Trump-Backed Cawthorn's 'Lies' Ripped in Ad by PAC Linked to GOP's Tillis

A new advertisement on Thursday calling out GOP Representative Madison Cawthorn's "lies" was paid for by a super PAC that is aligned with GOP Senator Thom Tillis.

Cawthorn, a first-term North Carolina Republican congressman, has ruffled some feathers recently within the Republican Party for his comments about Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine and remarks about other members of his party. He has been criticized by several Republicans, including Tillis, who serves as a senator in his home state.

The advertisement, which has been uploaded to YouTube, was purchased by Results for NC, a super PAC that was first formed by supporters of Tillis' first campaign for Senate in 2013, according to Axios.

The ad slams Cawthorn over his "lies for the limelight" and "stolen valor." It also features quotes from several North Carolina newspapers criticizing the lawmaker for a variety of topics, including the allegations that he lied about being accepted into the United States Naval Academy and "lying about conservatives."

"In perpetual pursuit of celebrity, Cawthorn will lie about anything," the advertisement said. "An attention seeking embarrassment, Cawthorn's antics help him but hurt us."

The ad seeks to portray Cawthorn as a liability for the Republican Party, seemingly referring to his claims that congressional leaders invited him to an "orgy" and did a "bump of cocaine" in front of him.

In total, the advertisement cost $310,000 and is expected to air on cable television, according to a Federal Election Commissions (FEC) filing.

The advertisement comes as some Republicans in North Carolina consolidate support around his opponent state Senator Chuck Edwards.

The May 17 GOP primary sets up a key battle between the state party's establishment and former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Cawthorn—one of his key allies in Congress. Seven candidates are challenging Cawthorn in the western North Carolina district.

Tillis has weighed in on the primary, telling CNN last month that he plans to support Edwards. "It comes down to focus on the district, producing results for the district, and in my opinion, Mr. Cawthorn hasn't demonstrated much in the way of results over the last 18 months," he said.

Tillis also criticized the congressman over his remarks that he made about Ukraine when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "thug" and said that the Ukrainian government was "incredibly corrupt" and "incredibly evil."

Several Republicans condemned his statements, with Tillis accusing him of being used as Russian propaganda.

"If your comments are being replayed over and over by Russian state propaganda outlets..." he tweeted last month.

Newsweek reached out to the offices of Cawthorn and Tillis for comment.