Acton’s brother condemns attack ad featuring her estranged mom in Ohio governor race

The campaign of Ohio Democratic governor candidate Dr. Amy Acton released a statement from her brother Tuesday morning condemning an attack ad against her spread by right-wing online influencers featuring her estranged mother.

In the attack ad spread by supporters of Acton’s opponent, Ohio Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, Donna Arthur speaks directly to the camera and repeatedly calls her daughter a liar. There is no disclaimer on the video explaining who paid for it.

Arthur is estranged from Acton and her brother Philip Stearns. As a child, Acton claimed Arthur’s husband sexually abused her, and when the case went to court Arthur sided with her husband.

In a 2019 interview with Youngstown Vindicator, Acton explained there were “accusations of molestation events” even before the man met Arthur, but after he abused Acton there was enough evidence to go to trial.

“In the courthouse after they were charged,” Acton told the Vindicator, “I went to give her a kiss, and she just turned her cheek away. That was the last time I ever saw her.”

Acton said Arthur and her husband skipped bail and left town.

In a 2020 interview with the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, Arthur disputed Acton’s version of events, but the story acknowledges Arthur borrowed $10,000 for her husband’s defense and that their attorney suggested they move away until the charges were dropped.

Shortly after the ad began circulating on social media, the Acton campaign shared a statement from her brother.

“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said.

“After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died. This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core – a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants.”

The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment. In an email, Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck didn’t address questions about who paid for the ad but didn’t reject it either.

“We don’t know what happened between Amy and her mother, who first spoke out about Amy in 2020,” Luck said, “but we know that Amy Acton is a serial fabulist who has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of before deciding who to entrust as governor.”

She echoed Ramaswamy’s repeated criticism of Acton for refusing to debate and insisted it’s Acton who has “resorted to lying” about Ramaswamy and her own record.

“If Amy disagrees with these criticisms, she should stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide for themselves,” Luck said. “The fact that she won’t, and Vivek will, should tell you everything about who’s really lying.”

Following the Ramaswamy campaign statement, the Acton campaign issued a statement.

“The choice to use, and then stand by, Dr. Acton’s estranged and abusive mother who stayed married to her rapist stepfather until the day he died shows Ohioans exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is,” said Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock.

Ohio law requires political ads to carry a disclaimer explaining who paid for them. It is unclear how that statute applies to videos on social media, but any alleged violation would have to be investigated by the Ohio Election Integrity Unit in the Ohio Secretary of State’s office before any potential prosecution.

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