Two retired coal miners have sent a cease and desist letter to the U.S. Senate campaign of Amy McGrath. The retirees were shown in a campaign ad for the candidate.
Randy Robbins and Albrow Hall say they didn’t know a video of them would be used for a political attack advertisement until after it was already being broadcast.
The ad featured a reenactment of a 10-hour bus ride to Washington D.C. by coal miners advocating for black lung benefits.
The McGrath campaign said they are reviewing the letter. Campaign spokesman Terry Sebastian said all of the miners were informed that they were being filmed for an ad.
The two retired miners dispute that and said they thought the video of them was being used for a documentary relating to the work of the Black Lung Association.
The ad was already scheduled to stop running on Sept. 16.
Sebastian said the two coal miners who sent the letter also signed up to receive McGrath campaign shirts and hats.
In the cease and desist letter, both miners are described as being “personally offended” by seeing their images used in a political attack ad that they say doesn’t reflect their personal feelings or beliefs.
Counsel for both retired coal miners is calling on the McGrath campaign to stop using what they say is the “unauthorized” use of their images.