The Washington, D.C. attorney whose name a David Walrath campaign aide admitted signing on letters to the editor has demanded an apology from the campaign and is contemplating legal action against the aide.

"I'm shocked at what this man did," Kevin McGuiness said about fake letters signed with his name as the author. Matt Moran, a volunteer staff member with the Walrath campaign, admitted sending such letters to the editor of two newspapers.

"I expect at minimum an apology from the campaign, but I am considering, once I know the extent of the problem what legal steps I need to take to correct what has happened and make sure it never happens again."

McGuiness also called Rep Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, whom David Walrath is running against, and reassured him he had nothing to do with the letters and is still a strong supporter. The letters ran in the Utica Observer Dispatch and The Citizen and were critical of Boehlert, his supporters and coverage in the newspapers.

Walrath, a former Cayuga County legislator from Sennett, and Boehlert are both Republicans, but come from different ends of that political party. Boehlert is a moderate, and Walrath describes himself as a fiscal conservative who has more in common with the people of the congressional district than his opponent.

Meanwhile, Moran, who also worked on Walrath's unsuccessful 2002 campaign, has taken responsibility for what he called "a dishonest mistake. I've taken my hit and it's time to move on," he said.

Moran said he does not know if he will continue on Walrath's campaign. Walrath said if Moran remains a volunteer, he will have "a markedly reduced role."

Walrath said he was upset because what happened "was not my style. I had no knowledge and I do not condone that type of tactic, even though I have been the victim of it," he said. "My campaign is about issues and finding better solutions to problems faced by the area and this nation."

Walrath said he has never shied away form confrontation and he has no problem signing his name to his own statements, even if they are construed as attacks on his opponents.

Moran told the Utica Observer-Dispatch last week that he chose McGuiness because his law firm has given campaign contributions to Boehlert. The law firm, McGuiness & Holch, also represents the Oneida Indian Nation

But Monday, when Moran met with representatives of The Citizen, he said he did not mean to have the letters he wrote to the newspapers appear to have come from that particular Kevin McGuiness.

McGuiness, he pointed out, lives in Virginia and the Kevin McGuiness Moran admitted fabricating was reportedly from Clinton.

Moran said he would contact McGuiness to apologize, but McGuiness said Monday afternoon he had not heard from Moran.

Moran said although he regrets the incident, it is common practice in political campaigns to write letters and then have someone else sign them. He said Boehlert "has four or more letters a week" published that way and it would be "naive to think that he isn't."

But when asked to identify such letters and who wrote them, Moran said he was not prepared to do that.� Instead, he pointed out examples in published reports and correspondence about how the Boehlert campaign is discounting Walrath. Much of what Moran identified, he called untrue attacks.

Boehlert, meanwhile, has denied accusations regarding falsified letters.

Walrath said he planned to write a letter to the editor himself regarding the incident and the campaign in general.

Staff Writer Louise Hoffman Broach can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or louise.hoffman@lee.net