Cleaver did not endorse in Jackson County prosecutor race. Why is he on campaign flyer?
A photo of John Gromowsky, a candidate running for Jackson County prosecutor, with U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver was featured on a flyer to voters in Kansas City.
But the congressman’s office on Tuesday released a statement saying Cleaver has not endorsed any of the three Democrats in the race. Melesa Johnson and Stephanie Burton are also running in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary to replace longtime prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who is not seeking reelection.
“Any representations to the contrary are simply false,” Cleaver’s campaign spokesman Phil Scaglia said in the statement.
While there are few restrictions on the content of campaign flyers, Johnson said the flyer was misleading.
“It does appear that my opponent is trying to message that he has the support of a respected, revered individual when he does not,” she said.
Gromowsky said his campaign “had nothing to do with it,” but did not think it was misleading. The flyer was paid for by the Stop Gun Violence Now PAC.
Burton said it was a matter to take up with Cleaver and that she had no opinion on the flyer.
Beth Vonnahme, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said there are legal restrictions on using photos without permission in commercial advertisements.
“But campaign advertisements are in gray territory since they are political speech,” she said. “Political speech tends to be afforded the highest free speech protection. This becomes even easier when the photo includes an established politician.”
Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face Republican Tracey Chappell in the general election.
Last week, Scaglia corrected Pat Contreras, a candidate running for the Missouri Senate who touted support from Cleaver, but did not have the endorsement. Cleaver has not endorsed Contreras or his opponent, incumbent Patty Lewis.
