By Joe Biesk
The Associated Press

MIDWAY, Ky. - Republican Steve Nunn said Saturday he plans to apologize to opponent Ernie Fletcher for a statement made in court papers his campaign filed this week that compared the Congressman to Yasser Arafat.

Nunn also said he plans to file new briefs to the Kentucky Court of Appeals on Monday, as well as fire the attorney who wrote them.

On Friday, attorneys for Nunn's running mate, Bob Heleringer, filed papers asking the state Court of Appeals to set aside a ruling leaving Fletcher on the ballot.

Those papers contained a statement that questioned Fletcher's credibility when he took the stand.

"Partisan politics aside, Ernie Fletcher, although rather more personable, was no more credible than Yasser Arafat. He was blatantly evasive, meandering and disingenuous," the papers said.

Sam Manly, a Jefferson County attorney for the Nunn campaign, said he wrote the brief and included the mention of Arafat. Hesaid Nunn did not see the brief before it was filed.