Shadegg apologizes for use of vet's image in ad

U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) has sent a letter of apology to a veteran upset over the use of his image in a Shadegg campaign ad.

"I have never supported you and I never will,” said Constantine O'Neill, a World War II veteran and former POW, at a press conference from the campaign headquarters of  Bob Lord, Shadegg's Democratic opponent in the 3rd Congressional District. “I could never support someone who doesn’t represent my values or the values of veterans.”

O'Neill said the same in a letter to Shadegg, in which he demanded the ad be pulled and an apology be issued.

The Shadegg campaign said that no offense was meant by O'Neill's inclusion. The picture featured O'Neill, along with several other veterans, and was taken at an event headlined by Vice Pres. Dick Cheney at Falcon Field, according to O'Neill's letter.

"You are exploiting me and my fellow POWs," said O'Neill. 

Read the full text of the letter.

The Shadegg campaign said they didn't receive O'Neill's letter until Wednesday, and fired off an apology immediately.

"I am truly sorry that the ad negatively impacted you as described in your letter," wrote Shadegg. "The last thing I intended to do was to cause you or anyone else any displeasure or anger."

However, Shadegg wrote that his campaign hadn't done anything wrong by using the photo.

"I do understand the concern expressed in your letter," explained Shadegg. "However I hope you understand that when you attend a public event people will take pictures and those pictures are theirs to use as they wish. The individual who took the picture had no idea who you are, or who any of the others in the picture are, until your letter arrived today. I had no way of contacting you and, as your letter notes, the picture was taken many years ago."

Shadegg's campaign said the ad is now off the air, as it was scheduled to go out of rotation prior to O'Neill's complaint.

FULL TEXT OF SHADEGG LETTER:

October 8, 2008

Mr. Constantine O'Neill

XXXX E McCellan Road

Mesa, AZ 85XXX

Dear Mr. O'Neill,

Thank you for your letter dated October 4 which I received this afternoon.

Thank you also for your service to our nation.  You have my deepest admiration for your service and my congratulations on your long life and obviously happy marriage. 

I am truly sorry that the ad negatively impacted you as described in your letter. The last thing I intended to do was to cause you or anyone else any displeasure or anger.  Your letter suggests that the photo was "cropped together."  In fact, I was at the event and the picture has not been modified, "photo-shopped", or "cropped" in any way whatsoever.  The picture was taken and provided to me by an individual who also attended the event.  Should you wish to speak to that individual I would be happy to contact him on your behalf and make the original photograph taken on his camera available to you.

Neither the photo nor any text in the TV commercial depicts or claims that you or any of the others in the photo support me.  It is just a photograph taken in real life, at an event that you and I attended.  The picture shows you smiling broadly, no doubt as a result of well deserved pride for your service to our nation.

I would point out that there is no mention of your name in the commercial and no caption or suggestion that those in the picture were at a campaign event for me or support my reelection.  I do understand the concern expressed in your letter.  However I hope you understand that when you attend a public event people will take pictures and those pictures are theirs to use as they wish. 

The individual who took the picture had no idea who you are, or who any of the others in the picture are, until your letter arrived today.  I had no way of contacting you and, as your letter notes, the picture was taken many years ago.

The picture is what it is - a picture of me standing in front of a group of veterans.  I'm deeply sorry it upset you but I can only suggest that perhaps you should not have attended the event if you did not wish to have your picture taken and would react so strongly.  As you know the event featured Vice President Dick Cheney and I had nothing to do with his appearance, your invitation to the event, or his handling of the event.

Again, please accept my sincere best wishes for you and your wife.  I am humbled and in your debt for your service to our nation and especially for your sacrifice during what must have been a horrific experience while you were imprisoned as a POW. 

                                                                                  Sincerely

John Shadegg