Scott Perry ad targeting Janelle Stelson makes unsubstantiated allegations of public nudity

In his attempt to hold onto his congressional seat, Republican Scott Perry released an ad through his campaign that misleadingly accuses his political opponent of public nudity.

The ad presents the claim about Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, Janelle Stelson, without evidence, WITF found. It includes what looks like a real legal document but is not.

“This false accusation is a pathetic, desperate attempt by Scott Perry to rescue his failing campaign, with easily disproven lies,” said Alma Baker, Stelson’s campaign manager. Stelson had a 26-year career as a TV reporter at WGAL, retiring in 2023 as a nightly news anchor.

Unfortunately, as a woman on television, Janelle has been a victim of stalking and harassment before,” Baker said. “Now she is a victim of Perry’s supporters making up totally unsubstantiated claims to smear her reputation.”

The ad, released Oct. 19, starts, “I’m Scott Perry and I approve this message,” and ends with a written notice, “Paid for by Patriots for Perry and authorized by Scott Perry.” Patriots for Perry is his official campaign committee.

The new attack comes as polls show Stelson has a slight edge in the final weeks.

In the last 10 seconds of the 30-second ad, a document is placed on the screen with, “AFFIDAVIT” written at the top, presenting it as if it were a legitimate legal filing.

In fact, it is just a statement written by a Perry supporter with a stamp from a public notary. Unlike an affidavit, which is issued under oath, there is no legal expectation that a statement stamped by a public notary is accurate, nor are there clear legal punishments if the statements are false.

The ad zooms in and highlights sections of the statement out of context, while the voiceover says, “Police have been called to investigate Stelson for exposing herself totally naked to a neighborhood child.”

The allegation comes from Stelson’s neighbor whose statement says lives with her grandchild, a minor. The Perry campaign blurred out the neighbor’s name in the ad but also released an image of the statement in which her information was covered with marker. Zooming in, the signature of Sharon Orr is visible, and public records show she lives next door to Stelson.

WITF visited Orr’s home Tuesday evening and spoke to her through her video doorbell. She said she had no comment. Orr’s house overlooks part of Stelson’s rental home and yard. Orr has Perry signs in her driveway and on her front porch facing Stelson’s home.

In Orr’s statement used in the ad, she says she called East Pennsboro Twp. police on Stelson on Aug. 14.

Orr alleges Stelson was “walking around outdoors, naked in the public sphere, with her breasts and buttocks fully exposed.” The ad highlighted the words, “naked in the public sphere,” “buttocks fully exposed,” and “plain sight of my minor.” The statement does not say where the allegations occurred.

No charges were filed against Stelson.

The battle for the seat, which Perry has held since 2013, has been contentious. The candidates attacked each other’s integrity at last week’s debate. This race is a rematch of 2024 when Stelson lost to Perry by just 1.3% of the vote. The state supreme court redrew Perry’s district in 2018, moving it from a safe Republican seat to one that favors Republicans by voter registrations, but has resulted in several races within five percentage points.

The race is again expected to be close. Cook Political Report moved its prediction earlier this month to favor Stelson. An early October poll from Franklin & Marshall College showed Stelson up, but within the margin of error. Perry’s campaign spokesperson, Matt Beynon, said during a Perry campaign event that internal polling mirrored the college’s findings.

The ad included a second false claim that repeats a previously debunked allegation about connections between the Stelson campaign and an undocumented immigrant arrested last month.

On Sept. 27, Igbojekwe Chimaobim was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and two counts of disorderly conduct. He pled guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and the indecent exposure charge was withdrawn, as was the lesser disorderly conduct charge. At the time of arrest, he allegedly had Stelson campaign material in his vehicle, according to a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security.

Federal campaign filings show the Stelson campaign never paid Chimaobim. Stelson’s campaign also keeps a list of volunteers, and Chimaobim was not in the database, per a campaign statement and screenshot of a database search.

Still, Perry accused Stelson during their debate of hiring Chimaobim. Stelson said he was unaffiliated with the campaign, and her campaign reiterated the statement.

“This individual is not and has never been employed by the Janelle Stelson campaign. If he is an illegal immigrant who committed a crime he should be deported,” Baker said in a campaign statement. “We never heard of him prior to the news of his arrest. We are grateful to law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest him.”

Reporting contributed by WITF’s Katie Knol.