘no,’” he said.

“I can take debate and criticism on the merits of issues before Congress, and believe that Nebraskans deserve to know where I stand when I cast my vote,” Nelson said. “But smear tactics that insult me and my fellow Nebraskans? These folks shot themselves in the foot -- while aiming.”