Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter Wednesday to Truth for Maryland, whose ads opposing Ballot Question 3 use logos similar to Moore’s – who supports Question 3. A new ad that urges residents to vote against a constitutional amendment that would loosen standards for congressional redistricting has drawn the attention of – and a cease and desist demand from – Gov. Wes Moore. The ad, produced by the super PAC Truth for Maryland, uses fonts and colors similar to those used by the Moore campaign in an attempt to trick voters, lawyers for the governor said. The ad asks voters to oppose ballot Question 3 – which the governor supports. “The website and advertisement are simply a cynical political ploy to try to trick Marylanders into misinterpreting the Governor’s position on Question 3, which he unequivocally supports,” lawyers for the Moore campaign wrote in a letter Wednesday. “There is a substantial likelihood of confusion between your communications and the Governor’s campaign, which appears to be the point. A lay person watching the advertisement or going to the website would assume Governor Moore was involved with the committee,” the letter said.
Moore’s letter demands the PAC immediately remove the ad and stop using Moore’s likeness or his campaign font and colors. It also said the ad was referred to state elections officials for potential violations of laws regarding campaign misinformation. Moore, in recent days, has appeared in ads backing the proposed amendment. For over a year, he has advocated for midcycle congressional redistricting, including a failed attempt to pass a bill and new maps earlier this year. In a social media post Wednesday evening, Moore characterized the group behind the ad as “MAGA Republicans.” But Andrew Brightwell, chair of the PAC, insisted in a text Wednesday that his is a “grassroots organization” that is “dedicated to re-electing Governor Wes Moore.” Brightwell, who was a spokesperson earlier this year for Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Hale, said the group was “deeply disappointed to receive such a threatening letter from his [Moore’s] paid legal representation.” “Sadly, it appears the weaponization of our legal system has expanded well beyond the walls of the White House and Congress and made its way to our very own State House. Nevertheless, we remain steadfast in our support of our great governor and our commitment to end extreme partisan gerr.
