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Summary of article:
A Republican super PAC used real crime cases to create ads attacking Democratic candidates, spending millions without consulting victims’ families, sparking a strong reaction from many bereaved families.
CNN reported on the 22nd that a campaign television ad almost left woman Robin Buonodonno breathless. The ad described the 1994 murder of his five-year-old daughter, Nicole VanNotti. the advertisement wasrepublican party Super Political Action Committee (Super PAC)management committee Senate Leadership Fund was used to attackdemocratic party Advertisement for Michigan US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Buonodono said that his daughter’s murder was used as election advertising without any consultation, and “it caused me a panic attack.” He said, “Why do you use the death of other people’s children for political gain?” After the death of his daughter, Buono Dono has moved away from the state.
The Senate Leadership Fund spent at least $3.7 million to air ads in Michigan since September this year depicting how murderer Jason Simmonds sexually assaulted and murdered Nicole.
Buonodon said the Senate Leadership Fund had not contacted him at all.
The report reported that according to data from market research agency AdImpact, election advertisements launched by the “Senate Leadership Fund” and directly naming victims and perpetrators incurred a cumulative advertising expenditure of at least 17 million yuan. In at least three cases, families of victims said that the Senate Leadership Fund never informed the victims that their deaths would be the subject of election advertisements.
Daniel Kreis, a professor of political communication at the University of North Carolina, said it’s basic human nature to notify family members before an ad airs.
Chris Gustafson, communications director for the Senate Leadership Fund, issued a statement in response: “Every life lost due to violent crime is an unbearable tragedy, and it is even worse when this tragedy is entirely preventable and is the direct result of failed liberal policies.”
The “Senate Leadership Fund” is reported to have spent $2 million on ads about the 1999 rape and murder of Jessica Ledford in Michigan.
Ledford’s fiancé, Robert Homerick, said that for some time he watched commercials on YouTube several times a day, “which tortured me every day.” He said he had no contact with the Senate Leadership Fund before launching the ad, and “they are taking advantage of the personal pain I have experienced to manipulate the election.”
In North Carolina, the Senate Leadership Fund spent at least $4 million to publicize the Edmund Moore Jr. murder case.
Moore’s mother, Pamela Moore, said she had no contact with the Senate Leadership Fund. She said: “It’s heartbreaking. How can you use white-haired people to torment black-haired people to gain your credibility?”
Summary FAQ
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The ad was created and placed by the Republican super PAC “Senate Leadership Fund”. It was used primarily to attack Saeed, a Democratic Michigan U.S. Senate candidate, and the content directly quoted an actual murder case.
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Family members believe that the ad uses the tragedy of their loved one’s murder as political propaganda without contact or consent, causing them to face trauma and anxiety again. They also feel that this personal pain is being used to gain political mileage.
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The report pointed out that the Senate Leadership Fund has spent at least 3.7 million yuan to broadcast relevant advertisements in Michigan, and the total cumulative cost of advertisements directly naming victims and criminals is at least 17 million yuan; Scholars have criticized that it is basic human nature to inform family members before broadcasting.
