Names of Dead, Criminals Used in Political Ad

A newspaper advertisement for conservative Rep. Mark D. Siljander’s unsuccessful reelection campaign contained the names of a child molester, the dead and other people who didn’t give permission for their names to be used, a newspaper reported.

Siljander, a three-term congressman, lost last Tuesday’s Republican primary election to Fred Upton, a former aide to ex-Budget Director David A. Stockman.

Included in a list of “Friends of Mark Siljander” published in newspaper ads on the eve of the primary were Stephen Roumell, a lawyer and newspaper owner who died in 1976, and two other dead men, the South Bend, Ind., Tribune reported.

Serving Up to 60 Years

Also on the list was Robert R. Hanner, best known as “Happy Humphrey the Clown,” who was convicted of molesting two young boys who worked in his clown act. Hanner is serving up to 60 years in prison for the offenses.

The list included Ursula Haglund, who was charged with conspiracy to commit extortion in a 1984 case involving a district court candidate, the newspaper said. Haglund later pleaded guilty to lesser misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and having an illegal occupation, it said.

Berrien County Prosecutor Paul Maloney, businessman Ted Halbritter III and lawyer Louis Desenberg all said their names appeared on the ad without their permission.

David Redman, Siljander’s campaign manager, said he believes that some of the names were sent to the campaign committee as “plants” or “jokes” but he acknowledged that no attempt was made to contact people before their names were printed in the ad.