The Libertarian Party of Ohio has published a transcript of gubernatorial nominee Don Kissick’s news conference in which he called on Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to withdraw from the race over a controversial campaign advertisement targeting Democratic nominee Amy Acton.
The transcript was published Friday, October 23, following a news conference in Ottawa organized by the Kissick campaign. During that event, Kissick denounced Ramaswamy’s campaign for producing an advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother, who accused her daughter of lying about her childhood and personal history and warned voters not to support her in November.
According to media coverage at the time, Kissick called on the Ramaswamy campaign to remove the ad and apologize to the Acton family. He also called out Ramaswamy for allegedly failing to follow up on an earlier promise to debate with him.
The transcript also includes a link to a recording of the news conference produced by the Libertarian Party of Ohio’s Lucas County affiliate. The full transcript published by the party is reproduced and preserved below:
Good afternoon, and thank you all for being here.
For those of you who may not know me, my name is Don Kissick, and I am the Libertarian Party nominee for Governor of Ohio.
I am here today to talk about something that is bigger than a political party, bigger than a campaign, and bigger than any one candidate.
I am here to talk about integrity, character, the example we set for our children.
And, I am here to talk about what happens to our communities, our political institutions, and ultimately our state when we decide that winning is more important than doing what is right.
[Pause]
From a young age, my mom impressed upon me – and my faith has reinforced – that integrity and honesty are core values. I believe my parents were no different from millions of other parents across Ohio. And, that parents today continue to teach those same lessons to their children.
Tell the truth. Keep your word. Treat other people with respect. Stand up for what is right, even when doing so is difficult. And perhaps most importantly, take responsibility for your actions.
Those are not Republican values. Those are not Democratic values. Those are not exclusively Libertarian values. Those are Ohio values.
Now, I am also a Navy veteran.
From the first day I enlisted, integrity was drilled into me as a core value. It was not a suggestion. It was not something to be practiced only when convenient. It was an expectation.
Because, when people depend on you, when the consequences of your decisions affect the lives of others, your integrity matters.
Your word matters. Your character matters. And when you fail to live up to those standards, you are expected to take responsibility.
That is true in military service. It should be true in public service. And it must be true for anyone who seeks the highest office in the State of Ohio.
[Pause]
If integrity is to remain a core value to Ohioans, and if those lessons our parents taught us are to remain relevant, then it is imperative that when we see a betrayal of those lessons, we correct it.
Not tomorrow. Not after the election. Not when it becomes politically convenient. Today.
Because your parents are watching. Your children are watching. Your neighbors are watching. And the next generation of Ohioans is learning from what we tolerate.
Where We Draw the Line
Over the past two days, Ohioans have been confronted with a political advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton.
The advertisement attacks Dr. Acton’s credibility by invoking painful circumstances surrounding her childhood and her family.
We now know that the Ramaswamy campaign produced the advertisement and has reportedly committed four million dollars to promoting it. Four million dollars.
[Pause]
Think about that for a moment.
Four million dollars devoted to turning an opponent’s deeply personal family trauma into a political weapon.
I want to be very clear about something.
I disagree with Dr. Acton on a myriad of issues. I disagree with Mr. Ramaswamy on a myriad of issues. And I suspect that many of you standing here today disagree with me on a myriad of issues.
That’s fine. That’s how representative government is supposed to work.
Just as you disagree with your neighbors about any number of things, candidates for public office will disagree about taxes, education, healthcare, individual liberty, government spending, and the proper role of the state.
There is a time, a place, and a manner to resolve those disagreements. We can have public forums. We can have debates. We have elections. We have the freedom of speech. We have the right to challenge public officials, examine their records, question their judgment, and hold them accountable.
But, what we have witnessed in this advertisement is not a debate about public policy. It is not a discussion about the future of Ohio. And it is not the kind of political discourse that Ohioans deserve.
THIS is not discourse.
[Pause]
Dr. Acton has spoken publicly about her experiences of childhood abuse. Her brother has also publicly defended her account and condemned the political use of that history.
I am not here to repeat the details of what happened to her as a child. She has already been forced to revisit those experiences in front of the entire state. And I refuse to contribute to that spectacle.
But, I will say this:
The victims of abuse come from every corner of Ohio. From the smallest Appalachian towns along the Ohio River, to the most crowded streets of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.
They are Republicans. They are Democrats. They are Libertarians. They are independents. They are our coworkers, our friends, our relatives, and our neighbors.
Many carry their experiences privately for years. Some spend a lifetime trying to overcome what happened to them. And some never find the strength or the opportunity to speak about it publicly.
What message are we sending those people when we turn someone’s childhood trauma into an advertising campaign?
What message are we sending a child who is experiencing abuse right now? Are we telling that child that someday, if they work hard enough, if they survive, if they overcome their circumstances and seek to serve their community, someone may spend millions of dollars using those experiences against them? Is that really the standard we want to establish?
[Pause]
I believe that exploiting the pain of a victim of abuse for political gain is itself a form of abuse. And I believe that the willingness to do so raises serious questions about the judgment of anyone seeking public office.
The Responsibility of Leadership
I decided to run for Governor of ALL of Ohio. I did not run to gain dominion over half of Ohio. I did not run to punish people who disagree with me. And I certainly did not run because I believe that those who vote differently from me are somehow less deserving of dignity or respect.
Ohio is home to all of us. Every person in this state deserves a government that recognizes their rights and respects their humanity.
We do not have to agree with one another to live together. We do not have to share the same political beliefs to be good neighbors. And we do not have to vote for the same candidates, to recognize that every human being deserves a basic level of decency.
But, something dangerous happens when political competition becomes personal hatred. If we continue to treat our neighbors as enemies, at some point they will stop being our neighbors and start truly being our enemies.
[Pause]
Think about what that means.
When every disagreement becomes a moral indictment, when every election becomes an existential battle, and when every opponent becomes someone to be destroyed rather than someone to be debated, we lose the ability to govern ourselves peacefully. That should concern every Ohioan.
As a Libertarian, I believe that political differences should be resolved through peaceful means. In fact, every member of the Libertarian Party affirms a pledge rejecting the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals. That principle is fundamental to who we are.
We believe in persuasion over coercion. We believe in individual rights. We believe that the freedom to disagree is inseparable from the freedom to live peacefully alongside people who see the world differently.
And while a vicious political advertisement is not a physical threat, both issues demand that we consider the boundaries of acceptable political conduct.
We must be able to draw lines. We must be able to say that some conduct is beneath the dignity of the office being sought. And we must be willing to say so, even when the person responsible belongs to our own political party. Especially then.
Because, principles that only apply to your opponents are not principles. They are conveniences.
A Call for Accountability
There is a phrase we use, and I believe it applies here more than ever:
NOTHING CHANGES UNTIL YOU DO.
[Pause]
We spend enormous amounts of time complaining about the state of politics. We complain about the advertisements. We complain about the division. We complain about the dishonesty, the personal attacks, and the constant hostility.
And then, too often, we excuse those same things when they come from someone whose policies we happen to support. We say, “Well, that’s just politics.” We say, “The other side does it too.” We justify it by the excuse: “We aren’t as bad as THEY are.”
But, I have a question:
If there is no line more important than winning, WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU WINNING?
[Long pause]
What is the value of a political victory if obtaining it requires us to abandon the very principles we claim to defend? What does it say about our society if we teach our children to be honest, respectful, and compassionate, but then celebrate candidates who behave in ways we would never tolerate from those same children?
Imagine your child comes home from school and tells you they publicly humiliated another student by exposing painful details about that student’s family.
Would you congratulate them? Would you tell them they were simply being competitive? Would you tell them that because they wanted to win, their behavior was justified?
Of course not. You would explain why it was wrong. You would expect them to take responsibility. And, you would expect them to do better.
Why should we demand less from someone who wants to be Governor of Ohio than we demand from our own child?
Ohioans know the difference between right and wrong. And, this is wrong.
[Pause]
Silence is permission.
When we refuse to speak because we are afraid of offending our political allies, we help normalize the very conduct we claim to oppose. When we excuse behavior because we believe the other candidate would be worse, we teach politicians that there are no meaningful consequences for crossing ethical lines. And when we decide that victory excuses everything, we should not be surprised when our political institutions lose the public’s trust.
Ohio has been a state since 1803. We have survived wars, economic depressions, political scandals, and countless changes in leadership. We have endured administrations with policies we supported and administrations with policies we opposed.
We can survive four years of policies we disagree with. What becomes much harder to repair is a culture in which integrity no longer matters. Because, the damage to our character as a people can last far longer than any one administration.
My Call to Vivek Ramaswamy
So, I want to address Mr. Ramaswamy directly.
Vivek, you are seeking one of the most consequential positions of public trust in Ohio. The governor’s decisions affect millions of people. They affect families, businesses, communities, and individuals who may never have the opportunity to speak to you personally.
Those responsibilities demand more than ambition. They demand more than financial resources. They demand more than the ability to deliver a compelling speech or purchase millions of dollars in advertising.
They demand judgment. They demand restraint. And, they demand integrity.
Your campaign made a deliberate decision to produce this advertisement. Your campaign has acknowledged responsibility for it. And rather than stepping away from the controversy, your campaign has reportedly committed millions of dollars to broadcasting it.
That decision is yours to own. And, so are its consequences.
[Pause]
I believe this conduct falls far short of the standard Ohioans should expect from a governor. I believe it demonstrates a profound failure of judgment. And, I believe that a person seeking to lead all Ohioans must understand that some things matter more than winning an election.
Therefore, today, I am publicly calling on Vivek Ramaswamy to withdraw from the race for Governor of Ohio.
[Long pause]
I am also calling on his campaign to stop broadcasting this advertisement and to issue a direct apology to Dr. Acton and her family.
I recognize the seriousness of that request. I do not make it casually. I do not make it because I support Dr. Acton’s political agenda. I make it because the standards of leadership must be greater than the ambitions of any one candidate.
Whether Mr. Ramaswamy accepts that responsibility is ultimately his decision. Whether Ohioans accept his conduct is ultimately theirs.
But I will not remain silent. Integrity demands I speak up.
The Debate Ohio Deserves
Speaking of integrity, there is another issue I want to address today, which also touches on conflicting standards of character.
Mr. Ramaswamy has repeatedly criticized Dr. Acton for declining to debate him.
I believe candidates seeking public office should debate. I believe they should answer difficult questions. And, I believe voters deserve the opportunity to compare their ideas in a setting where advertising budgets do not determine who gets heard.
But, I also believe that standards must apply consistently.
On August 18th, I challenged Mr. Ramaswamy to debate me, both in person and on video.
On September 11th, my campaign sent an open letter to both major-party campaigns and members of the press calling for a gubernatorial debate.
My campaign also contacted WLWT and CNN multiple times regarding debate opportunities. We received no response. And, when Fred LeFevbere of WSPD questioned Mr. Ramaswamy on air on October 7th, specifically about debating me, he refused to even answer his questions.
So, I have a question for Mr. Ramaswamy.
If debating your opponents is so important, why should that principle apply to Dr. Acton but not to me?
[Pause]
I am ready to debate. I am ready to discuss taxes. I am ready to discuss the economy. I am ready to discuss education, property rights, public safety, government spending, healthcare, and the future of this state. I am ready to defend my ideas in front of the people of Ohio. I ask nothing more than the same willingness from my opponents.
And I have a message for the news organizations covering this race.
You frequently remind the public that journalism exists to hold candidates and elected officials accountable. I agree. That responsibility is essential to a functioning republic.
But accountability requires access to competing ideas. It requires difficult questions. It requires that candidates be challenged on the merits of their positions rather than simply being given opportunities to repeat their advertising messages.
When the avenues for discussing the merits of political issues are removed, personal attacks take their place. And the voters lose.
Ohioans deserve better than a contest determined by which campaign can spend the most money tearing down its opponent. They deserve a serious examination of what each candidate intends to do with the authority of the governor’s office.
That includes me. I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for equal scrutiny.
If I want to be Governor of Ohio, I should have to answer difficult questions. So should Dr. Acton. And, so should Mr. Ramaswamy.
A Message to Every Ohioan
I want to speak now to the people who may be watching or listening to this press conference from home.
You do not have to agree with my political philosophy to agree with what I am saying today. You do not have to become a Libertarian. You do not have to vote for me. You do not even have to like me.
But, I hope you will consider what kind of example we are setting for the next generation. I hope you will ask whether the conduct we tolerate from our political leaders reflects the values we teach our families. And I hope you will remember that our political opponents are still our fellow Ohioans.
We may disagree about how much government should spend. We may disagree about what government should regulate. We may disagree about the proper balance between individual liberty and collective responsibility.
Those disagreements can be vigorous. They should be vigorous. But they should never require us to abandon our humanity.
A person can be wrong about public policy without being an enemy. A candidate can be challenged without being humiliated. And a political campaign can be competitive without exploiting the deepest pain in someone’s personal life.
These are not impossible standards. They are the minimum standards of a decent society.
[Pause]
I want every person in Ohio who has experienced abuse to hear something clearly today.
Your past does not diminish your worth. Your suffering should never be treated as entertainment. And, your willingness to speak about what happened to you should never be an invitation for others to weaponize your pain.
That principle applies to Dr. Acton. It applies to her political opponents. And it applies to every person watching or listening today.
Closing: Integrity Must Have a Seat at Every Table
I want to close with something Benjamin Franklin said during the Constitutional Convention in 1787:
“There are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men a post of honour that shall at the same time be a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it.”
That warning was delivered nearly two hundred and forty years ago. And, it remains relevant today.
Franklin understood something about human nature that we would do well to remember.
Ambition is not inherently wrong. Neither is success.
But ambition without integrity becomes something very different. It becomes a willingness to sacrifice anything and anyone in pursuit of power. And when that happens, the office becomes more important than the people it was created to serve.
[Pause]
I did not enter this race because I believe I am entitled to govern Ohio. I entered this race because I believe the people of Ohio deserve a government that respects their rights, protects their liberties, and answers to them. I entered this race knowing that not everyone would agree with me. And, I entered it knowing that public service requires a willingness to put principles ahead of personal ambition.
Today, I am asking every candidate, every political party, every journalist, and every voter to consider where we draw the line.
Because there must be a line. There must be something we value more than winning. There must be a standard of conduct that applies regardless of party affiliation. And, there must be consequences when those standards are deliberately abandoned.
Your parents are watching. Your children are watching. Your neighbors are watching. And, history is watching.
[Pause]
Nothing changes until you do.
If there is no line more important than winning, what exactly are you winning? And if integrity does not matter when the stakes are highest, then when does it matter?
Integrity must have a seat at every table. Especially the governor’s table.
Thank you.
At this time, I’ll take your questions.
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