Ramaswamy Says Ad Featuring Acton's Estranged Mother Came From His Campaign
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Republican Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed Tuesday that a social media video in which Democrat Amy Acton's estranged mother calls her a liar came from his campaign for Ohio governor. Acton's campaign and her brother condemned the ad, which centers on a family history that includes child sexual abuse allegations against her stepfather.
The video, which began circulating late Monday, has become a flashpoint in a race that ABC News described as a toss-up. CBS News reported that Acton has led in polls over the last month.
What the ad says and how it surfaced
In the video, Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, says she loves her daughter but that Acton has a serious problem and lies about her past, according to ABC News. CBS News reported that she also defends Ramaswamy in the spot. Arthur could not immediately be reached for comment, ABC said.
Where the ad came from was unclear at first. CBS News reported that it lacks the required disclosure of who paid for and authorized it, and that it has not aired on television or cable but has spread widely online. ABC News said it could not verify the content or authenticity of the video, which many users shared, including Donald Trump Jr.
Ramaswamy's side
Ramaswamy told reporters Tuesday it was "an ad from our campaign," according to ABC News and The Columbus Dispatch. He called it legitimate and said Arthur was not paid, ABC reported. He said he wanted the race to focus on issues affecting Ohioans and argued that Acton has avoided them, adding that she will not debate him.
Spokesperson Connie Luck did not deny making the ad or condemn it when asked whether the campaign knew about it, ABC reported. In a statement, Luck said the campaign does not know what happened between Acton and her mother. She called Acton a "serial fabulist" with problems with the truth and questioned her actions as state health director during the pandemic. Luck said Acton should answer questions in front of voters.
Ramaswamy also said that people who know Acton best have told voters not to support her, according to CBS News and The Columbus Dispatch.
Acton's side
Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, said in a statement that Ramaswamy had turned the sexual abuse Acton suffered at age 12 at the hands of their mother's husband into a political talking point. He said that after the stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was arrested, he and Acton were removed from the Arthurs' custody. According to Stearns, their mother stayed married to Cledith Arthur until his death. The Acton campaign called the ad a despicable low.
Acton told Spectrum News on Tuesday that she would not normalize someone who has dismissed her childhood as something she is merely complaining about. She said her mother was removed from her life at age 12 because of severe abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. Later Tuesday, the campaign released a video ad in which Stearns criticized Ramaswamy.
What the records show
CBS News reported that court records provided by Acton's campaign show Cledith Arthur was charged in 1978 with raping Acton, who was then between 10 and 12 years old. He pleaded not guilty. ABC News reported that Acton has said she was molested between ages 9 and 12, and cited an August 1978 Youngstown Vindicator article saying he was bound over to a grand jury in connection with the rape of a 12-year-old girl. The article said he was arrested Aug. 4 after an investigation started by the girl's father.
According to CBS News, the Arthurs left Ohio on bond without facing charges. Warrants were issued for his arrest at least twice in following years, and the couple lived in Pennsylvania until he died in 2004.
ABC News noted that this is not the first time Donna Arthur has accused her daughter of lying. In a 2020 interview with an anti-abortion access group, ABC reported, she said Acton's father had convinced their daughter to lie. Acton has long spoken publicly about the abuse and her strained relationship with her mother. She told the Youngstown Vindicator in 2019 that her mother turned her cheek away at the courthouse and that it was the last time she saw her. Her campaign says that remains true.
Why it matters for Ohio voters
The episode shows how personal history is becoming part of the campaign messaging in a close race for governor. Voters are seeing a dispute over both Acton's account of her childhood and the way a candidate's family relationships are used in political advertising.
It also raises a practical question about transparency. The video spread online without the standard notice of who paid for it, even as the candidate acknowledged it came from his campaign. The Ohio Republican Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to CBS News.
The two campaigns also disagree on debates. Ramaswamy and his spokesperson say Acton is avoiding them. The sources do not include a response from Acton on that point.
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