Walberg ad alters photograph to score political points

A new television commercial launched Tuesday night by the campaign of Tim Walberg, Republican candidate for the 7th Congressional District, is raising eyebrows.

The commercial features an image at the end of Democratic Congressman Mark Schauer posing for a picture arm in arm with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The video is not yet available online; the image to the right is a screen capture of the last frames with the picture in question.

But that image has been Photoshopped, says Will Repko — and since he was in the original picture that was altered, he should know.

Repko is the head coach of the Michigan State University debate team, which won the college National Debate Tournament this spring for the third time in the last seven years. He and the team were invited to Washington D.C. by Nancy Pelosi to honor them for their accomplishment and, as would be normal in such situations, she also invited Michigan legislators — particularly those with ties to MSU — to join them in a photo op.

Schauer, an MSU graduate, was more than happy to help honor one of the most successful debate teams in the nation over the last decade. In the photo op, Schauer and Pelosi were, in fact, separated by three people — MSU coach Greta Stahl, Repko himself, and Carly Wunderlich, a member of the national championship duo. Here is the original photo:

The Walberg campaign scrubbed those three individuals from the photograph to make it appear as though Schauer and Pelosi were standing arm in arm. Repko spoke to Michigan Messenger about the misuse of the photograph as a voter, not as a representative of MSU.

“I think as a voter I would kind of like to have the full context of the photograph. That was a nonpartisan event,” says Repko. “It was to celebrate the success of an academic team. That troubles me that the message is sending a mixed signal that the two are buddy-buddy rather than what a group of students accomplished.”

The Schauer campaign was quick to respond to the revelation.

“The fact that Tim Walberg feels comfortable disrespecting MSU students is disappointing, and frankly, should be beneath a former member of Congress,” says Schauer spokesperson Zach Pohl. “Mr. Walberg can Photoshop all the pictures he wants, but it won’t cover up the fact that he supports a radical plan to privatize Social Security and eliminate Medicare.”

The Walberg campaign did not return a call seeking comment for this story.

The Schauer campaign has also produced its own video in which the Walberg ad is taken apart piece by piece and evaluated. That video can be seen here.