Republican Sen. David Vitter is finding himself increasingly under attack by the Louisiana Democratic Party as the 2010 Senate race fast approaches.Within days, the Democrats filed an ethics complaint against Vitter and launched a “tongue-in-cheek” Web site characterizing him as a hypocrite.Chris Whittington, chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party, filed a sworn ethics complaint Friday with the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, accusing Vitter of using taxpayer-funded town hall meetings to attack Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville — engaging in political activity with public funds.”These actions constitute a potential ethical violation on the part of Senator Vitter and deserve further investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee to determine whether appropriated funds were used for campaign purposes,” the complaint said.Vitter’s office fired back, using the complaint as evidence the Democrats are trying to stifle free speech.”The Democrats’ reaction to these town halls across America is to try to shut down the debate and suggest that it’s somehow out of bounds,” said Joel DiGrado, Vitter’s communications director, in response to the ethics complaint. “Well, it’s not out of bounds because this is still America,” he said.DiGrado also questioned why Melancon hasn’t held a town hall meeting — like Vitter — on health care. “Instead of trying to shut down free speech, why doesn’t Charlie Melancon have at least a single in-person town hall this month? Senator Vitter is having 19,” he said.Melancon’s office would not comment on the ethics complaint.The Democrats launched a Web site — www.doingavitter.com — only three days later that will “offer tongue-in-cheek commentary on Vitter’s personal escapades, serve as a clearinghouse for information on Vitter’s record as a public official and create an online community for Democratic activists in Louisiana.”The site draws its name from a comparison, made by an anonymous Republican staffer, between Vitter and Sen. John Ensign — two embattled Republican senators who have been dogged by sex scandals.”The Republican, who was not identified, accused Sen. John Ensign of ‘trying to do a Vitter’ after the Nevada Republican admitted having an extramarital affair with a member of his staff,” the news release said.Kevin Franck, spokesman for the Louisiana Democratic Party, brushed aside the notion the site only serves to personally attack Vitter.”If David Vitter continues to run his campaign with taxpayer funds, if David Vitter continues to engage in rank hypocrisy, then he should not expect to be pampered by the Louisiana Democratic Party,” Franck said. Vitter’s office couldn’t be reached for comment on the Web site.____
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