Onondaga County – In the heated contest for the 129th Assembly District, Democratic nominee Maurice “Mo” Brown has formally rejected a campaign advertisement released by Republican challenger Shawn Fiato. Brown asserts that the ad, which purports to show his own Instagram posts containing vulgar jokes about women, relies on fabricated screenshots that were altered or taken from an outdated version of the app.
Technical inconsistencies raise doubts
Brown’s campaign highlighted several visual discrepancies. The ad displays Instagram navigation icons – home, search, plus, likes, and profile – that were standard in early 2020. However, the platform updated its icon set in August 2020 to home, search, reels, shop, and profile. This suggests the screenshots were either captured before the update or were generated on a device that has not been updated for more than six years.
Further, the campaign pointed out that the progress bar in an Instagram story appears above the profile avatar in the alleged 2020 screenshot, whereas Fiato’s ad shows the bar below the avatar. Brown also noted that the layout shown in the ad omits a profile avatar that would normally appear in the bottom‑left corner of the story interface.
Absence of timestamps and verification
Brown’s team also emphasized that the purported screenshots lack any timestamps or dates, making it impossible to verify when they were originally posted. “Those posts are fake. I never posted or shared them, and my account records confirm it,” Brown said. “I see this as a smear and it trivializes a subject that deserves to be taken seriously.”
The ad aired on Thursday, October 29, just three days before early voting ends on November 1. Brown criticized the rapid distribution of the material, urging media outlets not to amplify the unverified claims.
Fiato stands by the ad
Fiato, the Republican candidate, maintains that her campaign performed due diligence in authenticating the images. She argues that the screenshots were sent to her in June of this year, more than six years after the alleged original posts, and that they accurately reflect content posted on Brown’s Instagram account “@mobreezy213” in 2020.
Election law 14‑106 prohibits candidates from digitally altering or promoting deceptive media intended to mislead voters. In response, Brown’s campaign has issued cease‑and‑desist letters to Fiato’s team, demanding removal of the ad.
Local electoral context
The race unfolds as Onondaga County experiences a historic voter turnout compared with the 2022 midterms, with registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans at the polls. Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.
Both campaigns are now focusing on the final stretch of the campaign, emphasizing their respective platforms and urging voters to consider the integrity of the information presented.
Original reporting: CNY Central WSTM (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
