Star-Tribune Editorial Board

In the game of gubernatorial "gotcha" that's being played in Cheyenne, it's difficult to tell if anyone is winning.

It's certain, however, that the public isn't gaining anything useful.

This week Gov. Dave Freudenthal's campaign filed a complaint with Secretary of State Joe Meyer. It charged that Republican challenger Ray Hunkins' two recent campaign financial reports listed $40,000 in credit card payments, without detailing what the cards were used for.

The complaint has merit. Simply listing such a large amount in credit card payments does not provide enough information to let the public know how the Hunkins campaign is spending its campaign funds, which is the purpose of the reporting law.

But Freudenthal's campaign coordinator, Ryan Lance, crossed the line when he speculated in his letter to Meyer that Hunkins' campaign might have used the credit card payments to reimburse John Hancock and Associates, a Missouri political consulting firm.

The Wyoming Republican Party hired the Hancock firm to look at state records from Freudenthal's first term in office that relate to his travel expenses and contracts his family members have with the state. Both Hunkins and Wyoming GOP Chairman Drake Hill both said no money from Hunkins' campaign was used to pay the Missouri company.

Even though the governor's campaign raised the issue, it presented no evidence to Meyer that such an expenditure was made by Hunkins. It just said that given the vagueness of the report, it could have happened.

Of course the money could have been used for any number of legitimate expenses that have nothing to do with the Republican Party's interest in Freudenthal's records. To suggest that it did appears to be an attempt to throw some mud and hope something sticks - if not with election officials, at least in the minds of voters.

The governor's campaign would have been wise to simply file the complaint and let Meyer handle it. But it didn't.

Hunkins called the complaint "much ado about nothing" and said he would release his credit card records if Freudenthal will, too.

Lance initially said no. Then he called The Associated Press to say Freudenthal's campaign would provide the information after all.

A final flip-flop was forthcoming. Lance issued a news release that stated Freudenthal's credit card records would be released, but only if the secretary of state deemed it legally necessary.

What began as a valid complaint has now been muddled almost beyond recognition. Meyer has turned the matter over to Attorney General Pat Crank to determine if the secretary of state's office needs to take any action.

Hunkins' campaign finance filings are too vague to be of any value to the public. He should quickly volunteer to fill in the blanks and explain what the $40,000 was spent for, without waiting for Crank or Meyer to tell him to do so.

And the Freudenthal campaign should stop speculating about its opponent.

Finally, both camps should focus on issues rather than trying to pin something on the other guy. The latter approach is no way to reach Wyoming voters.