Exclusive from Republican Nancy Dye’s campaign, we have one heck of an “oops” moment from Democratic incumbent John Edward’s state senate campaign:
“We are happy that the local TV stations recognized that this ad was not in compliance with Virginia Law and took quick action to resolve the situation.” Lx Fangonilo, Nancy Dye Campaign Manager said, “You would think that being a life-long attorney and spending 20-years in the State Senate where he voted seven time to pass the exact law that he violated, Senator Edwards would know better and follow the law.”
So what’s the problem?
At the end of every television ad, you will recall that there is a short blurb with “I’m Jerry McScumbag, and I approved this message” as a sort of truth in advertising thing. The idea is that it’s a safeguard of sorts — the candidate has to stand by his ad, because by law, they are required to approve it with their face and voice — or so the reasoning goes.
Virginia Code § 24.2-957.1 states:
“2. If the advertisement sponsored by the candidate or the candidate campaign committee makes reference to another clearly identified candidate, it must include a disclosure statement spoken by the sponsoring candidate containing at least the following words: “I am _______________ (or ‘This is _______________’) [Name of candidate], candidate for [Name of] office, and I (or ‘my campaign’) sponsored this ad.”
The candidate or the candidate campaign committee may provide the oral disclosure statement required by this section at the same time as the visual disclosure required under the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. §§ 315 and 317, is shown.
3. The advertisement shall include throughout the disclosure statement an unobscured, full-screen picture containing the candidate, either in photographic form or through the actual appearance of the candidate on camera.
Dye’s legal team sent a rather strongly worded (and appropriate) letter to WDBJ-7 regarding the illegal ad:
“As stated in the relevant violations of Virginia Code Section 24.2-957.1 the Edward’s attack ad is “sponsored by the candidate or the candidate campaign committee” and “makes makes reference to another clearly identified candidate.” Additionally, there is no disclosure statement spoken by the sponsoring candidate…”
Therefore, to continue to “serve the public interest” as required by your FCC license and based on the attack advertisement’s violations of the above referenced sections of Virginia Law, we respectfully request that the Edward’s political attack advertisement against State Senate Candidate Nancy Dye be pulled from your airwaves and pulled from all airings in Virginia’s 21st State Senate District.”
Zing!
Now that’s an extra special sort of serial incompetence right there. Edwards’ campaign should have known better from the start — and for WDBJ-7 to actually have to pull the entire ad buy rather than merely have Edwards’ campaign consultant simply update the ad (we’re in the digital age — you can do that) screams internal problems in a highly-contested state senate race.
Hats off to Nancy Dye campaign manager Lx Fangonilo on this one — exceptionally well done, sir.
