As of this morning, 30 Ohio television stations had pulled the deceptive ad supporting the state's Issue 2, which would limit collective bargaining for public workers. The ad takes footage from an ad opposing Issue 2 and makes it appear as if the woman in the original ad supports the measure. Building a Better Ohio, the Republican group that released the deceptive ad, has insisted that it was totally kosher to appropriate the woman's image and words and reverse their meaning. However, because of all the stations dropping the ad,
...Building a Better Ohio, the Republican group pushing to pass Issue 2, has decided to replace the ad, at least for now, with one of its previous spots while negotiations with stations continue.The decision was made so the campaign can stay on the air, said Jason Mauk, spokesman for Building a Better Ohio, adding, “We absolutely stand by the ad.”
Building a Better Ohio continues to fight to get the ad back on the air, claiming it's a First Amendment right, but, as the manager of one station that's pulled the ad said, "We have the right to deny any advertiser...This is a for-profit institution."
Gov. John Kasich says he supports the ad, but doesn't actually have anything to do with it. As Plunderbund reports, though, Kasich's chief of staff is currently on leave to run Building a Better Ohio.