Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), who is currently challenging Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary on a right-wing platform, had an interesting job for a time in 2007: Appearing as an infomercial pitchman -- for a company telling people that they can get free grant money from the federal government.
In 2007, shortly after Hayworth lost his re-election battle in 2006, Hayworth appeared in a half-hour informercial for the National Grants Conferences, a program set up by a company called Proven Methods Seminars, which advertises itself as running seminars in which people can find out how to get grant money from the federal government -- which the infomercial's on-screen text pitched as being "FREE MONEY" in quotes.
"Well I don't want to shock anybody's sensibilities, but I have to use a four-letter word: Real. This is real," Hayworth said in the infomercial. "The money is out there, the opportunities are out there. And by the way, it's not something where it's the government's money -- it's really your money. You surrendered it in the form of taxation. Now's the time to take advantage of a situation where the government can invest in you. And in turn, you'll have a chance to build a business, or make a better life for yourself -- and in so doing, you'll help improve the country."
It should be noted that the company's conferences and business practices have received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau, and in 2007 it was the target of a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, signed by 32 state attorneys general.
Hayworth campaign spokesman Mark Sanders claimed to TPMDC that the McCain campaign has been shopping the video around to local media, and dismissed it as an attack from a rival. Sanders also pointed out that the company's founder, Michael Milin, has donated money over the years to John McCain's campaigns.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/hayworth-was-infomercial-pitchman-touting-free-money-government-grants-in-2007-video.php?ref=fpb
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