BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — Chief Dennis Doan of the Boise Fire Department is asking Fire Fighters Local 149 to remove a television advertisement the union helped pay for supporting David Bieter in the Boise mayoral campaign.
The ad features Boise firefighters in uniform and displays the department's logo, which the chief says violates "employee political activity."
The president of Local 149 told CBS2 he has asked the advertising agency to remove the ad until it can be edited in compliance with the chief's request.
"The advertisement was made by an independent expenditure PAC that the Local 149 PAC has donated to," said Mike Bisagno, Local 149 president. "Once I was made aware of the discrepancies in the ad, I contacted the advertising agency that is running the ad and had it pulled until the proper edits can be made."
"The ad was no way intended to represent the city or the department," said Mike Bisagno, Local 149 president. "It was intended entirely to represent the firefighter union only."
The ad features members of the union with Mayor David Bieter at a local fire station.
“The ad featuring our (firefighters) in uniform and using our logo is a violation of the regulation on employee political activity," Doan said in a statement to CBS2. "We’ve asked the Local 149 to remove the ads until they can be edited appropriately. In June, I emailed all Boise Fire employees about the regulations in a detailed memo."
"I also verbally warned the Local 149 leadership, prior to the filming of the ad, about the city regulations on political activity and the Boise Fire Department."
Bieter's campaign staff says the ad was paid for by the union and no money from the Bieter campaign was involved. The Boise Fire Department says it's "too soon to say if any discipline will come from this."
You can watch the video in its entirety below.
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