Watch CBS News

Former Candidate Threatens To Sue Mass. Treasurer Over Internet Ad

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — A former Republican candidate for state treasurer wants the Democrat who defeated her to remove from the Internet an old campaign ad about the way she influenced the distribution of Red Sox license plates.

A lawyer for Karyn Polito has issued a cease and desist order to Treasurer Steven Grossman and is threatening to sue for defamation if he doesn't comply. The Boston Globe reports that Polito's lawyer says the ad is inaccurate and subjected her to "hatred, ridicule, and scorn."

Grossman, who defeated Polito in 2010, made the video based on Globe stories detailing the way Polito obtained low-number Red Sox plates for herself, relatives, friends and supporters.

"She proposed a good thing to sell those plates off, to auction them off. Then I think she ruined the whole thing by taking Red Sox #2 without paying anything more than that small fee, when it should have been auctioned off," Grossman told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 on Wednesday.

Grossman did agree to take down the video if Polito auctions her No. 2 Red Sox plate to benefit the Jimmy Fund.

"I'll make Karen Polito an offer. If she takes the Red Sox #2 license place off her car and offers it back to the Jimmy Fund to auction it off on Ebay, and it's done successfully - and it should raise at least $25,000 for children's cancer research, I'd be happy to take the ad off the Facebook page," he said.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.