POWELL TAKES ISSUE WITH PELTS; STATEMENT AGAINST WEBSTER EXAMINED

ROLLA -- The former chairman of the Missouri Republican Party on Saturday called Bootheel GOP leader Mark Pelts "a fraud for holding himself out to be a Republican."

Pelts, a 37-year-old attorney from Kennett, last week sent out 2,000 letters expressing his concern about William Webster's candidacy for governor. Although the letters did not say so, Pelts supports Webster's opponent, Democratic Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan.

Late Saturday, former state GOP leader John Powell called Pelts "the worst kind of political animal, trading on former associations to make himself look important."

Pelts was one of five Republicans named to the State Senatorial Redistricting Commission last year, and holds a Republican seat on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents. He was appointed by Gov. John Ashcroft. He also has been a coordinator for U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond.

Powell said Pelts has endorsed Ross Perot for president and has held a fund-raising event in his home for the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, Roger Wilson.

"In fact," Powell said in a statement sent to media outlets, "I don't know of a single Republican this man is supporting."

Powell called Pelts' letter "scurrilous and a pack of lies. It was obviously written with the aid of the Carnahan people with the expressed purpose of attempting to harm Bill Webster."