Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Scott Perry’s campaign is using an unsubstantiated allegation that his Democratic challenger exposed herself to a child in an attack ad featuring what looks like a legal filing, local news station WITF reported.
The MAGA lawmaker’s ad displays a document labeled “AFFIDAVIT” as a narrator accuses Janelle Stelson of exposing herself. But WITF found the document was a Perry supporter’s notarized statement, rather than a sworn affidavit.
“This false accusation is a pathetic, desperate attempt by Scott Perry to rescue his failing campaign, with easily disproven lies,” Stelson campaign manager Alma Baker told the Pennsylvania media station.
The allegation comes from Stelson’s next-door neighbor, Sharon Orr, whose property displays Perry campaign signs, according to WITF. In her statement, Orr said she called police Aug. 14 after allegedly seeing Stelson naked outdoors.
“Orr alleges Stelson was ‘walking around outdoors, naked in the public sphere, with her breasts and buttocks fully exposed,’” the station reported Wednesday. The statement does not specify where the alleged exposure occurred, and the woman declined to comment when contacted by the station.
No charges were filed.
Perry still personally approved the ad, which was paid for by his official campaign committee, WITF noted Wednesday. It appeared that Perry and Stelson are locked in another close race after the former television news anchor lost to the Trump-endorsed Republican by 1.3 percentage points in 2024.
“Unfortunately, as a woman on television, Janelle has been a victim of stalking and harassment before,” Baker told the outlet. “Now she is a victim of Perry’s supporters making up totally unsubstantiated claims to smear her reputation.”
