CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lawyers for U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall's campaign want six TV stations to pull a Spike Maynard ad that claims Rahall helped give tax breaks to foreign companies and create Chinese jobs.

Attorneys with the Charleston firm DiTrapano, Barrett & DiPiero on Wednesday sent cease-and-desist letters to the stations, calling the ad "false, misleading and deceptive."

"There was no bill that gave 'billions of dollars in tax breaks to foreign companies to create jobs in China,' and certainly, Congressman Rahall did not and never would vote for such an absurd bill," attorneys Rudy DiTrapano and Sean McGinley wrote. "We request you immediately cease airing this advertisement."

Maynard, a Republican and former state Supreme Court justice who switched parties last year, is challenging incumbent Rahall in the state's 3rd Congressional District.

Six television stations received the letters, said Rahall campaign spokesman Greg Hoyer: WVNS, WOWK, WVVA, WOAY, WCHS, and WSAZ.

The campaign has not yet gotten responses from the stations, he said.

WCHS reported Wednesday that its parent group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, had not yet determined whether the ad would be pulled. 

A spokesman for Maynard's campaign did not return messages Wednesday.

In the ad, which started airing last week, an announcer says: "It's on our jeans. Even on children's toys. 'Made in China.'"

With stereotypical Chinese music playing, the announcer continues to say that, "as part of the Obama-Pelosi team, Rahall voted for a bill that led to billions in tax breaks for foreign companies, creating Chinese jobs." 

"With skyrocketing unemployment, only a politician who has been in Washington for 34 years would vote to help foreign companies create Chinese jobs making windmills," the announcer concludes. 

The ad apparently refers to a large wind farm project in west Texas that sparked controversy last year amid talk that its backers would apply for federal stimulus funds and use turbines from the Chinese manufacturer A-Power.

The wind farm is a joint venture between China-based Shenyang Power Group and two American companies, U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Cielo Wind Power.

Last week, Rahall's campaign issued a press release rebutting the ad, saying A-Power later announced plans to build a Nevada plant that would manufacture turbines. 

The press release also says the U.S. Department of Energy has never received a stimulus application for the project.   

In March, U.S Renewable Energy Group announced that at least 70 percent of each turbine used in the project would be wholly manufactured in the United States and made with American steel, according to the company's website. 

Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.