Boyceofsummer
12-01-2005, 07:23 PM
Not in Ohio!
Mr. Kevin P. Reilly, Jr.
Chairman & CEO
Lamar Advertising Co.
5551 Corporate Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Dear Mr. Reilly:
We are writing on behalf of the Democratic National Committee to demand that
Lamar honor a contract its Huntington, West Virginia office entered with the DNC for
placement of two billboard advertisements in Portsmouth, Ohio. These advertisements
accurately referred to a statement made by U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) on the floor
of the U.S. House of Representatives attacking a respected Member of Congress and
decorated war veteran. The advertisements were aimed at informing her constituents
about this statement, and called on Rep. Schmidt to cease such attacks.
The DNC was told by your Huntington regional manager that Lamar is refusing to
honor the contract because the advertisements are “too negative.” In addition to refusing
to honor the contract for the Portsmouth billboards, Lamar, through its Cincinnati office,
refused to accept the same advertisement for placement on billboards in Cincinnati.
While Lamar’s form contract reserves to the company the right to refuse to run a
billboard advertisement, Lamar’s conduct in this instance raises serious questions about
whether the company is unlawfully or improperly using corporate resources to favor or
benefit the Republican Party or Rep. Schmidt. Your regional manager was unable to cite
any company policy providing any objective standards or criteria for rejecting political or
advocacy advertising.
Rep. Schmidt’s constituents are entitled to know what she is saying on the floor of
the U.S. House and the DNC has a right to tell them. Lamar should either offer a credible
reason for its efforts to censor the Democratic Party or else should live up to its
contractual obligation and let the DNC put up its billboard and let the people of Rep.
Schmidt’s district hear the truth.
Please let us know immediately whether Lamar intends to honor its contract—and
if not, why. Fairness and the public interest demand no less.
Sincerely,
Joseph Sandler, General Counsel, Democratic National Committee
Amanda LaForge, Chief Counsel Democratic National Committee
Mr. Kevin P. Reilly, Jr.
Chairman & CEO
Lamar Advertising Co.
5551 Corporate Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Dear Mr. Reilly:
We are writing on behalf of the Democratic National Committee to demand that
Lamar honor a contract its Huntington, West Virginia office entered with the DNC for
placement of two billboard advertisements in Portsmouth, Ohio. These advertisements
accurately referred to a statement made by U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) on the floor
of the U.S. House of Representatives attacking a respected Member of Congress and
decorated war veteran. The advertisements were aimed at informing her constituents
about this statement, and called on Rep. Schmidt to cease such attacks.
The DNC was told by your Huntington regional manager that Lamar is refusing to
honor the contract because the advertisements are “too negative.” In addition to refusing
to honor the contract for the Portsmouth billboards, Lamar, through its Cincinnati office,
refused to accept the same advertisement for placement on billboards in Cincinnati.
While Lamar’s form contract reserves to the company the right to refuse to run a
billboard advertisement, Lamar’s conduct in this instance raises serious questions about
whether the company is unlawfully or improperly using corporate resources to favor or
benefit the Republican Party or Rep. Schmidt. Your regional manager was unable to cite
any company policy providing any objective standards or criteria for rejecting political or
advocacy advertising.
Rep. Schmidt’s constituents are entitled to know what she is saying on the floor of
the U.S. House and the DNC has a right to tell them. Lamar should either offer a credible
reason for its efforts to censor the Democratic Party or else should live up to its
contractual obligation and let the DNC put up its billboard and let the people of Rep.
Schmidt’s district hear the truth.
Please let us know immediately whether Lamar intends to honor its contract—and
if not, why. Fairness and the public interest demand no less.
Sincerely,
Joseph Sandler, General Counsel, Democratic National Committee
Amanda LaForge, Chief Counsel Democratic National Committee