Complaint filed over fundraising letter questioning faith of Catholic Democrats...

[Ghost in the Machine]

Complaint filed over fundraising letter questioning faith of Catholic Democrats...

By David Goldstein

WASHINGTON _ Did Republican Sen. Sam Brownback question the religious commitment of several Catholic Democrats who support abortion rights, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy?

And did he do so in a letter allegedly under his signature?

A government watchdog group asked the Senate Ethics Committee on Wednesday to look into the matter. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, known as CREW, filed a complaint over the letter.

Brownback spokesman Brian Hart said the ethics committee told the senator's office Wednesday afternoon that the letter did not appear to violate Senate rules. However, the ethics committee declined to comment.

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said she hasn't heard anything since filing the complaint. "I'm pretty confident in my reading of the rules," she said, adding, "If you can get something out of (the committee) in a year, you're doing well. They just don't decide in an afternoon."

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