Authorities in Philadelphia have launched investigations into a series of “counterfeit” ads placed at bus stops around the city over the weekend, which appeared to show the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office opened an investigation into the fake endorsements, a spokesperson for the office told the Daily Beast. The investigation is being handled by the office’s elections taskforce, NBC 10 Philadelphia reported on Tuesday.
The ads were placed on SEPTA bus stop shelters over the weekend, and featured an illustration of the vice president wearing a forest green Eagles helmet. Text below the image claimed she was the “official candidate of the Philadelphia Eagles.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are aware counterfeit political ads are being circulated and are working with our advertising partner to have them removed,” the Eagles said in a post on X on Monday.
Intersection, the ad agency contracted by the city to sell ad space at SEPTA stops, confirmed that neither the Eagles nor Intersection had anything to do with the ads.
The ad agency said it already removed seven of the counterfeit ads from bus stops.
In a statement sent to the Daily Beast, the company said they were currently conducting a search of their other ad spaces on bus shelters and considering filing a police report.
“We consider this act not only vandalism but also theft, as the perpetrators stole both the existing advertising copy and the paid advertising space,” Intersection said. “The revenue generated from these ads is vital, as a portion goes to the City and helps maintain the bus shelters, which are valuable amenities for the citizens of Philadelphia. When ads are illegally removed or replaced, it undermines our ability to generate revenue and support the overall bus shelter program.”
The company said the ad boxes at SEPTA stops are typically locked, but occasionally people find ways to break the locks and place “unauthorized content” in the spaces.
A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Transportation told the Philadelphia Inquirer that political ads are not permitted at the bus stops.
The Harris campaign did not return a request for comment from the Daily Beast. A representative for the campaign previously told NBC 10 they did not purchase the ads.
