Republicans bash 'anti-Catholic' DFL ad (UPDATE II)

Republican leaders called on DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton to denounce a DFL mailer in a legislative race that some conservatives have deemed anti-Catholic.

"This is in-your-face anti-Catholicism," said state Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo. "It' a new low in Minnesota."

Dayton agreed at least part of the mailer went too far.

"I believe the brochure's picture showing a man of the cloth is inappropriate," Dayton said Wednesday in a statement. "I believe that it is inappropriate to bring religion into a campaign as this image and others do."

Dayton said, however, that the mailer was right to point out that leaders of the faith community have disagreed with Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's cuts to health care programs.

"The facts are that members of Minnesota's faith community have been leaders in the fight to stop Governor Pawlenty from denying health care to the poorest and sickest Minnesotans," Dayton said.

The mailer, sent to thousands of voters in Senate District 40 in Burnsville and Bloomington, features what appears to be a religious leader carrying a Bible, wearing a button that says "Ignore the Poor." On the other side, the mailer criticizes Republican Senate candidate Dan Hall, a preacher, for remaining silent as Pawlenty imposed budget cuts.

"Republicans have taken the picture out of context," said DFL Party Chairman Brian Melendez, noting that leaders in many Christian faiths wear a white collar. "There's nothing anti-Catholic about this piece."

Republicans tried to connect Dayton and his family to the brochure, noting that he, his family and former wife have donated $900,000 to the party.

But Republicans said they have no proof Dayton had any involvement in the mailer. Melendez insisted the gubernatorial candidate had no knowledge or involvement in the advertising campaign.

The leaders from the Catholic Defense League called on Melendez to apologize for the ad, which they saw as anti-Catholic.

"The images that are portrayed are definitely Catholic images and cannot be construed any other way," said Dick Houck, president of the group. "It's totally objectionable and we are demanding an apology to the many Catholics who are offended by this, and non-Catholics, as well."

"They are good ads," he said. "They are certainly getting attention, though maybe not the attention we were hoping for."

Late Wednesday afternoon, Pawlenty offered his two cents on the controversy. In a statement, he said:

Hall said the mailings were upsetting and inaccurate.

"I am just very disappointed that there would be any kind of political campaign stuff that would offend church people, or the Catholic Church, or any of that," he said in an interview.

He was offended by the content of the mailings directed at him.

He disagrees with the mailer for saying he didn't speak up against Pawlenty.

"I am not a legislator," he said. "I wasn't even campaigning at the time. I am sure there are many ministers that didn't speak up."

Hall said he hasn't studied Pawlenty's budget cuts or the nuances of the governor's decision on health care.

"I think we always have to take care of the poor and the needy," he said. "That's part of who I am."

Hall's rival, DFL state Sen. John Doll, said he was dissapointed by the ad campaign.

Here's a copy of the mailer:

Hall Piece 1