U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-Louisville) campaign swung back hard at opponent Bruce Lunsford today, alleging he raised money from a "suspected child molester," after Lunsford's campaign called on the Republican incumbent to return contributions he had accepted from indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

"Has Bruce Lunsford ever heard that saying about those who live in glass houses? If not, I suggest he look into it as he explains how he came to raise money from a suspected child molester and from another guy convicted on ethics charges," said campaign manager Justin Brasell, in a response statement.

The response from McConnell most explicitly draws attention to former Campbell County Democratic Party chair Ken Mullikin. While he has not been arrested or charged with a crime, Mullikin's home was raided by police last week based on evidence that someone using a computer with his IP address - an electronic identification number unique to each computer - visited an Internet chat room and wrote about molesting young children.

Computers and other material were seized from Mullikin's home during the raid and he subsequently resigned from his post as county chair.

Mullikin was named as one of sixteen hosts for a July 17 fundraiser held for Lunsford in Ft. Thomas - the basis of the McConnell attack.

The second Lunsford fundraiser targeted in the McConnell release is former state Democratic Party chair Jerry Lundergan. Lundergan - who was identified in a recent Louisville Courier-Journal story as someone doing legwork to raise funds for Lunsford - was convicted of wielding improper influence during his term as a state legislator in the 1980s.

The second portion of Brasell's statement was a near copy of the Lunsford camp's earlier denunciation of McConnell for accepting funds from Stevens.

"Bruce Lunsford and his potentially nefarious relationship with these Democrat fundraisers is a textbook example of what is wrong with Bruce Lunsford's campaign. Bruce Lunsford should do the honorable thing and return funds raised for him by those two immediately," said Brasell.

The Lunsford campaign's earlier statement was as follows:

"Sen. Stevens and his potentially nefarious relationship with an energy company is a textbook example of what is wrong with Washington. Mitch McConnell should do the honorable thing and donate these funds to a charity here in Kentucky immediately."

McConnell's campaign made no direct reference to its candidate's history with Stevens, who was indicted today on charges that he concealed over $250,000 in gifts he received from an oil services company.

McConnell and Stevens have a history of supporting each other's campaigns. McConnell has received $7,500 in funds from Stevens' Northern Lights PAC this year while the Kentuckian's own PAC gave Stevens' relection bid $10,000 in 2007.