Ileana Ros-Lehtinen hits hard with Fuhrman DUI ads

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen hits hard with Fuhrman DUI ads
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Ouch.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen just showed the rest of the 305 political world how negativeWitty IRL campaign ads are done with a commercial that has basically stopped her challenger, Democrat Scott Fuhrman, in his tracks. Ladra doubts that Fuhrman can come back from this.

The ad doesn’t only remind people about Fuhrman’s old drunk driving charge. It features John Witty, the father of Helen Marie Witty, a Pinecrest teenager who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000.

“My 16-year-old daughter Helen Marie Witty was killed by a drunk driver on Red Road. Now, another drunk driver, Scott Fuhrman, wants to be in Congress, even after also being convicted of possessing a firearm while intoxicated,” John Witty says, sitting in what we are to assume is his living room, staring into the camera. “Less than two years ago he fled on foot from a hit and run on U.S. 1.

“I don’t trust Scott Fuhrman to be in Congress.”

And boom! Just like that, Fuhrman’s bid to unseat our veteran congresswoman — which was kinda iffy anyway — is over before it really began.

Some might say that Fuhrman already admitted to his checkered past, which in addition to the witty2009 DUI also includes carrying a firearm while intoxicated (Colorado, 2009) and leaving the scene of an accident (Miami-Dade, 2013). But all the disclosure in the world becomes moot when you bring in the ghost of Helen Witty. The popular Palmetto High School student, run over as she rollerbladed on the bike path on Red Road, is not forgotten. Her death — another teenager was at the wheel of the car that hit her — shocked South Dade. A team of her friends and loved ones walk every year in the Miami Walk Like MADD walkathon event.

They will likely vote for Ros-Lehtinen in November.

The Daddy Witty ad is on in Spanish radio also. A lot. It’s relentless in the morning. And she has another spot, in both English and Spanish, featuring police officers with the same message: Don’t trust a drunk driver who only three years ago fled the scene of an accident.

IRL ad FuhrmanBut the video — with a photo of the Colorado police report and iron bars closing over a photo of someone who is supposed to represent Fuhrman (or is that his mug shot?) — is one of the most visceral Ladra has seen in a while. And effective. My own 16-year-old who never pays attention to anything but the constant dinging alerts on her phone, was stopped in her tracks.

While she sure seems to be taking the Fuhrman challenge seriously — and this might be the most serious challenge she’s ever had — IRL already has a lot of Democrat support. She’s on the right (left) side of immigration reform policy. She’s on the right (left) side of equal marriage. She’s going to get a lot of Dems just on those issues and on the fact that as a senior congresswoman, she can get a lot more done than Fuhrman would as a freshman.

Add to that the ghost of Helen Witty and Fuhrman is fuhr sure toast.

7 Responses to "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen hits hard with Fuhrman DUI ads"

  1. In response to the comments I left here in response to John Witty’s commercial, I got an email from S. Furman. He said it was only ONE case of DUI and he reported the accident he walked away from . It was the first DUI for the person that killed the Witty’s daughter. It was a DUI that meant a local principal had to have his legs amputated in April. I lost too many people in my life to drunk dtivers. So my message to Furman is NO WAY, even if you share my political views. You shouldn’t even be seen in public with too much alcohol even if you’re not driving. To the Witty family, I remember you all from Coral Gables and my heart will always be with you

  2. Leaving Fuhrman’s controversy aside, this attack ad is really a low point in IRL’s long political career. She’s going to win anyway. So why did you have to go low, Ileana? You could have touted the positives that you’ve done but, no, you had to go negative.

    The sorriest thing about this ad is at it’s start, where she declares, “I approve this message.” Really, Ileana? THIS is what you approve? Mud-slinging? Makes one wish there was an alternative to the both of them.

  3. None of you ever had a daughter killed by a drunk driver. The Dems should be embarrassed that this is the best they could do in regard to candidates. He belongs in jail, not congress. Forget the jokes about congress and sleazy politicians.

    Furhrman does not deserve a pass on his past bad acts. It is fair. NO one held a gun to his head and forced him to drink and drive. No victim of a drunk driver asked to be murdered either.

    Go to hell all of you. It anyone else has to lose a daughter, may it be apologists like those above and not someone who works hard to keep garbage like Fuhrman out of office.

  4. Good for you, No Fan! Terrible to use this poor girl’s death this way. This ad goes too far, much too far. Outrageous 🙁 What kind of nauseating campaign does something like this? Ugh again!

  5. I know Dexter, Iliana and the family. I like them but it’s pandering stunts like this that makes it hard for me to look her in the eye when we meet.
    And Craig? Really? you’re digging up Helen’s body for some has-been congresswoman’s campain? It’s called mudslinging for a reason. Don’t do it. It cheapens and you and her memory

  6. I despise those who drive drunk and injure or kill innocent people, but this ad is outrageous. Dirty dirty dirty campaigning!

    Scott Fuhrman did not kill this lovely girl. He has a lot to answer for, for sure, but he is not a murderer.

    Shame shame shame on IRL for this ad! She has gone too far. Have never voted for this woman and never will 🙁 Ugh!

  7. I grew up on Obispo Ave, just down the street from where John Witty’s grew up. I played with his sister. So I knew him and his family. I was devestated when I heard how his beautiful daughter died. This TV advertisement will have me suport his wishes to not vote for Scott Furman.

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