The News Journal
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and Republican Bill Lee are airing stretch-run advertisements that trade tough charges about Minner's handling of the July abduction and rape of a counselor at the Delaware Correctional Center.
And Lee is getting some help in his final advertising push from the Republican Governors Association, which produced a television spot critical of Minner's handling of the prison incident and will pay to run it on network television out of Philadelphia. Lee has been unable to afford network TV advertising.
Harvey Valentine, an association spokesman, said the group decided to help Lee because it thinks the race is close. He would not say how often the ad would run or how much the organization would spend to air it.
"The ad is tough," he said. "But we think it's fair. It isn't personal. It's about the governor's record."
The ad attacks Minner for her initial refusal to order an outside investigation of the incident. Lee's radio commercial claims Minner ignored a growing guard shortage in the prisons that boiled over when convicted serial rapist Scott A. Miller took counselor Cassandra Arnold hostage and raped her before the Correction Department's crisis response team was able to kill him.
Both Republican ads focus on a statement from Minner published in the Delaware State News saying: "In prisons, you almost expect this to happen."
The governors association ad mentions Arnold by name and shows her image. The spot closes with: "Gov. Ruth Ann Minner - Arrogant. And Incompetent." There also is a radio version.
Minner has responded with an ad saying that the quotation was taken out of context and that Lee knows he is misrepresenting her comments. Lee has been endorsed by the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware.
"Bill Lee had a distinguished career as a judge," Minner's ad states. "Too bad he didn't bring the same respect for the truth to his political campaign."
Lee campaign manager Susan Reefer said Lee is sticking with his strategy.
Minner and Independent-Libertarian candidate Frank Infante said they were angered by the association's ad.
"I know she went through a horrible experience," Minner said of Arnold. "I think it's terrible that she is now being dragged through a political campaign."
Infante said he questions Minner's sincerity, but agreed with her sentiment.
"I know Cassie Arnold," Infante said. "I think it's horrible that someone is using footage of her in a commercial. She's had a terrible time and has hard times ahead of her."
Minner also again said the July 17 State News quotation was taken out of context.
Minner was quoted as saying: "There are problems at every prison. This isn't something that is unique to Delaware. In prisons, you almost expect this to happen. The people who work in our prisons are doing an outstanding job."
Minner said she was talking about the training of the prison's crisis-response team.
Michael Pelrine, executive editor of the State News, said the paper stands by the accuracy of the quote and subsequent stories in which Minner elaborated on the comment.
Minner said Lee crossed a line in using the quote, because he knows her position on its accuracy.
"We have discussed this issue in debates up and down the state," Minner said. "I have said I made that comment in regard to the training of our correction officers, he knows it and is misrepresenting what I said."
Lee defended the use of the quotation in the ads.
"I don't think she meant to be insensitive, but I think she said it," Lee said. "Now, they're spinning. I think it would be a sign of how big a person she is if she just apologized for it."
Arnold's attorney, Jeffrey Martin, said he also doubts that Minner was misquoted.
"If she had been [misquoted] on something like that, she should have called a news conference the next day," he said. The governors association did not ask Arnold whether she would mind having her image used in the TV ad, he said.
Martin said Arnold saw the ad for the first time about 5:30 p.m. Friday. "She's OK with it. I talked to her beforehand. If she had seen it or heard it without any preparation, she might have taken it harder.''
James Soles, a retired University of Delaware professor and longtime observer of state politics, said he thinks the ads produced by Lee and Minner will not be viewed as out of bounds. But the national TV spot may not be well received.
"People expect a spirited debate," Soles said. "But I think an advertisement from an outside group that not only names the victim of a brutal attack but also shows her might not resonate with voters in Delaware."
Contact Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
