NORTHEAST OHIO Cafaro to file complaint over LaTourette ad

The ad says Cafaro broke campaign finance rules.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A series of negative ads in a Northeast Ohio congressional race culminated Wednesday when a shopping mall heiress challenging Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette accused him of "outright lies" and said she would file a complaint.
Capri Cafaro, a 26-year-old Democratic millionaire who has financed the majority of her campaign, has asked TV stations to stop airing LaTourette's latest ad. The spot tells voters that Cafaro was granted immunity to testify "about her role" in the bribery case against imprisoned former Democratic Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.
Cafaro's father, J.J. Cafaro, was sentenced to probation in 2002 for bribing Traficant to help his company, the U.S. Aerospace Group. Capri Cafaro, who served as the company's president, was not charged with any wrongdoing.
"My testimony was never about my actions but the actions of others. My conduct was never called into question," Cafaro said.
Her testimony
The ad refers to Cafaro's testimony when she said her father reimbursed her for campaign contributions she made. The LaTourette campaign says that constitutes money laundering.
"I can no longer stand by and permit him to denigrate me, violate my rights and my integrity with outright lies," Cafaro said.
Cafaro has hired Columbus attorney Don McTigue to file a complaint against LaTourette with the Ohio Elections Commission.
McTigue said he expected to file the complaint late Wednesday.
The ad also says Cafaro broke campaign finance rules by accepting a contribution eight times the legal limit. A complaint about $16,000 in contributions Cafaro received from her sister, Renee, is pending in the Federal Election Commission. Cafaro said she has paid back the money. The legal limit is $2,000 per person.
Outsourcing claim
Cafaro, meanwhile, has launched two ads attacking LaTourette for outsourcing jobs to Mexico, India and China, and having a romantic relationship with a woman who lobbies the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, of which LaTourette is a member.
The Cafaro campaign could not immediately explain its outsourcing claim.
LaTourette has acknowledged a relationship with Jennifer Laptook, his former chief of staff who is now a Washington lobbyist, but says Laptook has never lobbied him or his committee. Cafaro's campaign couldn't immediately produce documents proving otherwise.
Ohio Democratic Party officials have asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate LaTourette's relationship for possible law violations, but LaTourette said he obtained waivers from the House Ethics Committee so he would not have to report gifts exchanged with Laptook. Cafaro's campaign claims it has been unable to find the waivers.