A mailer sent out criticizing a candidate for United States Congress is raising eyebrows for some in Tennessee's 3rd District.
The mailing suggests congressional candidate Chuck Fleischmann is a wasteful spender. To get the full story about his alleged support of earmarks, the flier suggests a phone number you can call.
That number, 1-800-Get-Some-Pork connects East Tennesseans to a phone sex line.
"Oh hi sexy, I'm so glad you called," greets callers before the hot line asks for credit card information.
The mailer was paid for the a group called Club for Growth, a federally registered 501 (c) (4) political organization. By law, their actions are not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
After hours Tuesday, the Club for Growth did not answer calls for comment from 10News. According to the group's website they are for limited government and economic freedom.
The group has endorsed another Republican, Robin Smith, in the race.
Neither Smith nor her campaign is allowed to coordinate with the group on any advertising they would do because of the group's federal status.
Mark Winslow, a spokesman for her campaign said Tuesday evening he hadn't seen the flier but that Smith has accepted the well-known conservative group's endorsement.
A spokesman for Chuck Fleischmann's campaign calls the mailer politics at it's worst.
"The club is the same group that has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Mrs. Smiths' behalf. We think she should distance herself from the club and return the money paid on her behalf," Jordan Powell, of the Fleischmann campaign said.
Federal campaign disclosures indicate Club for Growth has spent more than $107,000 for Smith's campaign this year, including a $76,000 contribution that was reported to the Federal Election Commission in July.
Fleischmann's campaign says they are tracking the amount Club for Growth has spent on television ads against Fleischmann and for Robin Smith. They estimate the amount at $80,000 spent in Knoxville and Chattanooga.
Powell said the campaign received several phone calls from supporters and volunteers in the district who had received the mailer.