Chris Smith’s Lyme Disease Deception

Chris Smith has released a new ad featuring Cyndi Dalakian, a woman who first noticed her Lyme disease symptoms 20 years ago and credits Smith for “getting her life back.” Prominently featured in this ad is the National Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Control and Accountability Act of 2018, which Smith sponsored. The ad features multiple graphics with the bill’s title, a headline from the Asbury Park Press (which is from Smith’s own op-ed), and another graphic that looks like a headline but is from Smith’s website. Smith clearly wants us to believe that Cindy was suffering and that his big Lyme disease bill helped her.

Except it didn't. Dalakian mentions her story is from 20 years ago, and Smith’s Lyme disease bill never passed.

To be clear, I wouldn’t want Dalakian or anyone else suffering. Lyme disease is a worsening problem worthy of attention, and Smith should get credit for trying to do something about it. There is plenty in his bill that seems like a good idea. But Smith is running his campaign claiming he “gets results,” and this ad overstates and outright deceives about his accomplishments. Smith hasn’t passed Lyme disease legislation since 1993 despite introducing it every spring when the disease is in the news.

Well, Dalakian discusses her story of 20 years ago and that puts us after 1993, so let’s take a look at Smith’s last Lyme disease legislative achievement. It was amendment 329 to HR 3116, allocating $1 million for Lyme disease research through the Army Environmental Hygiene Agency. Congress.gov lists no text, and it was agreed to by voice vote.

That’s it.

No legislative battle that Smith worked hard to win, no significant or detailed plan to help patients access care, just $1 million for research that everyone easily approved. This, and a Lyme disease awareness week in 1988, are Smith’s only legislative successes on the topic.

Unless Smith drove Dalakian to the doctor’s office, there’s not much to suggest that “because of Chris Smith, I was able to get a specific test that I needed,” resulting in Dalakian “getting her life back.” The only way Smith’s $1 million from 1993 would have helped Dalakian is if it somehow funded the test she needed and she was in or a civilian employee of the armed services. Otherwise, we’re missing some very important information central to this ad: how exactly did Smith get Dalakian the test she needed? Was it completely unrelated to his legislation? If so, tell us that story. And, if so, why are you telling us a different story? Why try to blind us with Lyme disease legislation that didn’t pass?

If there is a worthy story to tell then tell it. Exaggeration and deception wouldn’t be necessary. However, that’s not the route Smith chose, implying that the real story might not live up to the hype.

Regardless, I’m glad Dalakian got the help she needed. If Smith was instrumental in that and someone can elaborate, he deserves credit. But this ad doesn’t offer any evidence, and his legislative record doesn’t indicate how it would have been possible.
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