Massachusetts U.S. Senator Scott Brown spent the weekend focused on allegations that his campaign had lifted large portions of an earlier speech by Elizabeth Dole, saying it was simply a “technical oversight.”
The Boston Globe first reported the plagiarism, which the newspaper was directed to by the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century.
The passages were about the values that parents instill in their children.
“I was raised to believe that there are no limits to individual achievement and no excuses to justify indifference,” was the message on Brown’s website that has since been removed. “From an early age, I was taught that success is measured not in material accumulations, but in service to others. I was encouraged to join causes larger than myself, to pursue positive change through a sense of mission, and to stand up for what I believe.”
Passages from Dole’s speech were included in a message to students on her website.
“I am Mary and John Hanford’s daughter, raised to believe that there are no limits to individual achievement and no excuses to justify indifference,” was the message on Dole’s website. “From an early age, I was taught that success is measured, not in material accumulations, but in service to others. I was encouraged to join causes larger than myself, to pursue positive change through a sense of mission, and to stand up for what I believe.”
Mr. Brown’s spokesman told the Globe that Ms. Dole’s website, where the speech was posted, was “one of the models” for the Massachusetts Republican’s site. The Brown campaign added that “during construction of the site, the content on this particular page was inadvertently transferred without being rewritten.”
“It was a staff level oversight which we regret and is being corrected,” added Brown spokesman John Donnelly.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr. Brown said the allegations were “silly,” adding that an internal review led the campaign to suspect that the post had been authored by a former summer intern.
“They did it, we were notified of it, we fixed it — end of story,” the Massachusetts Republican added.
“It was a summer intern that put together the site, we corrected it once we found out, and we’re working on trade agreements and jobs,” Mr. Scott said.
The issue comes as Mr. Brown continues to build support for his 2012 re-election campaign. The Massachusetts Republican is facing a tough challenge from Elizabeth Warren, a professor at Harvard Law School. Polls show a tightening race between the two Massachusetts natives.
