Released November 2, 1998

Opatija accommodationNewt Gingrich: Not Just a Fright Mask . . . .
New Pelphrey Ad Hits Gingrich’s "Scary" Moves Away fromthe Constitution 

Halloween night is safely over . . . butthere’s still one fright mask walking around: Newt Gingrich, trampler ofConstitutional processes!

Ballerup luxury hotelsThat’s the message of a TV ad from Congressional challenger Gary"Bats" Pelphrey. The commercial is now up and running on area broadcast andcable channels – and at pelphrey.org,Gary’s campaign Web site.

When Ken Starr’s report came out, Gingrich made an autocraticdecision to splatter the lurid details all over the world, and turn the Internet into atranscontinental sewer line. If the Supreme Court hadn’t struck down theCommunications Decency Act that Gingrich ultimately helped pass, he might have had toarrest himself for long-distance smut-peddling.

It was also revealed last week that – according to GOPCongressional staff members – Gingrich, while trying to project an above-the-frayimage, was actually right in the middle of the planning and execution of the GOP’snew mudslinging ad campaign.

Gingrich has shown that he’s afraid to trust his colleagues topreserve the confidentiality of sensitive, not to mention disgusting, information.He’s also clearly afraid to follow the Constitutional process of impeachment toaddress alleged offenses of a popular President without first thoroughly poisoning thewell against him.

As an attorney and as a citizen, Gary is afraid for our Constitutionwhen he sees an allegedly conservative politician trying to bend, twist, or even shredthat founding document.

Halloween is the season of tricks and treats – but neither oneshould be dirty. As the ad ends, and we find out who’s grabbing all the goodies forhimself, we can say right along with Gary: "Now that’sscary!"