



ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- A television ad attacking two Central Florida lawmakers running in next week's Republican primary was yanked Tuesday after station officials acknowledged it contained misleading statements.

State Rep. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, who is running for an open state Senate seat, complained to local television stations about the ad paid for by Florida Consumer Advocates, a newly formed group with ties to the state's trial lawyers.

The 30-second ad features an older woman scolding Constantine and state Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg, for "trying to sell my personal records, my drivers license information to sleazy phone solicitors and junk mailers."

The commercial refers to a law passed in 1998, which was repealed the following year and never enacted that would have allowed the state to sell drivers license photos and other information to a company wanting to use the information for a business designed to curb fraud.

But the law specifically prohibited the information from being sold for other purposes, such as telemarketing, Constantine said.

"It's shameful that certain individuals and special interest groups will go to any means to win -- any means, including lying, to win," Constantine said.

Constantine said the ads are yet another sign trial lawyers are seeking retribution for GOP-led legislation in recent years that placed limits on lawsuits and product liability. Constantine's opponent in the District 9 Republican primary is Orlando trial lawyer Kevin Cannon.

Tampa lawyer Dale Swope, vice president of Florida Consumer Advocates, said Tuesday he was aware local television officials were reviewing the ad because of Constantine's complaint. But Swope, a board member of The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, said the ad is accurate.

Swope said Cannon had nothing to do with the ad.

For his part, Cannon said he had no part in the ad or any other campaign material from such "third parties." He said his ads "are positive and they are accurate."

Florida Consumer Advocates is one of the more active groups statewide taking advantage of an unresolved federal court case allowing it to raise and spend money without having to follow the same disclosure laws that apply to political action groups registered with the state.

The ads, which began airing Monday, were yanked by the three major network affiliates Tuesday, Constantine said. Officials with WKMG-Channel 6 could not be reached. But officials with WESH-Channel 2 and WFTV-Channel 9 said they axed the ads because of concerns it was not accurate.

"We felt it was misleading and inaccurate and we pulled it," said WFTV General Manager David Lippoff.

One of the station's concerns, Lippoff said, concerned whether the ad accurately represented the "intent" of lawmakers when they approved a voluminous transportation bill during the 1998 session.

An amendment tacked on at the last minute allowed the sale of the drivers license information. Many lawmakers complained later they didn't realize the implications of the new law when they voted on it. Public outcry prompted lawmakers to kill the move.

Joe Chaplinski, WESH's general sales manager, said his station pulled the ad upon legal advice. He said his lawyers told him determining the accuracy of the ad "was a very close call either way."

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