Candidates should campaign on their own merits. Negative ads and frivolous complaints cross ethical, possibly legal, lines.
The onslaught of negative and dishonest ads and other frivolous claims from the Plaskett for Congress campaign may have crossed ethical, and possibly legal, lines, said assistant Malone for Congress Campaign Manager Marcellino Ventura on Sunday.
"Plaskett and her handlers have turned this into a one-issue campaign and that issue is Senator Shawn-Michael Malone," Ventura said. "Candidate Malone has based his bid for the Delegate’s seat on his strong track record and a well-mapped out plan once elected. He has focused on what’s important. To date, we have heard little from Plaskett and her people other than outright dishonesty and negativity. Let’s hear about Plaskett’s ideas and her experience. Let’s see her tax returns. Let’s hear from those that endorse her candidacy."
Ventura said that while Plaskett has skewed the truth herself, her spokespeople have ventured into outright slander.
"You are not allowed to say whatever you want about someone simply because you can afford to buy the airtime," Ventura said. "Shawn-Michael Malone has been an effective leader with a strong record of accomplishment and to try and depict him as otherwise to win votes is truly despicable. This is a real disservice to the voters and a tremendous distraction from the important issues that we should be discussing."
Ventura said the radio ads in question contained both twisted facts and outright lies.
"As an attorney, Ms. Plaskett should be aware that Senator Malone has a legal right to defend his reputation and that her campaign is not protected simply because in some cases private citizens claim they are paying for these ads," Ventura said.
The Plaskett Campaign went so far as make false and frivolous assertions in its complaint to the Federal Elections Commission, Ventura said. A complaint he and others believe was only filed in an effort to trivialize the very valid complaints made by both the Malone for Congress campaign and Congressional Candidate Emmett Hansen in regard to Plaskett utilizing the Government House email list to greatly expand the reach of her messages and linking her campaign’s communications network to that of the deJongh Administration.
Plaskett’s filing with the Commission was based on the claim that Malone was using prison labor to assist in his campaign for Delegate. Ventura said he was present on the day that Plaskett’s husband took the photos that she asserts are incriminating and this is just one more example of the Plaskett campaign’s efforts to mislead the public. The V.I. Bureau of Corrections has also confirmed that Plaskett’s claims about Malone are completely false.
"The morning of the Carnival Horse Races there were numerous people working to set up and prepare for the races and at one point a person I knew came through with a crew of prison workers and during the course of our conversation they spontaneously lent a hand to many of us that were there – at no point did we solicit assistance," Ventura said. "In fact the photo provided by Plaskett in her complaint shows what looks to be a prisoner assisting with a tent near ours, but in this photo it can clearly be seen that our tent is already completely erected. Her own photo refutes the point Plaskett is trying to make!"
Ventura said that Plaskett also falsely claimed in her complaint that Malone had fired an employee of the Legislature because the individual was one of her supporters.
"But when the media asked her who the employee was Ms. Plaskett said she did not know!," Ventura said. "Why would anyone file a complaint with the Federal government without evidence? This is truly embarrassing to all concerned."
Ventura said he had been inundated with calls from those concerned about what can best be described as dirty politics.
"I truly do not believe our community appreciates the tactics Plaskett’s handlers have employed," Ventura said. "But when you have a candidate like Senator Malone that is so prepared and so well-suited for the office of Delegate, perhaps telling lies is their only option. However, we are confident the people see through these distractions and will support the candidate who continues to demonstrate he has our best interest at heart. Public service is truly a calling, not merely a job awarded to the person willing to sponsor the nastiest attack ads."
Ventura added for the record that he had never been employed by Senator Malone or the V.I. Legislature and served strictly as a volunteer on the Malone for Congress Campaign Committee.
