Democrats to file complaint against Romney

The Massachusetts Democratic Party will file an ethics complaint today against Governor Mitt Romney, accusing the Republican of illegally spending taxpayer dollars on a trip to raise money for his party and to bash Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry.

Romney was the keynote speaker Tuesday night at a $500 a head fund-raiser for the New Jersey Republican Party. The next day, Romney addressed the National Press Club in Washington, where he derided Kerry as "too conflicted" to serve as president.

"The entire trip was political," said Philip W. Johnston, the Democratic Party's state chairman. "He went to Washington to bash John Kerry to the National Press Corps as a spokesman for the Bush-Cheney campaign. Now we find out he stopped off in New Jersey for their Republican Party. Why should the taxpayers pay one dime for the cost of this trip?"

Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's communications director, said he was confident that the complaint would go nowhere because "the governor's committee paid for the trip to New Jersey," including all costs for aides and security details.

The taxpayers footed the bill for the Washington leg of the journey, Fehrnstrom said, but he insisted that portion of the trip "was not a campaign event."

"The governor and his staff are meticulous about separating campaign-related activity from the job of governor," Fehrnstrom said.

Romney, who is viewed by some Republicans as a potential presidential candidate in 2008, has emerged as a vocal critic of Kerry, which is one reason why his trips and political statements may be eyed more closely by Democrats than usual.

Last week, state Representative J. James Marzilli Jr., an Arlington Democrat, filed two complaints against Romney, accusing the governor of using state property and personnel in a State House news conference that was called solely for Romney to deride Kerry's newly chosen running mate as too liberal for American voters.

At a news conference yesterday, Romney said he had no intention of reimbursing the state for the costs of the Washington trip.

"The First Amendment allows me to make comments, including comments about the presidential race, while I'm also on state business," Romney said. "And that's something which . . . John Kerry is also doing as he goes around the country."