Backers of the Issue 3 campaign to construct four new casino facilities in the state of Ohio are criticizing a television advertisement that features burning buildings and images of domestic violence. The advertisement from the organization Families Against Issue 3 states “Casinos Kill Families and Communities As Well”.
Bob Tennenbaum, the spokesperson for the pro-Issue 3 organization Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, said on November 2nd, 2009 that the advertisement crosses the line. Tennenbaum said that the advertisement is the most misleading advertisement that he has ever seen in a political campaign in the state of Ohio and he has been around political campaigns for forty years.
He said that the advertisement from Families Against Issue 3 is really shameful and blows things out of proportion. Families Against Issue 3 did not comment on the issue. Paul Beck, a political science professor at the Ohio State University said that television ads like the ad from the Familes Against Issue 3 attempts to influence the voter turnout.
Beck said that both sides on the issue either promote positive or negative consequences to the extreme. He said that one way you get a bigger voter turnout is by scaring people. One opposition ally did not try to defend the advertisement either.
Reverend John Edgar, who leads the anti-gaming task force of the United Methodist Church said that the outrageousness of the advertisement takes away from the valid arguments against Issue 3 that gambling addiction and crime will just hurt familes in Ohio.
Tennenbaum said that Issue 3 supporters have dedicated money to law enforcement training and programs to deal with gambling addiction so Issue 3 critics do not need to worry that they are not prepared to deal with the negative effects of the gaming plan.
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