Uncredited Online Ad Uses Amy Acton's Estranged Mother in Ohio Governor Race
The online video attacks the Democratic nominee as court records confirm her stepfather was indicted for raping her as a child.
An unattributed political advertisement targeting Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dr. Amy Acton began circulating across social media platforms overnight, two weeks before the Nov. 3 general election. In the attack ad spread by supporters of Acton’s opponent, Donna Arthur speaks directly to the camera and repeatedly calls her daughter a liar reported by the Ohio Capital Journal. There is no disclaimer on the video explaining who paid for it reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Vivek Ramaswamy (left) and Dr. Amy Acton (right) face each other in the Nov. 3, 2026, Ohio gubernatorial election.
Credit: Morgan Trau & WEWS Image source
It was not immediately clear who produced it or paid for it, or how it was accessed for posting, nor was it clear if Acton's mother was paid for the one-minute spot reported by The Associated Press. Acton faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the statewide race for Ohio governor.
1978 Rape Indictment and Court Records
According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported his alleged conduct to authorities documented by The Associated Press. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978 reported by The Associated Press.
Arthur's husband was indicted that September, skipped court, and remained a fugitive until at least 1981 before later dying.
In a 2019 interview with the Youngstown Vindicator, Acton explained there were “accusations of molestation events” even before the man met Arthur, but after he abused Acton there was enough evidence to go to trial reported by the Ohio Capital Journal. “In the courthouse after they were charged,” Acton told the Vindicator, “I went to give her a kiss, and she just turned her cheek away. That was the last time I ever saw her” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
In a May 2020 interview with the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, Arthur disputed Acton’s version of events, but the story acknowledges Arthur borrowed $10,000 for her husband’s defense and that their attorney suggested they move away until the charges were dropped reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Acton and Stearns Condemn Attack
Acton denounced the spot to Spectrum News, saying she would not normalize an opponent using her estranged birth mother, from whom she was removed at age 12 following severe abuse.
The campaign of Ohio Democratic governor candidate Dr. Amy Acton released a statement from her brother Tuesday morning condemning an attack ad against her spread by right-wing online influencers featuring her estranged mother reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Stearns continued: “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” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock said: “The choice to use, and then stand by, Dr. Acton’s estranged and abusive mother who stayed married to her rapist stepfather until the day he died shows Ohioans exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Ramaswamy Campaign Response
The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment, and in an email, Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck didn’t address questions about who paid for the ad but didn’t reject it either reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
In her statement, Luck said: “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” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Luck added: “If Amy disagrees with these criticisms, she should stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide for themselves. The fact that she won’t, and Vivek will, should tell you everything about who’s really lying” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Disclosure Rules and Enforcement
Campaign disclaimer rules are codified under Ohio Revised Code Section 3517.20.
Ohio law requires political ads to carry a disclaimer explaining who paid for them reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Application of disclosure statutes to third-party digital videos remains legally unsettled under state law. Under Ohio election procedure, any formal disclaimer complaint must be investigated by the Ohio Election Integrity Unit in the Ohio Secretary of State’s office before potential referral for prosecution.
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How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (13)
In the attack ad spread by supporters of Acton’s opponent, Donna Arthur speaks directly to the camera and repeatedly calls her daughter a liar reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
In the attack ad spread by supporters of Acton’s opponent, Ohio Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, Donna Arthur speaks directly to the camera and repeatedly calls her daughter a liar. There is no disclaimer on the video explaining who paid for it.
There is no disclaimer on the video explaining who paid for it reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
In the attack ad spread by supporters of Acton’s opponent, Ohio Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, Donna Arthur speaks directly to the camera and repeatedly calls her daughter a liar. There is no disclaimer on the video explaining who paid for it.
In a 2019 interview with the Youngstown Vindicator, Acton explained there were “accusations of molestation events” even before the man met Arthur, but after he abused Acton there was enough evidence to go to trial reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
In a 2019 interview with Youngstown Vindicator, Acton explained there were “accusations of molestation events” even before the man met Arthur, but after he abused Acton there was enough evidence to go to trial.
That was the last time I ever saw her” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“In the courthouse after they were charged,” Acton told the Vindicator, “I went to give her a kiss, and she just turned her cheek away. That was the last time I ever saw her.”
In a May 2020 interview with the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, Arthur disputed Acton’s version of events, but the story acknowledges Arthur borrowed $10,000 for her husband’s defense and that their attorney suggested they move away until the charges were dropped reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
In a 2020 interview with the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, Arthur disputed Acton’s version of events, but the story acknowledges Arthur borrowed $10,000 for her husband’s defense and that their attorney suggested they move away until the charges were dropped.
The campaign of Ohio Democratic governor candidate Dr. Amy Acton released a statement from her brother Tuesday morning condemning an attack ad against her spread by right-wing online influencers featuring her estranged mother reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
The campaign of Ohio Democratic governor candidate Dr. Amy Acton released a statement from her brother Tuesday morning condemning an attack ad against her spread by right-wing online influencers featuring her estranged mother.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said.
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” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“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.”
Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock said: “The choice to use, and then stand by, Dr. Acton’s estranged and abusive mother who stayed married to her rapist stepfather until the day he died shows Ohioans exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“The choice to use, and then stand by, Dr. Acton’s estranged and abusive mother who stayed married to her rapist stepfather until the day he died shows Ohioans exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is,” said Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock.
The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment, and in an email, Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck didn’t address questions about who paid for the ad but didn’t reject it either reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment. In an email, Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck didn’t address questions about who paid for the ad but didn’t reject it either.
In her statement, Luck said: “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” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“We don’t know what happened between Amy and her mother, who first spoke out about Amy in 2020,” Luck said, “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.”
The fact that she won’t, and Vivek will, should tell you everything about who’s really lying” reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
“If Amy disagrees with these criticisms, she should stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide for themselves,” Luck said. “The fact that she won’t, and Vivek will, should tell you everything about who’s really lying.”
Ohio law requires political ads to carry a disclaimer explaining who paid for them reported by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Read supporting passage
Ohio law requires political ads to carry a disclaimer explaining who paid for them.
Supporting evidence (3)
It was not immediately clear who produced it or paid for it, or how it was accessed for posting, nor was it clear if Acton's mother was paid for the one-minute spot reported by The Associated Press.
Read supporting passage
It was not immediately clear who produced it or paid for it, or how it was accessed for posting. It also was not clear if Acton's mother was paid for the one-minute spot.
According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported his alleged conduct to authorities documented by The Associated Press.
Read supporting passage
According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported his alleged conduct to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.
The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978 reported by The Associated Press.
Read supporting passage
According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported his alleged conduct to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.