What can nearly $1 million buy? For one, the sleaziest scare ad in recent memory in Ohio, seeking to keep a referendum off the November 2020 ballot on whether to overturn House Bill 6, the recently passed bailout bill for FirstEnergy’s two nuclear plants.

The one-minute ad, populated by alarming pictures of the Chinese military, warns, “The Chinese government is quietly invading our American electrical grid” and “coming for our energy jobs” via “a special interest group" about to start collecting signatures for the referendum -- a special interest group the ad warns is "boosting Chinese financial interests” and “risking our national security.”

The ad then urges Ohioans, if they’re asked to sign the referendum petitions, to, “Tell them no. ... Don’t sign the petition allowing China to control Ohio’s power.”

No matter that Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts -- the anti-HB 6 group seeking to force a referendum -- still hasn’t gotten its petition language approved.

As cleveland.com’s Jeremy Pelzer reports, this could be just the opening salvo in a likely spending spree to protect the nuclear bailout, should the issue get on the ballot.

But what is the evidence to support the ad’s alarmist rhetoric about a Chinese invasion?

Not much.

Ohioans for Energy Security, the group behind the ads, cites the fact that Ohio natural gas plants built or being built by entrepreneur Bill Siderewicz -- one of those behind the anti-HB-6 referendum effort -- have Chinese investment money (yes, along with private U.S., British, and French money and equity from Australian and Germany firms, as well).

That’s not exactly the same as an invasion.

Certainly, Siderewicz’s projects and his investors’ interests are on the line; after HB 6 passed, he announced that his Massachusetts firm, Clean Energy Future, was ending plans for a third natural gas plant in Lordstown -- an investment the city and its schools were counting on.

But why not attack the possible referendum on the merits of HB 6 -- a rescue of Ohio’s no-carbon-emitting nuclear plants -- instead of trying to scare the heck out of Ohioans?

Why, indeed. Clearly the backers of HB 6 have concluded they will have a harder time defending the law on its merits. So, why not gin up outsized alarm based on a xenophobic ad?

It’s the wrong call, and beneath those involved. Withdraw the ad.

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the “Follow” option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.