"The Real Democrat"

By Ann E. Marimow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 17, 2006; Montgomery Magazine, Page 2

Ruben picked apart Raskin's positions in several legal cases to suggest that he helped elect President George W. Bush "through his support of third party candidates" and is aligned with "radical pro-life groups that intimidate women and doctors."

Raskin's campaign immediately condemned the mailer as "lies, fabrications and distortions" and demanded an apology for the "vicious Karl Rove-like attacks."

His campaign Web site urges voters to mark the flier: "Return to Sender/No Negative Politics Accepted."

A constitutional lawyer, Raskin supported Bill Clinton's re-election in 1996 and the right of third-party candidate Ross Perot to participate in presidential debates.

In 2003, he wrote a brief in a case to try to protect protestors protesters from being prosecuted under criminal racketeering laws. His position, which was supported by eight Supreme Court justices, was at odds with the National Organization for Women.

"I was standing up for a basic First Amendment principle," said Raskin, who had been working for Greenpeace and a labor union at the time. "It has nothing to do with the issue of abortion. It's all about the right of protestors protesters, and it's beneath the dignity of our politics to put this type of trashy material in people's mailboxes."

Ruben's campaign manager Philip Olivetti said the senator stands by the substance of the flier, which that was sent to 15,000 likely Democratic voters in the district that includes Takoma Park and Silver Spring and Takoma Park.

"It's important that the voters know her record of accomplishments, and it's important that they have all the facts about her opponent," Olivetti said.

The controversy gave Raskin a boost from Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D). He denounced Ruben's mailer, saying, "This kind of Karl Rove politics has no place in the Democratic Party. The voters should demand a clean and honest campaign."