Democratic Nebraska Senate candidate Dave Domina is out with a new political ad that features a bedridden coma patient decked out in one of the campaign’s T-shirts. The ad had raised questions about the ethics of using a coma patient to give the politician a boost in the polls.
Domina, who is running against Republican challenger Ben Sasse, also has come under fire in recent weeks for his previous work defending a Nazi war criminal, whom Domina referred to as “honorable” in an interview with the Free Beacon.
The ad in questions feature Pappillion, Nebraska resident Deborah Chinnow, and her daughter Jenna, who is in a coma.
Jenna, who is bedridden, can be seen in the ad wearing a green T-shirt that reads, “Domina.”
Chinnow said that after Jenna was in an accident in 2006, Domina “was there to help us out” and ensure that Jenna could receive care at home.
“Without Dave, we would be in a lot of trouble,” Chinnow said, tearing up. “He takes care of her and he definitely gets the job done.”
Following footage of the coma patient, the ad brags that Domina “shows up,” “stands up,” and “makes a difference.”
A Domina campaign spokesman did not respond to a Free Beacon request for comment on the ad and on whether Domina felt it appropriate to feature a coma patient on his T-shirt.
Earlier this month, Domina was forced to defend his previous legal work defending a Nazi war criminal accused of killing Jews in the Holocaust.
After the Free Beacon raised questions about his decision to defend former Nazi police officer Ivan Kalymon in 2006, Domina stood by his work, saying that “Mr. Kalymon lived an honorable life in the U.S.”
“I am a person without biases against other people, and in this instance, my own beloved grandchildren are Jewish people and their mother is a student of Jewish history and a professor of it,” Domina said of his advocacy on Kalymon’s behalf. “I am a firm believer in the legal process and I believe that lawyers with gifts in that profession should share their gifts, and that’s what I did.”
