One new Washington organization calling itself Working People for Truth yesterday began running the first of two commercials bashing businessman Tom Knox, who is largely financing his mayoral campaign out of his personal fortune.
The ad calls Knox a "fake," the same word used in a recent attack ad by U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, one of Knox's rivals in the May 15 Democratic primary.
"I don't think it's a coincidence," said Josh Morrow, Knox's campaign manager.
Brady spokesman Kate Philips denied there was a connection. "We're not afraid of Tom Knox's millions of dollars," she said. "We don't need a 527 to get our message out for us."
The candidates' campaigns must keep an arms-length relationship with the 527 organizations to comply with city laws governing campaign-finance limits. The 527s can accept unlimited contributions - from donors they need not identify - and spend as much as they want to advocate the election or defeat of a candidate, as long as they do not coordinate with candidates.
On Friday, Brady adviser Ken Smukler resigned from the campaign after it was revealed he had spoken with several people about creating 527 groups while working for Brady.
Smukler maintained yesterday that he had done nothing wrong in talking about the committees with Frank Keel, a close adviser to labor leader John Dougherty, and with former City Commissioner Alex Z. Talmadge Jr. Talmadge later created a group that vows to run anti-Knox TV ads.
"My idea was never to run a stealth campaign," Smukler said. But he said he regarded the 527 committees as the only way Knox opponents could counter the businessman's enormous financial advantage. Knox has given $5 million to his campaign. The courts have ruled that candidates cannot be limited in committing their own resources to their campaigns.
