I have no reason to believe that if the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee illegally obtained a credit report of one Republican that they wouldn't have done so for others if they could have...

And the GOP clearly suspects the same thing...

The Republican Party started its own inquiry yesterday into whether the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee accessed credit reports on more people than Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, a potential candidate in the upcoming U.S. Senate race.

National Republican Senatorial Committee attorneys took the first step by sending a letter to the Democratic committee that asks which candidates have had their credit information accessed by committee staffers.

The letter from William J. McGinley and Cleta Mitchell requested information on "how the credit report(s) were accessed, which credit report(s) were accessed, whether any other forms of private financial data were accessed and [whether staffers accessed] any other relevant information related to this serious situation."

Roll Call notes that this is likely to hurt the Democrats...

In Maryland, the revelations could hurt the Democrats’ attempts to hold the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D) next year.

Since Steele rose to prominence in state and national politics, Democrats have fretted that his presence as the Republican Senate nominee could cut into the Democrats’ traditionally overwhelming support from black voters.

Already some state Democratic leaders have been criticized by black Democrats for favoring Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D), who is white, over former Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D), in the race to replace Sarbanes. With the publicity surrounding the DSCC and Steele, some black voters may frown upon the fact that a Democratic political organization was conducting improper opposition research on a black Republican.

“You’re just giving [Republicans] an excellent weapon to point at Democrats and particularly to use to target African-Americans,” warned Isiah Leggett, a former chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party. “Steele will not need to win the African-American vote. He just needs to increase the percentage. Even if he gets 18 or 19 percent, that’s the ballgame.”

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Tracked on December 22, 2005 12:49 PM