Don't Buy These Ads in Ohio

When it comes to this year’s midterms, it seems that the strategy on the right is simply to lie and cheat their way into office. There were so many ads this weekend here in Columbus, Ohio (the Heart of it All) that flat out attempt to distort reality. They’re as blatant as they are inane. Here is a rundown of some of the boldest, most shameless lies of the midterms in the final campaign weekend here in Ohio, starting with the worst:

1. Cordray and Strickland Crashed Ohio’s Economy—Flat Out Lies (Paid for by RGA Right Direction PAC

This one is so fantastical it’s amazing that anyone paid money to put this ad on the air. The ad claims that former Governor of Ohio Ted Strickland who was elected in 2008 lost “over 400,000 jobs.” There are several things wrong with this ad. For starters, Lee Fischer was Lt. Governor under Strickland, not Richard Cordray, yet the ad continually ties the two together, saying things like, “Cordray and Strickland left 89 cents in the rainy day fund” and “Cordray and Strickland over 400,000 jobs lost.”

In reality, when Gov. Strickland took over in 2009, the entire economy – here and abroad – was collapsing. Nationally the U.S. was losing around 750,000 jobs a month the day he was sworn in. Which makes the opening salvo even more galling, opening with; “Under Ted Strickland and Richard Cordray, Ohio was breaking records (pause for effect)” then in bold leaders it reads while the voiceover says “The Wrong Ones. Highest unemployment in 30 years.”

For the record, President Obama hired Richard Cordray as the first head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which was created to stop predatory lending and to protect American consumers from deceptive credit card offers and exorbitant interest charges. The payday lenders and predatory mortgage lenders hated the CFPB because of that, but under Richard Cordray, he was able to win back over a billion dollars for average Americans who were underwater in their home loans or had been deceived by predatory lenders.

2. Drain the Swamp of the GOP? – Arrogantly False Ad (Paid for by America First Action)

The absurdity of this ad is guffaw inducing. It completely ignores the fact that according to the GOP, the swamp was drained in 2016. The ad starts with a dark image of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (not subtle at all) and in bold type on the screen in big red block letters the ad reads, “The Washington Elite” and “The Swamp” while the voiceover says “They want higher taxes.” Next a picture of Senator Warren pops up and the on-screen lettering reads, “Government Run Healthcare.”

Republicans have been in unilateral power for two years, so asking voters to once again drain the swamp means kicking Republicans out of power, correct? Don’t waste too much time on that thought because the ad is full of outright lies and distortions without any regard to the facts.

Another picture of Rep. Pelosi appears on-screen while the ominous voiceover says “Liberal Danny O’Connor” and “Opposed Tax Cuts” saying, “Which would cost the average family $2,000 a year.” Beneath the bold print, it reads that the tax cut “saved a family of four over $2,000 per year” adding “Supports cutting billions from Medicare” while on-screen it reads “Cut billions from Medicare” in the past tense—did he cut billions (and when) or does he support cutting billions?

At the end, the voiceover says “Hurting Ohio seniors. Stand up to the elite—say no to the DC swamp,” finally reading, “Vote against liberal Danny O’Connor” with a picture of Rep. Pelosi next to a picture of Danny O’Connor—paid for by America First Action

3. Pretends the GOP Tax Cut is a Small Business Tax Cut – Twisted Logic (Paid for by the RSCC)

This ad is a quick rundown of all of the GOP talking points from the last four decades. Things like “increasing government spending” and “killing jobs” while calling the two GOP tax cuts a small business tax cut. The numbers just don’t bear that out. The top 5%, not small businesses are the only ones that have benefitted from the only legislation the GOP-held Congress has passed in two years. Worse, it created a 17% increase in the federal deficit.

Despite that hard evidence, the voiceover says “putting an end to Ohio’s prosperity” while on-screen lettering reads “Beth Liston, Increasing Government Spending” and continues “increases government spending and leaves us to foot the bill. Liston even opposes the small business tax cut (aka the GOP tax cut). Of course, this ad was paid for by some innocuous sounding group called “Hardworking Ohioans, Inc.”

4. Ad against Maharath One of the Most Sinister – “Reckless” Ad Paid for by the RSCC

“Tina Maharath calls her own lifestyle (on-screen it reads 'reckless' in quotes) reckless” while bold lettering reads bankruptcy, hit and run, and guilty of selling alcohol to minors. Anne Gonzales didn’t even make an attempt at subtlety with this personal attack ad claiming Maharath killed someone while highlighting her ‘otherness’ with the “Maharath doesn’t belong in the state senate.” Gonzales’ ad goes on to claim that she is backed by “teachers, law enforcement, business leaders…” yet there is no footage of any actual endorsements to back that statement. She ends quite facetiously by saying she’s “tired of partisan politics.” This is another ugly ad paid for by the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.

5. Anti-Dettelbach Ad Blames Candidate for Opioid Crisis—Slimy Ad (Paid for by Dave Yost for Ohio)

Steve Dettelbach is running for Attorney General of Ohio but if you listened to Yost’s ad, it claims that Dettelbach “uses women and children as political tools instead of protecting them.” A Delaware County prosecutor, Carol O’Brien says to the camera “Dettelbach won’t protect your family either.” On-screen it reads “Steve Dettelbach worked for drug companies” while O’Brien says, “His law firm represents drug companies that started the opioid epidemic.” On-screen the ad reads while the voiceover says “As gun crime, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration rose,” Dettelbach prosecuted less. Steve Dettelbach turned his back. He should be ashamed." Carol O’Brien and Dave Yost should be ashamed.