BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER -- A Hamilton County Republican Party operative who Democrats say "crosses the line" in campaigns is helping raise money in the Cincinnati area for Gex "Jay" Williams' congressional bid.
Christopher Finney, who has Northern Kentucky ties, is already arranging a fall fund-raiser for Mr. Williams that will be co-hosted by Cincinnati Republican councilman Phil Heimlich and feature an appearance by U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, a Terrace Park Republican. Mr. Finney said he believes Mr. Williams will find success raising money in the Cincinnati area.
"Hamilton County is conservative and Republican, and Gex Williams is conservative and Republican," Mr. Finney said. "He's running to take (U.S. Rep.) Jim Bunning's seat, and historically that has been a seat people in Cincinnati have been interested in keeping in Republican hands."
Mr. Finney heads Family First, a conservative Political Action Committee. He is also chairman of a citizens' committee that reviews levy requests for Hamilton County and is an active member in the county's Republican Party.
Tim Burke, the chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, called Mr. Finney "the Republican attack dog of the far right." "He's an impressive lawyer, and he knows politics," Mr. Burke said.
"But he is also very far right and generally has a take-no-prisoners attitude," said Mr. Burke.
Mr. Finney wrote attack ads in a 1996 1st District Appeals Court race in Hamilton County between Judge Lee Hildebrandt and former Democratic U.S. Rep. David Mann, who claimed the ads were untrue. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Judge Hildebrandt, a Republican, knowingly aired false radio and TV ads. The ads claimed that Mr. Mann voted to end the death penalty while a congressman.
"I'm a little surprised that Gex Williams would team up with someone who has such a checkered background," said Walton attorney Mark Guilfoyle, a member of Mr. Lucas' campaign team.
Cincinnati City Councilman Todd Portune, a Democrat, described Mr. Finney as "cutting, sharp and definitely intelligent." "But he has also been involved in ads and campaigns that have been inaccurate and misleading," he said. "He crosses the line."
