Facebook photos used as opposition research

First, they got that guy you know fired from his job. Now, they're being used as opposition research on congressional candidates.

We knew this day would come: a young congressional candidate in California is being attacked for photos commandeered from his Facebook page.

The target is 32nd district special election candidate and 26-year old Emanuel Pleitez (D). The mailers are being put out by the campaign of state Sen. Gil Cedillo (D), one of two frontrunners in the race.

None of the photos, in and of themselves, are particularly incriminating (see for yourself here), but put together, they portray a partier who has had a few alcoholic beverages in his time and makes hand signals while posing for a camera - "gang signs," according to the Cedillo campaign.

The verbiage used in the mailer is accordingly over-the-top:

Okay, Pleitez is young. He's allowed to blow off a little steam now and then. (Even nerdy guys want to be cool.)

But how about flashing gang signs - and then posting the pictures on the Internet?

Doesn't he know about the lives and neighborhoods that have been destroyed by gangs?

Emanuel Pleitez is running for Congress, but which party does he really belong in?

Another example: "Should this man represent you in the House of Representatives...or in Animal House?"

Cedillo and state Board of Equalization Vice Chairwoman Judy Chu are the frontrunners in the race to replace Labor Secretary Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) in the House.

Pleitez has raised decent money but isn't expected to win. At the same time, he could take enough of the Hispanic vote from Cedillo to play the spoiler.

-Aaron Blake

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