Witness says campaign not behind ad, says family asked for it to be removed

A witness told the hearing that the campaign was not responsible for a controversial advertisement and that it was removed at the family's request. "Our campaign had nothing to do with it," the witness said, adding that "as soon as we learned that the family didn't like the ad, we told the people who put it up to take it down."

The witness framed the removal as an act of respect for the family, saying "they've suffered enough. They don't need to suffer anymore." The remarks were delivered in a single extended turn and were presented as both a denial of campaign involvement and an appeal for compassion toward the family affected by the ad.

The transcript does not include further details about the ad's content, who produced it, or any formal investigation into its origins. The hearing record in these segments contains no opposing statements or additional context from other participants about the advertisement.