Sheheen deletes part of ad critical of DSS

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Vincent Sheheen’s campaign has deleted part of a web ad attacking Gov. Nikki Haley’s Department of Social Services because one of the three children it says the agency ignored had no involvement with DSS before his death.

The original ad ran online for several hours Tuesday before the Democratic nominee’s campaign switched it out. The replacement no longer mentions the toddler who was killed by his father’s girlfriend last year.

DSS spokeswoman Marilyn Matheus says the agency was involved with the woman charged, when she was a child, but not with the boy.

Sheheen’s campaign says it based information on the boy’s case on an alternative newspaper’s report.

Campaign manager Andrew Whalen says the ad was quickly re-cut but, sadly, many other children were harmed while DSS was involved.