Backstory to GOP ad stuns CNN host: 'Almost as surprising as the ad itself'

CNN's John Berman was taken aback Wednesday by new reporting on a Republican attack ad that has drawn condemnation from both parties.The campaign of Ohio GOP gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy is reportedly spending $4 million to air a commercial featuring the biological mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.Acton has been estranged from her mother for decades. Her stepfather was accused of abuse and rape, and her mother sided with him over her daughter.“It’s not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar,” the mother says in the ad. “She’s lied her entire life. … Don’t vote for people who lie. Don’t let her become your governor.”Berman noted that Acton’s stepfather was indicted and fled the state before trial, and that the mother “went with him.”“This ad is shocking political professionals on both sides of the aisle,” Berman said. He cited...