New charges fuel Senate race

Jennifer Sanderson - 10/21/2004

Daschle campaign files criminal charges claiming mail fraud over 'sodomy' sticker

A window sticker scarcely larger than a standard photo print has the nation's top elected Democrat and the state's Republican Party pressing separately for a criminal investigation.

The white-on-blue sticker reads, "Vote for Daschle & Vote for SODOMY." A disclaimer alerts readers that fees were "Paid for by someone who loves Jesus and friends of swlJ. This ad is not authorized by any candidate of (sic) candidate committee."

The mass mailing went out earlier this month to churches statewide. A select few homeowners with yard signs supporting Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle also received copies in their mailboxes.

The anonymous disclaimer offers no real identity, and the return address is that of Daschle's re-election headquarters.

Dan Pfeiffer, Daschle's deputy campaign manager, said that amounts to mail fraud, one of the charges leveled against the South Dakota Republican Party in a formal complaint to the Federal Election Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Pfeiffer said the party is the only group in the state that could support such an effort.

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