MAHONING COUNTY Candidate defends TV ad for campaign

The ad shows the UAW logo on one of the township's buildings.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- David Ditzler, candidate for Mahoning County commissioner, says he's done nothing wrong by showing the United Auto Workers logo in the background of his televised campaign commercial.
The UAW, however, says Ditzler is "purposefully misleading the public" into thinking he's received the union's endorsement. The union has endorsed Ditzler's opponent for the Democratic nomination, Poland resident Anthony Traficanti. William Flickinger of Youngstown also is running for the nomination.
"They do not want the public to be duped," said Atty. Dennis Haines, who represents UAW Local 1112.
Haines said he called the local television stations Thursday and asked them not to show the ads. He said he had not received a response by Thursday afternoon.
Haines also said he called Ditzler, told him the UAW wanted the ads to be pulled, and gave him until 1 p.m. to respond. He added that the local's executive board will meet to discuss taking legal action if the ads are not pulled.
Ditzler did not respond to Haines, but later told The Vindicator that no laws had been broken by showing the logo in the ads.
About the advertisements
The ads show Ditzler shaking hands with Bob Satterlee, an autoworker and chairman of the Austintown Township Board of Zoning Appeals, in front of a UAW logo on a building. Ditzler is an Austintown Township trustee; the logo is outside of the union's office in the township's Westchester Drive building.
"I don't talk about the UAW" in the ad, Ditzler noted, adding Satterlee "has every right to endorse me or support me."
He also said showing the logo on the building in the ads was like showing someone wearing a UAW baseball hat or sweat shirt.
Satterlee could not be reached to comment.
Haines stressed that the UAW did not dispute Satterlee's right to support Ditzler. Instead, the union is concerned that Ditzler is using its trademarked logo without permission, and that he is leading the public to believe he has received the UAW endorsement.
hill@vindy.com