GILBERTSVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Republican Party officials in Kentucky filed a criminal complaint against the Democratic challenger to Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The complaint seeks charges of petty larceny and destruction of property against Bruce Lunsford for allegedly taking a recording device belong to a Republican operative, following a candidates' debate between McConnell and Lunsford, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal said Thursday.
Republican officials said the digital recording device -- which apparently had been placed on Lunsford's podium before the debate -- has been returned, but hours of content had been deleted first, the newspaper reported.
Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the criminal complaint was filed with the Marshall County attorney's office. The office would not release a copy of the complaint, but an assistant county attorney said the complaint named Lunsford and others.
An official with the Lunsford campaign told the newspaper the campaign suspects the digital recorder was placed on Lunsford's podium in an attempt to catch him saying things under his breath during the debate.
Kentucky state Senate President David Williams accused Lunsford of engaging in a "political dirty trick," the newspaper said.
