Showing posts with label deceptive mailers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deceptive mailers. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Press Conference Held Concerning Mailed Election Flyers

Worcester County Times
By Jennifer Shutt

BERLIN — Worcester Republicans say they’re upset with State’s Attorney Joel Todd for sending out campaign materials falsely implying he’d gotten endorsements from key figures in their party.
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Lee McClaflin, chairman of the Worcester County Republican Central Committee, held a press conference Wednesday to draw attention to recent election mailers, sent by Todd’s campaign, which showed him pictured with several people under the heading “Community Leaders Support Joel Todd.”

Many of the people on the mailers were not aware they were on it, McClaflin said, and do not endorse Todd as a candidate for re-election. Todd, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican candidate Beau Oglesby.

“We are not saying, because they didn’t want to be on campaign materials, that they do not support Todd; nor are we saying that means they endorse Beau Olgesby,” said McClaflin. “We are saying it was unethical to use names and pictures in a political mailer without their permission.”

Anita Todd, Joel Todd’s wife and his campaign manager, said she is responsible for the mailer. Joel Todd never saw or approved a final draft of the flyer, she said in an interview.

“I screwed up, and should not have had those four photos under the word ‘support,’” says Anita Todd. “There was no malicious intent, no intent to misrepresent.”

Four different versions of the mailers were sent out to different parts of the county. Several prominent people from each region are featured on the mailers, including Pines police chief David Massey, Worcester County Sheriff Charles Martin, Circuit Court Clerk Stephen Hales, County Commissioner Louise Gulyas, County Commissioner Bud Church and Pocomoke City police chief J.D. Ervin.

"I don’t endorse anybody but myself,” said Gulyas, in an interview. “It’s over and done with, and it really doesn’t bother me.”

www.worcestercountytimes.com