"Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-Jamaica) has sunk into the gutter by slanderously calling Republicans religious and ethnic bigots, just to raise money for his campaign," declared Grant Lally, the Republican candidate for Congress in New York's Fifth Congressional District. "It is despicable for Ackerman to stoop to religious and racial bigotry just to raise money."

"Ackerman has a dismal record of public service. After eighteen years on the public payroll, Gary Ackerman could not find one good thing to say about himself. Instead, Ackerman calls me 'fascistic' and makes slanderous charges about race and religion to raise a buck for his campaign."

Lally was referring to a fundraising solicitation sent recently by Ackerman. In that letter, asking for money, Ackerman charged that the Republican Party believes that there are "too many blacks, Jews, and women in Congress." But Ackerman knows that the Republican Majority in Congress is made up of the broadest spectrum of Americans, men and women of many races and creeds that constitute one America.

"I want to run a strong campaign on the issues." stated Lally. "Ackerman is a radical liberal. He voted against a balanced budget, tax cuts, real welfare reform, a crime bill that punishes criminals and protects families, and term limits, just to name a few of his bad votes," Lally continued.

"Ackerman is saying 'Republicans hate Jews, Republicans hate blacks, Republicans hate women'. This is slanderous, inflammatory, and appeals to people's worst fears and instincts. It is an outrage." added Lally.

"The Republican Party is campaigning against Ackerman, just like we are campaigning against David Bonior and Dick Gephart, because they are all against lower taxes and the common sense reforms being proposed in this Congress."

"Ackerman's fundraising letter is a slap in the face to all Americans," Lally continued. "Ackerman is trying to divide us along religious lines. He calls Christians 'radical, militant, and extremists' in his solicitation. He shows absolutely no respect to all victims of genocide by wantonly using the genocide word 'cleanse' to refer to a political campaign. Gary Ackerman has descended into the obscene and put his self interest ahead of his country, his religion, and all people of faith."

"Gary Ackerman is practicing the politics of division and hate, just like David Duke, Louis Farrakhan, and Al Sharpton," Lally concludes. "Ackerman is trying to polarize Americans for money. Gary Ackerman has disgraced his name forever. And it should be."