Ad Watch: DeWine again attacks on Issue 1

“Released,” a 30-second TV commercial from the gubernatorial campaign of Republican Mike DeWine.

THE AD:

WHERE TO SEE IT: Broadcast and cable TV statewide. The campaign did not disclose the cost of the buy.

IMAGES: “Booking” photos of “criminals” holding placards proclaiming their crimes. Images of Richard Cordray, the Democratic candidate for governor, superimposed over images of prison bars and “untested” rape kits.

SCRIPT: “Drug dealer. Released. Human trafficker. Released. Child pornographer. Released. If Richard Cordray gets his way, criminals like these could be released early. Because these inmates could see a 25 percent reduction in their prison sentence, putting thousands of dangerous offenders back on our streets. Richard Cordray failed Ohio’s rape victims and now Cordray’s plan would endanger all of us. You just can’t trust Richard Cordray.”

ANALYSIS: The DeWine campaign continues its attempt to portray Cordray as soft on crime and criminals because of his support for Issue 1, the Nov. 6 ballot issue that would lessen low-level felonies for drug possession and drug use to misdemeanors carrying no jail time.

One provision of Issue 1, portrayed accurately in the ad, would grant sentence reductions of up to 25 percent to felons who participate in educational and rehabilitative programs. Inmates facing the death penalty and life sentences without parole, as well as those convicted of murder, rape and child molestation, would be ineligible for sentence reduction.

DeWine and a host of groups — including the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed Cordray — oppose Issue 1. The reference to Cordray allegedly failing rape victims has been dissected in a prior ad watch looking at the campaigns’ dispute over rape-kit testing.