Marshall Campaign Used Images from Two Kansas Camps in Attack Ad Without Permission, Businesses Say

Two Kansas businesses say Sen. Roger Marshall’s campaign used their images in an attack ad without their knowledge or approval. The ad targeted Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton and aired during Sunday’s Chiefs game. According to a KCUR report, the ad used images from The Valley Cabins in Lacygne, Kansas, and Tall Oaks Camp and Conference Center in Linwood, Kansas. A Kansas Reflector report said the ad included a photograph of the Tall Oaks camp chapel and a group of people seated in pews.

The ad alleged that Hamilton “protected a pedophile” who volunteered at his church camps. It referred to events from the early 2000s and focused on two incidents involving a church volunteer who allegedly attempted to assault campers in 2005 and 2006. Kansas Reflector reported that the ad claimed Hamilton failed to act promptly on reports of inappropriate behavior by a volunteer at the Church of the Resurrection, which Hamilton leads in 2005. One of Hamilton’s opponents had earlier alleged that he helped cover up a child sex abuse scandal at his church camps. Hamilton has said there was no attempt at a cover-up, though he acknowledged that he would now go directly to law enforcement after the first incident.

Lea Ann Combs, a Tall Oaks board member according to KCUR and the president of the board according to Kansas Reflector, said the organization was not consulted and did not approve the image’s use. She said the ad appears to falsely imply that the events occurred at Tall Oaks. Kansas Reflector reported that Combs said the ad created a misleading connection between Tall Oaks, the people pictured, and the allegations involving the volunteer at the Church of the Resurrection. Combs also clarified that Tall Oaks’ permission for promotional photographs did not extend to political advertising, and she called for the commercial to be paused until the unauthorized image was removed.

Marshall’s campaign said it had changed the images, but the reports differ on whether the change had taken effect. KCUR reported that the older version was still running on television as of Monday night. Kansas Reflector reported that online versions still featured the unauthorized image.

A lawyer for Tall Oaks sent Marshall’s campaign a cease and desist letter. As of the KCUR report, the businesses had not received a response. The reports do not describe any legal action beyond that letter, and no finding has been reported on the allegations made in the ad. Protecting children from abuse depends on careful, truthful handling of such accusations, which is why the accuracy of claims about a neighbor’s camp matters (Ephesians 4:15).