PAC ad slams Amy Acton for dodging debate with Vivek Ramaswamy
A new ad targets Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s refusal to debate her Republican challenger and her record as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RGA Right Direction PAC released the ad, titled “Debates,” its first advertisement in the state’s gubernatorial race. In addition to highlighting her refusal to debate and her pandemic decisions, the ad also highlights Acton’s interactions with law enforcement.
Acton, who faces off against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in November, has faced questions about police calls to her home in 2013 and 2019.
In August 2019, reporting shows her daughter called police, telling a dispatcher Acton had “been drinking” and “throwing things and breaking glass.” Acton’s adult daughter called police and told the dispatcher that her “step dad and mom are fighting and mom has been drinking and throwing things and breaking glass.”
In 2013, Ohio.News first reported that at 12:20 a.m. on June 16, 2013, Bexley police were dispatched to Acton’s home regarding a domestic disturbance. While they were diverted en route, a Capital University Police officer providing backup responded to the home and relayed the information to Bexley police.
According to a police report, Acton’s 16-year-old daughter returned home from a party intoxicated. Acton notified the girl’s father — her ex-husband, Douglas Beech — who later arrived at Acton’s home.
The daughter “apparently did not like this and thought her parents were going to get into some type of altercation,” according to a police report. “Both parents said they were fine and there was no altercation whatsoever.”
“Amy Acton is too afraid to debate because she knows that her record of incompetence will be on full display,” RGA Communications Director Kollin Crompton said in a release.
“Ohio families were destroyed by Acton when she was the COVID Czar, schools were closed and livelihoods were ruined,” Crompton added. Ohio can’t trust Amy Acton. Just look at her past.”
The ad started airing on Saturday, Sept. 12, including nationally during the Ohio State game against Texas.
Meanwhile, Acton’s team appeared to refuse to answer questions from a Republican activist during campaign events in Harrison, Ohio, according to reports and an online video.
“Dr. Amy Acton, why do you refuse to debate your opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy?” the interviewer asked, Fox News reported.
“No photos, no videos,” the staff repeated, per the report. “I said — no pictures, no interviews.”
