Acton Campaign Defends 2019 Police Visit as ‘Simple Argument’ Amid GOP Attacks
Police report from 2019 surfaces showing officers responded to verbal dispute at health director’s home during her gubernatorial campaign.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign team is addressing a 2019 police visit to her Bexley home, describing it as a “simple argument between husband and wife” after a police report surfaced amid her race against likely Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy.
The incident occurred in 2019 while Acton served as Ohio’s health director, when police were called to her home in Bexley, a Columbus suburb, according to a police report first publicized by NBC News.
The report documented a “domestic dispute” involving a “verbal argument” between Acton and her husband over her “extended work hours.” According to the police account, Acton felt her husband was “antagonizing” her, and while walking down stairs, she “grabbed hold of the mirror on the wall and pulled it down, shattering the glass.”
Details from Police Report
The police report states that both Acton and her husband had admitted to drinking earlier that evening. The document also notes that “Acton stated that she had taken an unknown amount of prescription medication.”
Police wrote that Acton told officers she wanted to leave and had gone into the garage, but her husband talked her out of it. A Columbus Fire Medic advised Acton to go to the hospital, but she refused treatment.
The responding officer documented that there was “no evidence of any physical violence” and classified it as a “verbal dispute only.” The report contains no statement indicating that Acton was intoxicated during the police visit.
Campaign Response and Political Fallout
Acton’s running mate, David Pepper, said the Democratic candidate had consumed only one glass of wine and was not drunk. The campaign clarified that the prescription medication was for migraines.
“This is sort of a desperate attempt to try and tear Amy Acton down,” Pepper said in a Monday interview. “What do you do when you’re a desperate billionaire and underwater? You use your money and your resources to try and smear the other person.”
The Acton campaign blamed Ramaswamy for the report’s emergence, suggesting it represents opposition research targeting the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful.
Republican Reaction
Republican strategist Bob Clegg acknowledged the potential political implications of the disclosure. “It’s problematic for a campaign to have something like this come out,” Clegg said.
The incident dates back to Acton’s tenure as Ohio Department of Health director, a role that brought her national attention during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. She resigned from the position in June 2020.
Acton declined requests for an interview regarding the 2019 incident. The police report’s release comes as both campaigns prepare for what is expected to be a competitive gubernatorial race in Ohio.
