DFL party chairman Brian Melendez said Saturday night he regrets calling Sen. Norm Coleman a "lying sack of crap" in St. Cloud while discussing allegations surrounding Coleman's campaign.
Coleman said he's under an "eleventh hour" attack after two recently filed lawsuits allege that a friend and donor improperly directed money to Coleman's wife's employer.
The issue has marred the tightly contested race between the incumbent Republican and Democratic candidate Al Franken.
Melendez said he is angered by Coleman's efforts to tie the issue to the DFL and Franken in a new television ad.
"What a lying sack of crap," Melendez said, referring to Coleman. "You can quote me on that."
In a statement released Saturday night, Melendez said he regrets his choice of words.
"Norm Coleman is falsely accusing Al Franken of involvement in the lawsuit," Melendez said. "Norm should prove it and if not, take the ad down and apologize."
Coleman's campaign manager, Cullen Sheehan, says it's clear that Melendez has "personal contempt" for Coleman's family and has "stooped to a new low."
Sheehan said Franken should "completely condemn" what Melendez said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
