By Joe Biesk
The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - Democrat Ben Chandler's campaign complained Friday about a mailing Republican Ernie Fletcher sent to state merit system employees this week.

Prince Moore, a state worker and union steward, said co-workers complained to him about receiving the mailing at work and now he plans to file a formal complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance on Monday. Moore, 58, said he did not personally receive the mailing but felt intimidated when he saw a copy of it.

"I am completely outraged that state employees are receiving letters at their worksites," Moore said.

Fletcher spokesman Wes Irvin said the campaign mailed about 5,800 letters - dated Oct. 29 - to state employees to "set the record straight" about the 6th District congressman's plans for the state merit system.

"It was appropriate, legal and necessary to set the record straight when it comes to issues of importance to state employees," Irvin said.

Those employees whose home addresses were available received the mailing where they live, Irvin said. State employees for whom Fletcher's campaign did not have home addresses were sent the mailing at work, Irvin said.

Moore said co-workers were "surprised" to receive such political literature and approached him after they received the mailing at work.

State law prohibits campaigns from soliciting money and services from merit system employees.

Chandler's campaign manager Mark Nickolas said Fletcher's campaign was "skirting" the law with the mailing.

"I hope to have your support in next week's election, as I continue to work to bring real change to Frankfort," the letter read.

Nickolas said it was "inappropriate" to contact employees at work.

Still, Irvin said Chandler's campaign had been "spreading rumors" that Fletcher would dismantle the state merit system, a system that offers certain protections to some state employees.

"I don't see the concern there. They've been lied to saying that Ernie was going to destroy the merit system, this was a legal and expeditious way to get things out . . . ," Irvin said. "We felt it was important to set the record straight and they deserve to know that."

However, Bill Londrigan, president of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, said Fletcher should not have contacted merit employees at work.

"That's total hogwash in that they have spent millions of dollars trying to get their message out to the voting population of Kentucky and that includes state employees," Londrigan said. "They could have used the normal mechanisms that they have. . . . They didn't have to stoop to this underhanded method of trying to coerce and intimidate state employees."

Russell Lloyd, a union attorney, said they plan to file the complaint on Monday. Fletcher would have 15 days to reply, Lloyd said.