Ad Features Top Mandel Crony So Unqualified He Was Sent To “Beginner’s Course” On Finance.

The Friends of Sherrod Brown campaign today released a new ad, “Beginners,” which highlights how Josh Mandel promised to hire “qualified financial professionals” in the Treasurer’s office during his 2010 campaign, but turned around and hired unqualified political cronies and friends upon his swearing in.

The ad features Joe Aquilino, Mandel’s 2010 campaign political director. Mandel hired the 26- year old Aquilino as Ohio’s director of debt management, despite the fact that he had no experience in finance. Aquilino was so inexperienced that he was dispatched to a “beginner’s course” in the very subject he was in charge of.

After a five-month stint in the treasurer’s office, Aquilino resumed his previous job as political director, this time on Mandel’s campaign for senate.

WATCH: “Beginners”

“Josh Mandel repeatedly slammed his opponent in the 2010 treasurer’s race for alleged cronyism and promised to behave differently by hiring ‘qualified financial professionals,’ but he broke his promise to Ohioans by hiring unqualified political cronies and friends in the treasurer’s office,” said Sadie Weiner, spokeswoman for Friends of Sherrod Brown. “Mandel’s campaign political director-turned-director of debt management was hired in the treasurer’s despite having absolutely no finance experience, then dispatched to a ‘beginner’s course’ to learn the basics of the very subject he was charged with overseeing. Josh Mandel’s decision to hire unqualified political cronies and friends in the treasurer’s office is just more proof that he’s a politician who can’t be trusted.”