Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernardo ‘Bernie’ Moreno is blasting a bombshell report linking him to an adult website profile as ‘vicious lies designed to be a last-minute smear campaign’ just days before the competitive Ohio primary.
The Associated Press report found that Moreno’s email was linked to the creation of a 2008 profile on the site Adult Friend Finder for a user who is ‘looking for young guys to have fun with while traveling.’
The email used, bernie@clevelandporsche.com, was also reportedly listed next to his name on the website of a car dealership he owned. The account was associated with the username ‘nardo19672.’
The profile created under that email showed interest in ‘Men for 1-on-1 sex’ and chose ‘prefer not to say’ for marital status.
The report came just days before former President Trump is set to travel to Ohio to campaign with Moreno, 57, who is in the middle of a tight three-way race.
‘It is a last minute sick attack by desperate people. That’s what they do. Look at what they did to Judge Kavanuagh, look at what they did to President Trump, Moreno told Politico after a campaign event Friday.
Moreno is married to wife Bridget and has four grown children.
Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno’s email was linked to an adult website profile from 2008, according to an AP report. Moreno blasted the report as a ‘sick’ attack
Former President Trump endorsed Bernie Moreno in the Republican Senate primary in Ohio
Moreno’s lawyer said the 2008 AFF account was created by an intern as a prank using a publicly available email address and Moreno had nothing to do with it
The AP confirmed that someone with access to Moreno’s email account created the profile, but it could not confirm that the profile was created by Moreno himself.
In response to the AP report, Moreno’s attorney, Charles Harder, said a former intern created the account 16 years ago as a prank and left it the same day. He insisted Moreno had nothing to do with it.
‘We have provided the AP with a copy of a signed letter from the intern admitting this, as well as another signed letter from a former VP for Mr. Moreno’s company confirming this intern’s employment at the time the account in question was created,’ Harder said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
He noted that the email was listed on the company’s website, not Moreno’s personal.
“According to metadata, the AFF account was never used – there were no communications or contacts sent to or from other AFF accounts, and no photos or content uploaded to it,” he continued. ‘The AFF account existed for less than half a day 16 years ago.’
In a letter given to DailyMail.com, former intern Dan Ricci said he was ‘thoroughly embarrassed by an aborted prank I pulled on my friend and former boss, Bernie Moreno, nearly two decades ago.’
He continued ‘never in my wildest dreams did I think this stupid prank would be used to hurt my dear friend years later’.
Former President Trump is scheduled to visit the state on Saturday ahead of the March 19 primary. He endorsed Moreno earlier this year.
Moreno, a businessman who owned car dealerships, has touted the coveted Trump endorsement, which could help him cross the finish line in the three-way race.
Moreno told Politico that he had not discussed the story with Trump, and the former president’s campaign said in a statement that Trump is not reconsidering his endorsement of Moreno.
“The left-wing media is obsessed with destroying anyone who supports the America First movement, and this ridiculous slime job is simply proof that Bernie Moreno is a threat to the entire swamp,” said Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesman. He said it was ‘shameful’ and ’embarrassing’ the report ran.
A Republican strategist in the state said he still expects Moreno to win, albeit “narrowly,” despite the AP report, and that Trump coming to Ohio for a rally will be a major factor.
Moreno (right) with Frank LaRose (center) and Matt Dolan (left) at in a forum on February 19
Moreno is in a close race with state Sen. Matt Dolan, who is backed by the governor, and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose for the Republican Senate nomination to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November.
The Senate race in the red-leaning state is expected to be one of the most competitive in November, and a GOP victory there could play a key role in helping Republicans regain the Senate majority.
Moreno and Dolan have already put millions of their own money into the primary race. There are already $142 million in ad bookings for the fall, according to ad tracking.