Trump defends Ramaswamy ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother
publishers 71articles 98first reported 20 Oct, 12:15 UTCdeveloping since 20 Oct · 12 editions
President Donald Trump defended an attack ad from Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton, accusing her daughter of lying.
The ad drew bipartisan criticism because Acton has said she has not seen her mother since age 12, after accusing her then-stepfather, Cledith Arthur, of sexually abusing her. Court records obtained by ABC 6 corroborate much of Acton’s account, including that Arthur was charged with raping her. He fled after his arrest and remained a fugitive until his death in Pennsylvania in 2004.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine urged Ramaswamy’s campaign to remove the ad, calling it “deeply, deeply troubling” and “just wrong,” while maintaining that his endorsement of Ramaswamy was not the central issue. Vice President JD Vance said the ad’s appropriateness was “not really my concern” and criticized Republicans who objected to it.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Ramaswamy should keep the ad running and repeated its allegations against Acton. He later told reporters he had not known about Acton’s allegation against her stepfather.
Acton denied lying and criticized Ramaswamy for featuring a mother she described as troubled. Her campaign released a response ad featuring her brother, who said both siblings suffered abuse and that Acton “always got the worst of it.” Ramaswamy confirmed his campaign was responsible for the original ad and said Arthur was neither coached nor paid.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 68 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 71
- Source articles
- 98
- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 68 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Change Acton’s status from “Democratic nominee” to “Democratic candidate” to match the sources. - "Democratic nominee Amy Acton": The sources identify Acton as the Democratic candidate or opponent, but do not establish that she is the party’s nominee.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Trump defends Ramaswamy ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother
President Donald Trump defended an attack ad from Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic nomineecandidate Amy Acton, accusing her daughter of lying.
The ad drew bipartisan criticism because Acton has said she has not seen her mother since age 12, after accusing her then-stepfather, Cledith Arthur, of sexually abusing her. Court records obtained by ABC 6 corroborate much of Acton’s account, including that Arthur was charged with raping her. He fled after his arrest and remained a fugitive until his death in Pennsylvania in 2004.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine urged Ramaswamy’s campaign to remove the ad, calling it “deeply, deeply troubling” and “just wrong,” while maintaining that his endorsement of Ramaswamy was not the central issue. Vice President JD Vance said the ad’s appropriateness was “not really my concern” and criticized Republicans who objected to it.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Ramaswamy should keep the ad running and repeated its allegations against Acton. He later told reporters he had not known about Acton’s allegation against her stepfather.
Acton denied lying and criticized Ramaswamy for featuring a mother she described as troubled. Her campaign released a response ad featuring her brother, who said both siblings suffered abuse and that Acton “always got the worst of it.” Ramaswamy confirmed his campaign was responsible for the original ad and said Arthur was neither coached nor paid.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →