On Tuesday, the campaign of Ohio Democratic governor candidate Dr. Amy Acton released a statement from her brother, Philip Stearns, condemning an attack ad circulating online. The ad, spread by right-wing online influencers supporting Acton’s opponent, Ohio Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, features Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur. In the video, Arthur directly addresses the camera, repeatedly calling her daughter a liar. The video currently lacks any disclaimer explaining who paid for its production or distribution.
Arthur is estranged from both Acton and Stearns. Acton, as a child, claimed Arthur’s husband sexually abused her. When the case proceeded to court, Arthur reportedly sided with her husband. Acton detailed in a 2019 interview that there were "accusations of molestation events" even before the man met Arthur. After he abused Acton, enough evidence existed to proceed to trial. Acton recounted a courthouse encounter after charges were filed, stating she attempted to give her mother a kiss, but her mother turned her cheek away. Acton described this as the last time she ever saw her mother. Acton also said Arthur and her husband later skipped bail and left town.
In a 2020 interview, Arthur disputed Acton’s version of events. However, that account acknowledged Arthur had borrowed $10,000 for her husband’s defense and that their attorney had advised them to move away until the charges were dropped.
Shortly after the attack ad began circulating on social media, the Acton campaign shared Philip Stearns’ statement. Stearns stated it was "not surprising" that Ramaswamy would attempt to politicize the sexual abuse Acton "endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband." He further emphasized that after the abuser’s arrest and the siblings’ removal from their custody, their "birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died." Stearns characterized the ad as a "desperate, disgusting attack" that reveals Ramaswamy's "pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone."
The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment regarding the ad. In an email response, Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck did not directly address questions about who funded the ad, but she also did not disavow it. Luck stated the campaign did not know what happened between Acton and her mother, who first spoke publicly about Acton in 2020. However, Luck proceeded to criticize Acton, asserting that she "is a serial fabulist" with "serious problems with the truth" that the public needs to understand before entrusting her as governor. Luck reiterated Ramaswamy’s repeated criticisms of Acton’s refusal to participate in debates, claiming it is Acton who has "resorted to lying" about Ramaswamy and her own political record. Luck concluded by saying that if Acton disagrees with these criticisms, she should "stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions," and let voters decide. Luck added that Acton's unwillingness to do so, contrasted with Ramaswamy’s willingness, "should tell you everything about who’s really lying."
Following the statement from the Ramaswamy campaign, the Acton campaign issued a further response. Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock stated Ramaswamy’s "choice to use, and then stand by," Acton’s mother, who was estranged and abusive and stayed married to Acton's "rapist stepfather until the day he died," "shows Ohioans exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is."
Ohio law mandates that political advertisements include a disclaimer identifying who paid for them. It remains unclear how this statute applies to videos distributed via social media. Any alleged violation of this requirement would necessitate an investigation by the Ohio Election Integrity Unit, housed within the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, before any potential legal prosecution could occur.
