Republican Party will change ad

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Former President Ronald Reagan once said, "...Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." Well, that advice has not been followed on the Peninsula and it threatens a Senate campaign.

A commercial has been airing against the Democratic candidate in the First District Senate race and states that a company hired John Miller after he voted on a bill that benefited the business. The ad also dredges up imprisoned former Delegate Phil Hamilton. Well, beginning November 5 you won't see Hamilton in the ads.

"It was the dumbest political ad I've ever seen, really," long-time Republican and former Delegate Tom Gear said. Gear was livid when he saw the ad supporting the Republican candidate Mickey Chohany.

The ad was produced by the Republican Party of Virginia and features former Republican Delegate Phil Hamilton, who is in prison on corruption charges. "For them to run a TV spot with a fellow Republican. Come on. Phil is doing his time and his wife is struggling," Gear said.

Hamilton is serving a nine and a half year sentence. "I thought it was in the gutter. I thought it was beyond mean. I thought it was disgusting, and as a Republican I resent it," Gear explained.

Gear was so upset he complained to Chohany. "I told him how disgusted I was. He tried to tell me he didn't have any input on it...but I'm not sure about that," Gear continued.

Gear also thinks Chohany knew the ad was going to air with Hamilton in it.

"The Republican Party of Virginia and my campaign never did anything without me signing off on it," Gear added.

Feeling the heat from lots of Republicans, Chohany sent issued this statement Thursday night.

" Earlier this week, the Republican Party of Virginia began airing a television advertisement and issued a mail piece against my Democrat opponent, Senator John Miller, that I neither authorized nor was made aware of prior to their release. Both of these advertisements contain gratuitous and unnecessary portrayals of former Delegate Phil Hamilton. Today, I contacted officials at the Republican Party of Virginia and urged them to remove Delegate Hamilton's image from the television ad and to not pursue any further advertisements that feature depictions of him. It is my sincere hope that they comply with my request."

The Republican Party of Virginia confirmed they listened to Chohany's request to change the television ad by deleting all reference to Hamilton, but the ad will still run.

To that Sen. John Miller wrote to WAVY.com, "Mickey Chohany is missing the point. The issue is not just the picture of Phil Hamilton. The issue is that the ad is completely false and libelous. Mr. Chohany should have demanded the Republican Party stop airing the ad."

Thursday, Scott Terry who hired Miller after his company got millions in tax breaks said Miller voting for the bill had nothing to do with his hiring Miller. "There was no discussion with John Miller regarding a job until after I got to know him which was after the General Assembly. It's just that simple," Terry told WAVY.com.

"I think it will backfire on him and Chohany will lose the election because of it. To be honest, I hope he does lose," Gear said.

After Gear spoke with Chohany on the phone, Chohany canceled his interview with WAVY.com. The campaign did not return phone calls after that.

Senator John Miller refused to make time to talk with WAVY.com on camera as well.