Made-up headlines highlight GOP campaign

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 2 (UPI) -- Spinning newspaper headlines are a staple of campaign ads, but now Illinois Republicans are objecting because some of those headlines are made up.

Gubernatorial candidate and dairy magnate Jim Oberweis began airing the ads statewide this week, suggesting Republican front-runner Judy Baar Topinka, the state treasurer is ethically challenged. The bogus headlines sport mastheads from the Chicago Sun-Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Chicago Tribune and the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register.

Topinka campaign manager Terry Barnich told the Post-Dispatch the ads are clear distortions and "out-and-out lies." But Oberweis campaign manager Joe Wiegand said they are just a creative way of getting a point across quickly.

State GOP Executive Director John Tsarpalas said the spots are under investigation. He urged the candidates to play nice.

The Illinois Republican primary is March 21.