Incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen has released a new advertisement in which another female Naval Academy graduate attacks Democratic challenger James Webb.
Janice Buxbaum, a 1980 graduate of the academy, said Webb interviewed her for a 1979 article called “Women Can’t Fight,” and then used the information in the article without her permission. A television advertisement with Buxbaum’s claims is running throughout Virginia for at least a week, according to Allen’s campaign.
“I am here and I had agreed to do this ad because I feel very strongly about Jim Webb’s lack of honesty and lack of integrity as I have experienced it in my life,” Buxbaum said in a conference call with reporters.
Webb in the article opposes the integration of women into some parts of Naval Academy life. On previous occasions and in previous advertisements, other female Naval Academy graduates accused Webb of being insensitive toward women, and blamed the article for making life difficult after the integration of the academy in the 1970s.
“The article itself was preposterous and what I considered to be a very malicious act against the women of the Naval Academy,” said Buxbaum.
Buxbaum, who describes herself as a Democrat, said she did not remember what Webb wrote in the article that was attributed to her that she disagreed with, and admitted she had no proof that Webb distorted or exaggerated what was said in her interview.
“It does come down to my word against his,” she said.
Webb and his campaign dismissed the advertisement.
“The woman isn’t even in the article,” Webb said, and suggested journalists not have asked for a source’s permission before publishing an article.
“What we see here is more vicious attacks by the Allen campaign,” added spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd.
She added Webb has been attempting to make the campaign about issues, not about character.
