When the Republican Party of Kentucky issues a press release, of course.

Even though the RPK’s latest release attacking David Boswell has some merit, it’s obviously timed to impact Boswell’s poll numbers over Guthrie.

Anyway, take a look at the release:

RPK CHAIRMAN: Is David Boswell Illegally Using State Senate Campaign Account to Fund Congressional Race?

FRANKFORT – Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson today called on State Senator and Second District Congressional Candidate David Boswell (D-Owensboro) to release a full accounting of his State Senate reelection campaign finances to ensure no funds from that account are being illegally used in his Congressional Campaign.

Read the rest of the release after the jump. But keep in mind Boswell also has a state senate re-election campaign for 2010 open and is filing reports with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. Meaning Boswell is raising funds for 2010 in case he loses his current race. Meaning the RPK should be able to figure out that Boswell isn’t violating campaign finance law by accepting a $100 contribution. (That is, as long as Boswell actually held an event for his state senate campaign and not his congressional race.)

We wish the RPK would stand up against all campaign finance shenanigans and not just those that potentially benefit their candidate of choice. It would do the Republican Party quite a bit of good to actually be at the forefront of an issue for once. The RPK attacked Bruce Lunsford for paying to appear on the CW in Louisville but neglected to mention Michael Cassaro, who did the very same thing. The RPK ignored every single thing Greg Fischer’s campaign pulled during the primary. So now it’s tough to take the party seriously on matters of campaign finance.

Bowell’s State Senate fund has received at least one donation recently from State Representative Susan Westrom (D-Lexington). A June 24 finance report filed by Westrom shows a $100 contribution to an account called “Re-Elect David Boswell” on May 1. Kentucky law says legislators can only give contributions from their campaign accounts to other legislators in conjunction with an event.

“My questions are: when did David Boswell hold a fundraiser for his State Senate campaign? And is he spending money from his State Senate account on his congressional race? Campaign finance laws exist to protect citizens from abuse, and they deserve answers,” Robertson said.

Boswell’s state Senate seat isn’t up until 2010.

“Either David Boswell is illegally raising money into his State Senate account for use in his Congressional campaign, or Susan Westrom illegally donated $100 to Boswell’s State Senate campaign account. Both of them need to come clean and get right with Kentucky campaign finance law immediately,” Robertson said.

“The people of the Second Congressional District deserve to know whether or not David Boswell is conducting his campaign in an ethical manner,” Robertson said. “While I believe most candidates for office deserve the benefit of the doubt, Senator Boswell’s shady history with campaign expenditures tells me this deserves extra scrutiny.”

In 1987, while serving as Commissioner of Agriculture and running for Lt. Governor, Boswell was questioned for spending nearly $40,000 from his state office budget on materials the media believed promoted his campaign for Lt Governor. In fact, Boswell bought and distributed yard sticks and grocery bags with his name on them using taxpayer dollars. This year, he used money from his congressional campaign account to purchase an SUV.

“David Boswell has a history of abusing funds from various sources in the midst of political campaigns. I just want to make sure that his past indiscretions aren’t reemerging in this campaign. This election should be fair, open, and free from the kind of abuse Boswell visited on Kentucky taxpayers in campaigns past,” Robertson concluded.