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Actor William Shatner zaps Democratic politician for using his image in a political email
Brandy Chambers, a Democratic candidate for Texas House District 112, got into a Twitter battle with "Star Trek" icon William Shatner after she sent out an email with a picture she took with him. Shatner said it implied his endorsement and demanded that she delete the picture. (Image source: YouTube screenshot)

Actor William Shatner zaps Democratic politician for using his image in a political email

Iconic "Star Trek" actor William Shatner zapped a Garland, Texas, state political candidate for using the actor's image in an email that she sent to her supporters, WFAA-TV reported.

Why did the candidate use Shatner's picture?

Brandy Chambers, an attorney and Democratic candidate for the Texas state House, told WFAA that she sent the email in an attempt show her personality.

"I actually said, 'If it bothers you that your leader geeks out when she meets Captain Kirk, then maybe I'm not the leader for you,'" Chambers told the station. "And there was my picture with me and Captain Kirk."

Chambers said she paid for the photo and autograph years ago at a Dallas fan convention. Her time with Shatner lasted only a few seconds, she said. As she understood it, the only restriction on the photo was that she could not resell it, WFAA reported.

But someone on Chambers' email list thought otherwise. That person forwarded the email to Shatner. Needless to say, "Captain Kirk" and some of his 2.5 million Twitter followers were not amused.

Shatner confronted Chambers on Twitter, writing that "using a convention picture in a political ad is NOT ALLOWED!! That implies endorsement which never will happen."

He went on to demand that Chambers remove his photo and "destroy all copies of whatever this is immediately," adding, "Am I clear?"

Chambers told WFAA-TV she was upset that she offended Shatner.

"Oh my God, Captain Kirk's mad at me? What!?" she told the TV station. "It was not my intent to say he endorsed me."

How did this end?

After a “few hundred” angry replies from Shatner fans, her patience wore thin.

Chambers wrote to Shatner on Twitter, "Sorry you don't stand for women's rights and education." Chambers later deleted the tweet. In turn, Shatner tweeted to the Texas Ethics Commission, asking if it was a violation for Chambers to use his picture.

"I apologized for that. I was very upset after receiving a few hundred hateful replies and emails," Chambers told WFAA.

In an email to WFAA-TV, Shatner said, "It was unfortunate she tried to shame me instead of just complying with my wishes that she not include my image in her political advertisements. I just fired back with the same vitriol she showed. I am happy to learn she has deleted my image from her website, and it appears that the matter is at an end."

A self-described nerd, Chambers has a sizable collection of pictures of herself with Hollywood stars. Chambers told WFAA she will still keep Shatner's photo on her wall.

"I never thought I'd get into a Twitter battle with William Shatner," she said.

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