Monday, Jul. 21, 2008

UPDATE: Democrats file complaint over McKenna TV spots

The state Democratic Party has filed a complaint with the state's Public Disclosure Commission over public service announcements featuring Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna.

The party, and Democratic challenger John Ladenburg, argue they're not pubic service announcements at all, even thought they look like them. Ladenburg cites one airing throughout the Comcast cable TV service area that features McKenna and McGruff the Crime Dog talking about identity theft.

He alleges the ads are running with great frequency and discuss issues that parallel what McKenna talks about in his campaign.

Ladenburg in a press release "acknowledges that there are grey areas in the law around Public Service Advertising."

“Even if there is any ambiguity, the Attorney General needs to set the example,” Ladenburg said. “Rob McKenna sends out press releases daily touting his commitment to open government, yet is working behind the scenes to exploit every loophole and test every limit in our disclosure laws.”

Elected officials' appearances in public service advertising has been controversial from time to time and there occasionally have been efforts in the Legislature to put tighter restrictions on them.

UPDATE: The state Republican Party issued its own statement after quitting time calling the Democrats' complaint "frivolous."

GOP Chairman Luke Esser said the complaint amounts to a "huge helping of hypocrisy with their trumped-up charges" because Gov. Chris Gregoire also has appeared in public service ads.

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