Veteran Phildelphia anchor Jim Gardner is responding to being used in a political ad supporting Dr. Mehmet Oz in his run for the U.S. Senate.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Oz’s latest campaign ad airs a brief clip of Gardner at work on 6ABC, where he has shared “the big story on Action News” nightly since 1977. That clip is side-by-side with video of the Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, as Oz criticizes his views on drug policy.
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Gardner, who will retire at the end of the year, responded to tweets asking him about his appearance by saying, “Legally, we have no control over a candidate’s ad. I am not okay with it, but there’s nothing I, or the station can do about it.”
He went on to say, “To be clear, I’m totally uncomfortable with being in any political ad, regardless of the candidate, or party: Republican, Democrat or any other political persuasion.”
Gardner told Inquirer this may be the first time in his long career that he’s been used in a political ad.
“It’s obviously uncomfortable, to say the least,” he said. “I’m sure some people will assume the spot reflects a preference attributable to me. I’m a registered independent for a reason.”
KYW general manager Bernie Prazenica told the paper that federal law prohibits the station from censoring or altering an ad from a legally qualified candidate.
The campaign manager for John Fetterman, Oz’s Democratic opponent in the Senate race, called the anchor’s cameo “shameful” and said Gardner “an institution in Philly and Southeastern PA.”