Columbus -- With polls showing him so far behind that he could drag the entire Republican ticket down to defeat, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell launched an attack last week that took political discourse in Ohio to unplumbed depths.
In the last of four debates, Blackwell accused his Democratic rival for governor, Rep. Ted Strickland, of covering up for a campaign staff member who exposed himself to children and supporting the platform of NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association.
By the week's end, the allegations had become more bizarre and outlandish.
Jerome Corsi, who co-authored a book with Blackwell and co-wrote the "Swift boat" book that helped sink John Kerry's presidential candidacy, was cranking out daily columns about sexual rumors "swirling in the Buckeye State" and lam- basting Ohio reporters for not pursuing the story.
Sean Hannity, the conservative commentator who is a co-host on Fox News' "Hannity and Colmes Show," conducted an interview with Bill Cunningham, a Cincinnati radio host who has campaigned for Blackwell, in which Cunningham accused Strickland of traveling to Italy with his "boy toy" campaign staffer.
In turn, Strickland, meeting with reporters and editors at the Cincinnati Enquirer, broke character and angrily asserted his heterosexuality.
"No, I am not gay, although it is none of their business in the first place," he said. "I am married to Frances, a very wonderful woman, and have been for 18 years."
Busy fanning the flames of this conflict has been an unlikely Blackwell supporter - Scott Pullins, a Mount Vernon lawyer who heads the Ohio Taxpayers Association. A former ally of ex-House Speaker Larry Householder, Pullins frequently clashed with Blackwell in 2004 when Blackwell and federal authorities were investigating the fund-raising practices of Householder and his top aides. No charges were ever filed.
Pullins has repeatedly questioned Strickland's sexuality in interviews and on his political blog. Recently, he took his attacks to a new level, publishing lurid allegations about Strickland without any evidence.
Pullins said as much in a disclaimer he included: "WARNING: As I stated above, these are entirely rumors at this point with no substantiation whatsoever!"
Strickland expressed disgust Tuesday when asked about the postings.
"This guy is an attorney? Unbelievable," he said. "And then he puts out that warning, I guess because he thinks it gives him some kind of legal cover.
"These people are moral midgets. It's just incredible."
Pullins responded angrily when asked to produce evidence for his claims.
"I've seen some of the crap that your paper's published, so save the lecture," he said.
Pullins said Strickland is lying when he says he was unaware that the campaign worker was convicted of public indecency in 1994 for exposing himself near an elementary school in Athens. Strickland says he received an anonymous letter in 1998 during a heated campaign, asked the man about it and dropped the matter after the staffer denied it. After the campaign, the staffer accompanied Strickland on a trip to Italy. He left Strickland's staff in 1999.
The Plain Dealer is not identifying him because his misdemeanor conviction was sealed in 2002.
Although Pullins has alienated many Republicans (he sued GOP Rep. Thomas Collier this year after Collier called him "a scoundrel, liar and cheat" in a newspaper interview), he said he supports Blackwell because Strickland "will increase government spending and look for ways to raise taxes."
Blackwell's spokesman, Carlo LoParo, disavowed the new charges leveled by Pullins.
"Some of them are, let's just say, not substantiated," he said. "There's a very clear line of distinction. When Secretary Blackwell raised the issue in the debate, he raised it as an issue of judgment."
LoParo also said Blackwell is not questioning Strickland's sexuality. "It's absurd and disrespectful for anyone to bring it up," he said.
But LoParo said Blackwell also questions Strickland's judgment for agreeing with NAMBLA by not supporting a congressional resolution in 1999 that condemned an article about child sexual abuse.
Strickland, a psychologist, said he disagreed with the resolution's assertion that an abused child cannot have healthy relationships as an adult.
Strickland said he believes the publicity over his handling of the case involving his campaign worker and the NAMBLA issue harm Blackwell more than him, but he said he's concerned that political campaigns have become increasingly uncivil.
"I'm not a novice," he said. "I've been through a lot of really rough campaigns as a congressman, but it seems as if the fringe element has invaded the mainstream in this election."
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