A court date has been set for the Democratic candidate for Columbiana County Prosecutor to answer for a Facebook message he posted.

An August 14 hearing is scheduled in Columbiana County Municipal Court for Senior Assistant Prosecutor John Gamble on four misdemeanor charges filed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

At issue is Gamble’s Facebook page which shows pictures of him posing with local law enforcement officers posted after Gamble was endorsed by the county Democratic Party to run as their candidate for the county prosecutor’s post.

One picture is accompanied by the caption:

 “BREAKING NEWS: JOHN GAMBLE SELECTED AS CANDIDATE FOR PROSECUTOR PICTURED HERE - OVER 500 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE STANDING WITH JOHN GAMBLE. THEY HAVE HIS BACK IN THIS ELECTION BECAUSE HE'S HAD THEIR BACKS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS”

As of Thursday morning, the post still remained on Gamble's Facebook.

A complaint filed in municipal court on Tuesday alleges that Gamble is an accomplice in violating Ohio’s law prohibiting political activity, other than voting, by classified civil service employees.

The complaint specifically names East Liverpool Police Officers Darin Morgan and Fred Flati. A search of Columbiana County Court records did not reveal any charges filed against either officer.

The actual charges filed against Gamble are four counts of complicity.

"We sent a cease-and-desist letter explaining the law to Mr. Gamble, offering him an opportunity to comply without charges,” said Ohio Attorney General Senior Public Information Officer Steve Irwin. “His continued non-compliance left no choice but to seek enforcement of the law requiring civil service employees to be apolitical — nowhere more important than in law enforcement.”

Gamble released the below statement to 21 News:

The police officers depicted in the photographs my opponent is so distressed by did not break the law.

Police officers are not prevented from expressing their support of a political candidate outside the workplace. In fact, that fundamental right under the first amendment is expressly authorized by the law.

My opponent is desperately attempting to intimidate and silence the good men and women in blue because it irritates him that I have earned their solid support through more than 30 years of hard work as their advocate.

I'll be busy doing what I have been doing those 30-plus years, prosecuting murder, robbery, child abuse, and drug cases.

Gamble goes up in November’s General Election against Republican Vito Abruzzinio for the spot now held by Robert Herron, who announced in May that he would not seek re-election.

The Democratic Party has held the Columbiana County Prosecutor seat since the mid-1970s when Dave Tobin was elected.

The complaint filed against Gamble may be read below: