Soposki family demands removal of political ad using crash victims' images

The relatives of the Soposki family, who were killed in a nine-vehicle pileup on Interstate 71 in Delaware County, Ohio, have demanded the removal of a political advertisement featuring their images and names. The crash occurred in April when a semi-truck driven by Modou Ngom, who was later found to have a 30-year history of identity fraud, struck a construction zone.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) ran a 15-second advertisement titled “Dangerous for Ohio” in support of Senator Jon Husted’s campaign. The ad uses footage of the crash and photos of Lynnea Soposki, Luke Soposki, and their one-year-old son, Logan, to argue that former Senator Sherrod Brown’s “open border” policies are responsible for the tragedy.

The family released a statement asserting that they did not consent to their likenesses being used and stated, “Lynnea and Luke were not political symbols.” They characterized the use of their grief as “disrespectful” and “discourteous.” While the Husted campaign directed inquiries to the NRSC, the committee has defended the ad, stating their campaigns will continue to hold Sherrod Brown accountable for his policies.