Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel lashed out at "liberals in the media" Tuesday when asked about spending nearly $2 million on taxpayer-financed TV ads ahead of his repeat run for the U.S. Senate.

The Republican fielded questions from reporters after accepting the endorsement of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, with a reporter for Cleveland's Fox 8 TV station popping the question.

Mandel defended his office's STABLE program, which allows families to set up tax-free accounts for disabled children, before blasting the news media and his likely 2018 opponent, incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.

“Well we are very proud you know of the way we’ve reached out to and communicated with individuals with special needs throughout the state of Ohio," Mandel said.

"Shame on liberals in the media like yourself. And shame on radicals like Sherrod Brown for politicizing a program that is completely not political," Mandel told the Fox 8 reporter.

Mandel said he would field more questions about the matter after the press conference, the Fox 8 reporter said, but then left, with an aide saying he did not have the time.

The Dispatch reported Tuesday that Mandel's office says it has no written communications between the treasurer and his top staff members concerning the millions of dollars in commercials featuring Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer promoting the STABLE program.

The TV buys were broken up into chunks of less than $50,000 to avoid the requirement to seek approval of the state Controlling Board.

The GOP-controlled General Assembly responded by passing a bill, signed into law by Republican Gov. John Kasich, forbidding elected officeholders from evading Controlling Board review of advertising purchases.

rludlow@dispatch.com

@RandyLudlow