Kemp Accuses Robertson of ‘Distortions’

The war of words between the campaigns of New York Rep. Jack Kemp and former religious broadcaster Pat Robertson escalated Friday, with Kemp accusing Robertson’s campaign of “deliberate distortions,” and Kemp aides charging that Robertson supporters had been responsible for spreading a false rumor that one of Kemp’s daughters had had an abortion.

In an address to the Conservative Political Action Committee in Washington, Kemp said: “I can’t insist that all candidates abide by Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment” not to speak ill of another Republican, “but all of us should abide by the 9th Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness,” he said to prolonged cheers.

Later at a press conference here, Kemp’s New Hampshire co-chairmen, former state Supreme Court justice Charles Douglas and U.S. Sen. Gordon J. Humphrey, lambasted the Robertson campaign for what they said were malicious attacks on their candidate’s reputation and record.

‘Incoming Rounds’

“We are not the USS Stark,” Douglas said. “We are not going to sit there and take incoming rounds and do nothing about it. So if Pat Robertson thought that we were, he’s in for a surprise.”

The two Kemp officials denounced Robertson for his use of a TV commercial that misleadingly suggests that the Wall Street Journal denounced Kemp’s economic policies, and for the distribution by a Robertson staffer of an abbreviated version of a report by the Biblical News Service that they said misrepresents Kemp’s strong conservative record. They demanded that Robertson order that both attacks on Kemp be stopped immediately.

In Merrimack, N.H., Robertson said: “We didn’t put out any of this stuff he’s talking about. . . . It’s ridiculous what he’s talking about.”

A Robertson spokeswoman, Teresa George, said that a campaign investigation had revealed that “no Robertson staff member was involved in the distribution” of the abbreviated Biblical News Service material.

‘Shots From Behind’

“We’re getting shots from behind,” George said. “New Hampshire is going to be a make or break state for Jack Kemp, and we’re his roadblock.”

Douglas said the abortion rumor had been circulated in Iowa in a letter distributed by the Iowa Citizens for America, which they said was allied with Robertson, and was being spread in New Hampshire by a telephone campaign waged by Robertson supporters.

Douglas and Humphrey admitted they had “no direct evidence” that the calls were being made by the Robertson campaign. They contended only that no other campaign would be motivated to launch an attack against Kemp.