Acton’s estranged mother calls her a ‘liar’; Democrat calls Ramaswamy ‘despicable’

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s (D) mother called her a “liar” in a new ad, as her brother labelled the video “a despicable low” on Tuesday ahead of the state’s elections in November.

“I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent — it is not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar,” Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, appeared to say in the ad .

“She lies about her past. She says she grew up living in a tent. None of that is true. She’s lied her entire life. My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself,” Arthur continued.

“People can change, but first they have to tell the truth. And my daughter still isn’t doing that. Don’t vote for people who lie. Don’t let her become your governor. If you think she’ll make your life better, you’re fooling yourself. It will only get worse,” she concluded.

The ad appears to be a campaign-style video, but it is unclear who is backing or paying for it.

Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, responded in a press release to the ad on Tuesday, stating it was “not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point.”

“After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died,” Stearns added.

Acton described her childhood following her parent’s divorce in detail during a 2019 interview with The Vindicator , remarking that while living with her mother she experienced abuse, neglect and a period of homelessness.

Eventually, charges were filed against Acton’s stepfather, and she moved in with her father and relatives.

Acton said in the 2019 interview the last time she spoke with her mother was in the courthouse where her stepfather was arrested, saying she “went to give her a kiss, and she just turned her cheek away. That was the last time I ever saw her.”

Acton is competing against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and is narrowly favored to flip the Ohio gubernatorial seat even though President Trump won the state in each of his presidential bids, according to The Hill’s partner, Decision Desk HQ.

Neither Acton’s nor Ramaswamy’s campaign did not respond immediately to The Hill’s request for comment.