"Sexually explicit" campaign mailer sent to Central Bucks voters. Here's the PAC behind it

A political action committee responsible for distributing "sexually explicit" campaign literature mailed to thousands of homes recently in the Central Bucks School District was created by a GOP political strategist in Virginia, and its treasurer is a Harrisburg GOP lobbyist.

Stop Bucks Extremism PAC founder Bob Salera said he agreed to launch the PAC after he was approached by "concerned Central Bucks residents" who supported the current Republican-majority school board, which has faced public scrutiny over policy decisions that some contend harm students who are LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups.

Stop Bucks Extremism is responsible for sending 17,000 mailers to residents in Central Bucks, where five school board seats are up for election in November in what has become a bitter political race, according to its website.

The mailers include a warning in red bold typeface about "sexually explicit content."

In an Aug. 28 post on the PAC's website, it described the mailers as part of an "aggressive early voting campaign."

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The mailer included a mail-in ballot application and prepaid envelope as well as a flier with illustrations of male genitals reportedly taken from "This Book is Gay" and "Gender Queer."

Images in question highlighted in Central Bucks campaign mailer

The two LGBTQ+ themed books were removed earlier this year for violating the district's Library Materials Policy 109.2, which restricts sexual content and nudity. The books are among more than 60 challenged for their content under the policy, one of the controversial policies that has divided residents in the state's fourth largest school district.

Stop Bucks Extremism also pushes false claims on its website including that Democrat CBSD school board candidates support making "sexually explicit" material accessible in school libraries to children as young as 5. No such claims have ever been made.

The two copies of “Gender Queer” were previously located in the Central Bucks South High School library and the only copy of “This Book is Gay" was at Tamanend Middle School. Neither book was ever available in elementary schools.

Republican school board candidates Dr. Stephen Mass, school board President Dana Hunter, Glenn Schloeffel, Tony Arjona and Aarita Martino did not respond to emails seeking comment on the mailer Tuesday. Schloeffel and Mass stated after publication of the story they did not receive an email requesting comment.

Bucks County Republican Committee Chair Patricia Poprik stated in a text message she was unavailable for comment about the mailers.

Salera said that Stop Bucks Extremism is not affiliated with, or had contacted the Bucks County Republican Committee or any other party entity, about the campaign, the mailer or its contents.

PACs generally work independent of candidates' campaigns.

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Concern over Central Bucks mailer, influence on PAC

Plumstead resident Stacey Mullholland, a registered Republican, who received the "sexually explicit" mailer said she immediately questioned its contents and suspected the material was out of context. She described the campaign literature as exploiting vulnerable children for political gain.

"If you find this material so offensive, why are you using it and perpetuating it and putting in the mail?" said Mullholland, a former Plumstead supervisor.

Mullholland also questioned why outsiders are attempting to influence a local school board race that does not impact their lives and families, adding that it flies in the face of Republican ideology of a hands-off approach to governing and government.

"I really hope the voters in Central Bucks see this for what it is and vote for what is in the best interest of our students and our community," she added.

Salera, a former Pittsburgh resident who lives in Alexandria, did not answer questions about who contacted him in the district, but he said that he has contacts across the state "including Bucks County."

Who are Bill Salara and Doug Rickards of Stop Bucks Extremism?

The PAC, which registered with the Bucks County Board of Elections in July, lists Salera as chairman and Doug T. Rickards, as its treasurer, according to a copy the registration documents.

Salera is a former political strategist for the National Republican Congressional Committee, who ran the campaign of Pennsylvania GOP governor candidate David White last year. He is also president and sole employee of "Landslide Strategies," an advertising and marketing consulting business that has no web presence or listed phone number or address.

Rickards has served as a treasurer for multiple GOP candidates and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

The PAC is not a candidate's authorized political committee, according to its registration. Paperwork does not list the names of the candidates or the political offices the PAC intends to support, instead the word "All" appears in a box the information is to be listed

According to the paperwork, Stop Bucks Extremism intends to operate "indefinitely," though Salera said it is currently only involved in the Central Bucks School Board race. Rickards has not submitted any expenditure reports for the PAC, but it was formed after the last deadline in June.

The next expenditure report deadline is October, according to county spokesman James O'Malley.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Stop Bucks Extremism PAC sends explicit Central Bucks race mailer