Engling: If Beau Bayh Will Lie About This, What Else Will He Lie About?
INDIANAPOLIS — Republican candidate for Indiana Secretary of State Max Engling today accused Democrat Beau Bayh of lying about Engling’s driving record and announced plans to sue after Bayh’s campaign refused to withdraw the disputed advertisement.
“Beau Bayh is asking Hoosiers to trust him with an office responsible for transparency and public confidence, while running an ad that lies about my record,” Engling said. “If he will lie about something voters can check, what else will he lie about when he thinks nobody is looking?”
Engling maintains that the advertisement falsely portrays him as having been convicted of reckless driving. According to his campaign, he has never been charged with or convicted of reckless driving.
“Beau had an opportunity to correct the record. Instead, his campaign doubled down,” Engling said. “Voters deserve to know why he continues defending a claim we have directly challenged as false.”
The dispute comes as a court record provided by the Engling campaign shows Bayh previously faced a reckless driving charge in Virginia. According to that record, Brunswick County charged Bayh on June 8, 2018.
“Beau attacked me over a charge I never had, while failing to explain his own,” Engling said. “He would have faced prison time had he not taken a plea. That is unacceptable, and that is hypocrisy. Hoosiers deserve transparency about his record and accountability for what his campaign says about mine.”
Engling’s campaign previously demanded that Bayh withdraw the advertisement and correct its claims or face a lawsuit. After the Bayh campaign refused, Engling said he intends to challenge the allegedly false and defamatory statements in court.
“This is a basic test of honesty,” Engling said. “Will you tell voters the truth, and will you correct the record when you get it wrong? Beau has kept defending the ad. Hoosiers deserve a secretary of state whose word they can trust.”
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