Just days after an ad appeared in newsprint, those named in the ad, run by the Heidi Heitkamp campaign in an attempt to attack Kevin Cramer, who were listed as sexual assault victims are speaking out. A group of three women, identified as Shylah Forde, Megan Stoltz and Alexandria Delzer, released a statement to WZFG News Tuesday in response to the printing of more than 100 names in the advertisement. Their statement says, in part, “128 women and their full names were listed under the category of “survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or rape.” Many of us were not asked permission for our names to be used, and we certainly did not agree to our personal information being used as campaign propaganda.” Their statement goes on to say Heitkamp’s political agenda has “interfered with, or downright ruined, our lives.”
Others who were named on the advertisement did not immediately return messages seeking comment on the Heitkamp ad.
Heitkamp appeared on WZFG’s ‘What’s On Your Mind’ radio program, with host Scott Hennen, on Tuesday to talk about the situation. A remorseful Heitkamp says she is sorry for what happened.
Heitkamp says her campaign is looking into how the situation came about – and, as of late Tuesday, the person who was responsible for gathering information for the ad is no longer associated with the campaign, according to information from Valley News Live.