With Oregon’s 4th District race hurtling toward Election Day, Republican Art Robinson is claiming over $1 million in damages from Democrat Peter DeFazio for depicting him as a “pathological nut job.”
Robinson’s suit alleges that DeFazio has repeatedly taken statements by Robinson out of context, or fabricated quotes, and used them in political billboards.
Robinson’s lawyers point to seven billboards that DeFazio’s campaign rented in October that imply the Republican challenger wants to abolish public schools, end Social Security and cut federal student aid.
One billboard placed next to Oregon State University’s campus in Corvallis displays Robinson next to the message: “OSU is a liberal socialist stronghold.”
The suit says that DeFazio broke federal election laws by not printing a disclaimer that says who paid for the advertisement, giving the impression that Robinson endorsed the statement.
“An action expected to be highly offensive even to those who might agree with the message,” the suit states.
Robinson’s suit claims damages for appropriation of his likeness and placing him in a false light, and files an injunction against further attack ads.
DeFazio’s billboards aren’t the first time advertising in the 4th District race has turned nasty.
Since July, an Indiana conservative group has run $170,000 in ads that link DeFazio with rising gas prices and the growth of the national debt