CONCORD, N.H.—Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter began running a television ad Thursday suggesting that her Republican challenger has accepted illegal campaign donations.
The 30-second ad features images and quotes from Republicans who have questioned where Frank Guinta got the money to loan his campaign $355,000, including Guinta's primary opponent, Sean Mahoney, and his former boss, former Rep. Jeb Bradley.
"If Republicans and conservatives don't trust Frank Guinta, why should the rest of us?" the ad's announcer asks.
Guinta, the former mayor of Manchester, amended a disclosure form last summer to list a previously unreported bank account holding up to $500,000 but has refused to show a bank statement that proves the account's existence. His critics have questioned how someone whose chief income over the last decade was his $72,000-a-year mayoral salary could save that amount.
"Frank Guinta is hiding something and New Hampshire voters deserve to know what it is," said Shea-Porter campaign manager Robert Moller. "I'd like to know who would forget about a bank account with half a million dollars in it. It's as if a magical bank account suddenly appeared out of thin air, just when he needed it to fund his run for Congress."
The state Democratic Party recently filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission asking it to investigate Guinta's financial reports.
"The bottom line is there is no way that Frank Guinta has the personal wealth to donate himself that amount of money," the party's executive director, Mike Brunelle, said Thursday. "If he was able to save when he wasn't really making any money, he should share those secrets with the working class people of the 1st Congressional District so we can learn how to make a buck quick."
Guinta has repeatedly said that he made a mistake in filling out a form, which he voluntarily fixed when it came to his attention. His spokesman said Thursday the issue already has been vetted.
"This attack ad shows Congresswoman Shea-Porter is embarrassed of her record of voting with Nancy Pelosi 98 percent of the time and is scared to tell the rest of us about it," Brett Bosse said. "New Hampshire voters are concerned with how we are going to fix the economy, cut spending, and help small businesses create jobs. Congresswoman Shea-Porter is telling the rest of us that these issues aren't important."
Shea-Porter's campaign declined to say how much it is spending to run the ad, which is airing on WMUR-TV and cable channels. Guinta also plans to debut a new ad Friday in which he argues that government is too big, spends too much and hurts small businesses.
