The mother of Ohio’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee has slammed her as a “liar” in a new video that appears to be a vicious late-cycle attack.
In the clip, Donna Arthur accuses her daughter, Amy Acton, of falsely claiming that she grew up in an abusive environment after her parents’ divorce.
Independent Ohio commentator D.J. Byrnes first published the video, saying it came from the campaign of Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy.
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“I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent, it’s not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem,” says Ms. Arthur. “She is a liar. She lies about her past.”
In the video, Ms. Arthur challenges Ms. Acton’s claim that “she overcame periods of abuse, hunger and neglect, and even wound up living in a tent in the middle of winter.”
Ms. Arthur says in the clip, “None of that is true. She’s lied her entire life. My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself.”
She continues, “People can change, but first they have to tell the truth, and my daughter still isn’t doing that. Don’t vote for people who lie. Don’t let her become your governor.”
Ms. Acton has said that her mother’s husband sexually abused her as a child and that she moved in with her father and lost contact with her mother.
In a Tuesday interview with WOSU News, Ms. Acton rejected her mother’s claims and accused Mr. Ramaswamy of taking advantage of her.
“It’s awful to see her this way, and it’s even more incredible to see that my opponent has taken advantage of someone who is clearly not well, who is older,” Ms. Acton said.
The Acton campaign also released a statement from the candidate’s brother, Philip Stearns, who grew up with her and has corroborated her claims of abuse.
“After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died. This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core — a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants,” Mr. Stearns said in a statement.
In a statement to The Washington Times, the Ramaswamy campaign appeared to claim responsibility for the ad.
“We don’t know what happened between Amy and her mother, who first spoke out about Amy in 2020, but we know that Amy Acton is a serial fabulist who has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of before deciding who to entrust as governor,” said Connie Luck, a spokesperson.
“If Amy disagrees with these criticisms, she should stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide for themselves,” Ms. Luck added, criticizing Ms. Acton for refusing debate invitations.
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