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NY-26: The Nastiness Continues in the Democratic Primary

by Matt at Aug 31st, 2008

A blogger at The Albany Project is accusing Jack Davis of copyright infringement.

NY-26: Jack Davis began airing two new attack ads this week against Jon Powers, Iraq War veteran and the endorsed Democratic candidate in the 26th Congressional District. As I was watching the ads I noticed that Davis’ campaign had used my image that I took of Jon Powers this spring without my consent. Furthermore, the second ad used my colleague’s image without his consent.

I contacted Joy Langley, Davis’ Communications Director, Friday and notified her office that I did not give permission for the use of these images, they are mine and I want the ads taken down immediately or I will seek legal counsel. The person I spoke to asked “Are they copyrighted?” Yes, they are automatically copyrighted.

Of course, Jon Powers’ ad also uses images from old Jack Davis ads. I wonder what will come of this.

Jack Davis is also refusing to debate Jon Powers and Alice Kryzan unless they sign his pledge.

Davis’ campaign spokesman, Joy Langley, said Davis decided this week that he will not take part in any group candidate functions unless Kryzan and Powers answer his prior challenges on campaign conduct.

The self-funded candidate, who committed $3 million of his own money to the race, earlier this year pledged not to accept campaign donations from political action committees, multinational corporations or lobbyists. He invited other contestants to join him in the pledge and none did.

Now Davis says he won’t join them in joint campaign appearances unless they return the donations that they’ve received from those interest groups — as well as sign on with Davis’ self-created “pledge to protect Social Security,” and promise to run “clean” campaigns.

Now, that’s a pathetic attempt to place the blame on Davis’s opponents for his own refusal to participate. Davis is in a position where he can fund his own campaign with his personal wealth. Powers and Kryzan are not in that position. Buffalo Pundit says it all here:

It’s beyond unseemly for a self-funded millionaire candidate to set as a precondition to answering voter questions that his opponents return what he defines as “special interest” money. Naturally, as his own contributor, Jack Davis is his own special interest.

And, of course, Jack Davis has no problems with special interest money in his previous campaigns.

In the end, this is what people will remember about the Democratic Primary this year, and all this “gotcha politics” really can turn off potential voters.