In October 2006, Howell was revealed as the producer, with Terry Nelson, of the "Harold, Call Me" attack ad used against democratic Tennessee Senatorial candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr. in which a white woman said that she had met Ford at a Playboy party.
In October 2006, Howell was revealed to be the producer of the political attack ad against Democratic Tennessee Senatorial candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr., which featured a white woman claiming to have met Ford at a Playboy party.