Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick has deployed television and digital advertisements in southeast Pennsylvania that quote headlines from Patch, a hyperlocal news platform, to attack his Democratic opponent, Bob Harvie. While the ads present these excerpts as independent news reports, the articles cited are written by Dave Sommers, a retired reporter with documented financial ties to the Fitzpatrick campaign and a history of personal association with the congressman.
The advertisements, which have run since June, feature headlines such as "Bob Harvie calls himself a king" and "Bob Harvie has his FBI files but refuses to release them." These quotes appear to originate from articles published on Patch, a platform that has transitioned from a funded newsroom to a largely volunteer-driven operation. All the cited articles carry Sommers' byline.
What the Left Is Saying
Bob Harvie, the Bucks County commissioner challenging Fitzpatrick, has characterized the congressman as "a complete and total fraud" and stated that Fitzpatrick is growing "desperate." Harvie argues that while Fitzpatrick "pretends to be different," the financial and personal links between the campaign and the author of the critical articles demonstrate that he is "corrupt to the core."
Harvie has explicitly denied the implications of the headlines, particularly the suggestion that he is the target of an active FBI investigation. He noted that he testified before a federal grand jury in September 2022 alongside other officials as part of a public corruption probe, but he disputes that this constitutes a personal indictment. In response to the ads, Harvie sent a cease-and-desist letter to Fitzpatrick in July alleging defamation and filed a lawsuit against the pro-Fitzpatrick Defending America PAC in August for similar claims.
What the Right Is Saying
Reilly Richardson, a spokesperson for the House GOP campaign arm, defended the strategy by shifting focus to Harvie's own advertising practices. Richardson stated that a recent report indicated Harvie had passed off "known Democrat activists" as "concerned voters" in his campaigns, accusing the Democrat of "lying to voters."
Richardson argued that Harvie is "desperately trying to distract from his pathetic, flailing campaign" and asserted that "Pennsylvanians won’t be fooled" by the criticism of the Patch articles. The Fitzpatrick campaign and its allies have not publicly commented on the specific relationship between Sommers and the campaign, despite repeated requests for comment from Politico. Sommers himself did not respond to requests for comment regarding his role in the ads.
What the Numbers Show
Federal Election Commission records indicate that Sommers has received sporadic payments and reimbursements from Brian Fitzpatrick’s campaign, as well as from the campaign of his late brother, former Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, dating back to 2010. Most recently, in 2022, the campaign paid Sommers $500 for "office setup services."
Dave Sommers, a retired reporter who previously worked for the Bucks County Courier Times and the Trentonian, was sentenced in 2019 to six months in prison, six months of house arrest, and a $250,000 fine for trafficking in protected turtles. Prosecutors alleged he earned more than $500,000 over six years selling diamondback terrapins in violation of conservation laws. In 2022, Sommers was also charged with stealing a political sign supporting GOP primary challenger Alex Entin.
Personal ties between Sommers and Fitzpatrick are visible on social media. Fitzpatrick’s Facebook page features a photo of the two posing together at a March 2025 St. Patrick's Day parade. Sommers attended Fitzpatrick’s June wedding, where he was photographed with former Sen. Joe Manchin. Sommers’ own Facebook account has featured posts supporting the congressman, including one in June showing him wearing a tank top with the phrase "Team Fitz." Sommers has published eight articles on Patch since late February, all of which criticize Harvie using terms like "divisive," "arrogant," and "hack."
The Bottom Line
The controversy highlights the increasing use of non-traditional and self-published content in political advertising, a trend that spans both major parties. As the race for Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District intensifies, the authenticity and independence of the media sources cited in campaign ads have become a central point of contention. Voters and analysts will likely scrutinize the provenance of such headlines in future cycles, while the legal challenges initiated by Harvie regarding defamation may set precedents for how campaigns utilize hyperlocal digital content.