Charity Leader’s Participation in Campaign Ad Draws Scrutiny

The Villages, an Indianapolis charity that provides foster care and other services to children, has drawn criticism after its president, Sharon Pierce, appeared in a political campaign ad that highlights Gov. Mitch Daniels’s record on child protection, reports the Associated Press.

Ms. Pierce said she believed that speaking about Mr. Daniels’s accomplishments was acceptable and that she had sought advice on whether it broke the Internal Revenue Service’s ban on politicking. However, critics are investigating whether her appearance in the ad crossed a line.

Mr. Daniels, a Republican, faces Jill Long Thompson, a Democrat, in the November election.

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