A display ad in Wednesday's Times News touting Democratic Carbon County commissioner candidate Rocky Ahner and criticizing Republican incumbent candidate Thomas Gerhard ran without Ahner's knowledge or approval.

The ad took him by surprise whyen his wife showed it to him, Ahner said in a telephone interview Thursday."That's the first I saw the ad," he said. "I'm not too happy. I ran a clean campaign and I go by the rules. Something like this defeats the whole thing. This is the worst thing that ever happened. The worst."But the man who placed the ad, Duane Dellecker, a Republican who lost his bid for nomination to a commissioner's seat in the May primary election, said there was nothing wrong with what he did.Asked why he placed the ad without Ahner's permission, Dellecker said it was "free speech."Ahner said he intended to talk to Dellecker about the ad, and said he plans to place a notice on his Facebook campaign page that he and his committee had nothing to do with it.Dellecker said Ahner called him Thursday morning and "didn't express any concern about it."Gerhard questioned the ad's legality, saying in a telephone interview Thursday that in order to place a political ad, the organization "has to be registered as a political entity and file an expense report. That wasn't done."According to Pennsylvania's election code, an ad not authorized by the candidate "must state the name of the person who made or financed the expenditure for the communication, including, in the case of a political committee, the name of any affiliated or connected organization."County election bureau director Lisa Dart confirmed that organizations must be registered with her office to place political ads, and that Taxpayers for Common Sense is not. She referred further questions to county solicitor Dan Miscavige."It would be a violation of election law," Miscavige said.He said any complaints would have to be referred to the county election board, which would forward it to the district attorney's office for investigation. All three commissioners are on the board. But this year, because all three are running for re-election, they appointed alternates - Republicans Lee Becker and Wallace Putowski, and Democrat Frank Jacobs Jr.Ahner said he "will probably file a complaint."Dellecker's name does not appear on the ad, which states that it was paid for by Taxpayers for Common Sense. There is a national organization with the same name, but the two have no connection.Dellecker, in a telephone interview Thursday, said he is "indirectly" involved with the local group. He would not reveal the names of anyone belonging to it. Ahner, who said he's not sure who is behind Taxpayers for Common Sense, is not associated with it. His committee is "Friends of Rocky Ahner."Ahner said the ad has not created ill will between him and Gerhard."I'm not picking on anybody. We all have to work together. I never attacked anybody, and this makes it look like I attacked somebody. I didn't sleep last night," he said. "I will just have to move forward. Hopefully this won't hurt me. I want to move the county forward in a positive way."