Lunsford camp responds to GOP's disclaimer charge

The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford responded this evening to charges it violated FEC disclaimer requirements when Lunsford appeared in a local tv segment paid for by the campaign.

"It was acknowledged on the air that the interview segment was paid for by the campaign. The campaign was not at all involved in the production of the television show," said campaign spokesperson Allison Haley in a statement sent via e-mail to PolitickerKY.com. "If there was a written disclaimer required in that instance and the campaign was responsible for making sure the television producers put that on the air, it was an oversight and we will take responsibility."

The Republican Party of Kentucky announced this afternoon it would file complaints against the Lunsford campaign and the CW television network that aired a seven-minute interview with Lunsford earlier this month. The RPK alleges the Lunsford campaign's sponsorship of the segment Lunsford appeared on necessitates the inclusion of an on-screen disclaimer.

The host of the program did verbally acknowledge Lunsford's sponsorship of the segment.

The Lunsford campaign's statement in response to the complaints targeted the accusers. The Lunsford statement argued RPK Chairman Steve Robertson was working on behalf of not only presumptive Republican Senate nominee and four-term incumbent Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville), but also Lunsford's primary opponent Greg Fischer (D-Louisville).

"It is interesting to see that Mitch McConnell's hatchet man is coming after Bruce," read the Lunsford statement. "We thought it was just Greg Fischer that was playing into Mitch McConnell's hands, but now it seems McConnell and the Republicans are trying to help Fischer out as well. Politics does make for interesting bedfellows."

Also: State GOP files FEC complaint against Lunsford over TV appearance