McCain: Reports On Lobbyist A 'Smear'

Responding to published reports about an alleged inappropriate professional and romantic relationship with a lobbyist, Sen. John McCain said he "will not allow a smear campaign" to distract from his presidential campaign. The New York Times quoted anonymous aides as saying they had urged Sen. McCain and lobbyist Vicki Iseman to stay away from each other prior to his failed presidential campaign in 2000. In its own follow-up story, The Washington Post quoted longtime aide John Weaver, who split with Sen. McCain last year, as saying he met with Ms. Iseman and urged her to stay away from Sen. McCain. Mr. Weaver told the Times he arranged the meeting after "a discussion among the campaign leadership" about Ms. Iseman.

Aides said the moderate-conservative Republican, now on the verge of securing the Republican Party nomination, would address the allegations at a news conference this morning.

The published reports said Sen. McCain and Ms. Iseman each denied having a romantic relationship. Neither story asserted that there was a romantic relationship and offered no evidence that there was one, reporting only that aides worried about the appearance of Sen. McCain having close ties to a lobbyist with business before the Senate Commerce Committee on which Sen. McCain served. The stories allege that Sen. McCain wrote letters and pushed legislation involving television station ownership that would have benefited Ms. Iseman's clients.

In a statement issued by Sen. McCain's presidential campaign, spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said: "It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election. Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career." The statement also insisted his actions didn't benefit any one party or favor any particular interest.