ALBANY, N.Y. -- What's in a name?
21st Congressional District Candidate Phil Steck (D) said, "My name is who I am. It stands for me. And I think I have the right to the integrity of my own name."
Plenty, especially when it's your name on webpages you didn't buy, while running for Congress.
Steck said, "The campaign of Tracey Brooks has purchased several worldwide web domain names and the names of others."
Let's say you're running for Congress and suddenly a group working with your opponent buys some website names - like ones with your name in them. It's apparently happened, and at least one candidate isn't too pleased. Our Steve Ference reports.
It seems Democrats are campaigning hard and taking names in the race for the 21st Congressional District seat now that Congressman Mike McNulty is not seeking re-election. Candidate Phil Steck is frustrated that a D.C. consulting firm hired by the Tracey Brooks campaign bought several domain names using her opponent's name and the names of potential opponents.
Steck said, "It's clearly unethical, and quite frankly I think it's childish."
Steck has a legitimate website, PhilSteck.com, but now can't own PhilSteck.org, among others. Former Assemblyman Paul Tonko could face the same issue, even though he hasn't even announced he's running.
Steck said, "This isn't at all like a billboard. When you purchase a billboard, it doesn't have my name on it."
But then the question becomes, was there any legal wrongdoing? Well, even Steck admits, it's a gray area.
He said, "There's a federal law which Congress passed, an effort to prohibit this contest. But in a political campaign this might fit in a loophole."
An official with the Brooks campaign said the move is necessary in modern politics. Anyone could have bought the domain names, and the consulting firm will only hold onto the webpages.
Officially, her campaign said, "Tracey Brooks has spent the last seven days visiting farmers, seniors, small business owners, manufacturing companies, technology learning centers and families across all seven counties of the 21st Congressional District talking about the issues that really matter to people. As for the real 'serious issues' like successfully ending the war in Iraq, successfully passing meaningful legislation that will bring more jobs, better security, broader health care coverage and a better quality of life for all the people of the Capital Region. Tracey Brooks is already out there talking about real issues and change while others remain silent."
Steck said, "Do I think this is going to play a major role in the election? No I don't."
In the end, both candidates hope to put this behind them and focus on more important things, namely the issues.