New ad in Colorado gubernatorial race highlights lack of rules governing political ads
A new political ad surrounding an incident with Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis 19 years ago began hitting airwaves a few days ago.
It’s a negative advertisement leading the viewer to believe Polis was in the wrong over the dispute.
KRDO NewsChannel 13 reported on the police report in September.
The report details a woman attempting to leave Polis’ office in 1999 with multiple bags, which included sensitive documents police say she was trying to steal from Polis’ company.
Polis put both hands on her shoulders and pushed her back to prevent her from leaving.
The ad focuses just on small phrases from the police report and does not detail that Polis was never charged, and the woman pleaded guilty to theft of trade secrets.
Those, just a couple of key pieces of information surrounding the incident the ad never mentions.
“In this case, there are truthful statements,” Mark Pimentel, the general manager for KRDO Network said. “They’re lifted out of a larger document that makes them in my opinion at least very misleading.”
While ads for items like diet pills and food have rules to follow, Kyle Fisk, president of WikedThink Marketing said political ads don’t.
“Political advertising is an entirely different beast and at this point in time there really are no rules governing what a political candidate can or can’t stay,” Fisk said.
Pimentel explains it’s a much different standard then he holds his own journalists to.
“These spots are meant to influence, our spots or news stories are meant to inform,” Pimentel said.
With an ad coming from a PAC like the recent one surrounding Polis did, Pimentel is looking at what’s true.
“This one runs right on the ragged edge of being truthful, and that’s what makes it a little problematic. Yet, we’re running it because the statements do exist inside the police report,” Pimentel said.
He adds the station can get sued if the statements are false or defamatory.
Read the full police report here.
