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Rothfus calls Buchanan campaign mailer ‘deceitful’

Republican congressional candidate Keith Rothfus continued what has become a fierce campaign against 4th District primary opponent Mary Beth Buchanan Thursday, criticizing the former U.S. Attorney for using the National Rifle Association’s logo on a piece of campaign literature.

In a statement, the Edgeworth attorney’s campaign called Buchanan “desperate and deceitful” for using the prominent gun lobby’s logo on a piece of direct mail. The NRA sent Buchanan’s campaign a letter asking her to stop using the logo without permission. Rothfus has surprised political watchers by besting Buchanan in fundraising and consistently keeping Buchanan in the crosshairs—last week he criticized her for using a robo-call to say she opposed to the 2008 financial bailout when she had previously told a reporter it saved the economy from collapse. On her second campaign manager so far, Buchanan has at times seemed caught off guard, and even incumbent Democrat Jason Altmire has given Rothfus credit for “outworking her.”

“Buchanan, whose campaign has steadily been losing what little momentum it ever had, is clearly desperate—but that is not excuse for perpetrating a fraud on the electorate,” Rothfus’s campaign said Thursday. “The last thing we need in Washington is another lying politician desperate to win votes and advance their own career, and that is precisely why Keith Rothfus stands poised for a victory on Tuesday.”

In an e-mail message, Buchanan campaign manager Mike Walsh said “we were unaware it was against NRA policy to use their logo, and have apologized and will not use their logo again. But Mary Beth has received the highest rating possible without being in office and having a voting record the NRA can monitor. … We very carefully never used the word ‘endorsed’ since we know there is no official endorsement from the NRA at this time.”

And Walsh said it’s time for Rothfus to stop attacking Buchanan.

“When will Rothfus start telling voter why they should vote FOR him? Not just against Mary Beth?” Walsh wrote.

The district is currently ranked No. 8 on the pa2010.com Congressional Power Rankings.

May 13, 2010 at 5:30 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Jason Altmire, Keith Rothfus, Mary Beth Buchanan, PA-4