Date: Fri 16-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

politics-Ganim-McKinney

Full Text:

Ganim Attack Ads Raise Lots Of Smoke In 28th District Race

BNY STEVE BIGHAM

Democrat Tom Ganim went on the offensive two years ago in his effort to unseat

incumbent Fred Lovegrove from the State Senate's 28th District seat. He had 16

years of Mr Lovegrove's public service to attack.

But there is no incumbent this time around. Mr Lovegrove stepped down in

February. The race is wide open. Republican John McKinney is in his first ever

political campaign. He does not have a political record to defend.

These days, however, Mr McKinney is busy defending a different record -- that

of his professional career.

Late last week, Mr Ganim accused his Republican opponent of trying to hide the

fact that he once worked as a lobbyist for United States Tobacco, one of the

nation's largest manufacturers of cigarettes. Mr McKinney's resume, found on

his law firm's web site, once included his past work for UST. However, the

resume now states only that Mr McKinney spent a "brief career in public

affairs."

Mr Ganim said his opponent appears to be hiding his past from the public.

"It was on his resume in April and he was proud of it then," Mr Ganim said.

"He doesn't want anyone to know he works and lobbied for one of the Big 5

tobacco companies in the country, a tobacco company that is targeting our

kids."

Mr Ganim is currently running radio ads attacking Mr McKinney's UST

involvement.

Responding to Mr Ganim's allegations this week, Mr McKinney said he is not

hiding the fact that he worked as an intern for UST for a year or two after

college. "It was a job," he said. "I worked there until 1991. I left there to

go to law school."

"I'm not hiding anything," he said. "My resume has not changed. My law firm's

web page was updated, but not by me."

Mr McKinney said Mr Ganim's comments are "littered with misinterpretation of

facts," which are misleading to both the public and the press.

"My general reaction is, `here we go again,'" Mr McKinney said. "Mr Ganim

seems to know only one way to campaign. It's sleazy and it's a sign of

desperation. Maybe he feels like the only way he can win is to personally

attack me."

Newtown's Republican Town Committee chairman Marie Sturdevant agreed, calling

Mr Ganim's actions desperate measures by a desperate man.

Mr Ganim has also claimed that someone from US Tobacco made a contribution to

Mr McKinney's campaign -- a statement McKinney says is totally unfounded.

"He refuses to print a retraction. He's not being fair. He's not being

honest," Mrs Sturdevant said.

Mr Ganim is also using the radio waves to inform voters that Mr McKinney's law

firm, Cummings & Lockwood, is currently defending UST in a lawsuit filed by

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Mr McKinney, however, has denied his

opponent's allegations that he was a "lead attorney" in the case.

Both candidates have stated their support for smoke-free campuses and programs

to keep teens away from cigarettes.

District 28 covers Fairfield, Easton, Newtown and parts of Monroe.

Rest assured, this campaign is heating up. The two candidates are scheduled to

lock horns at a handful of debates in the coming weeks. Both are expected to

be in Newtown Tuesday, October 27 for Pizza & Politics at the Fireside Inn.