After the campaign of attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) accused opponent state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) of being "desperate" for their "cowardly attack" on a Rwandin genocide refugee, the National Republican Congressional Committee decided to press the issue.

The NRCC sent a release the afternoon slamming Neuhardt for "illegal Rwandan immigrant on her farm for the last six years."

Neuhardt said earlier Wednesday that her family took the refugee in during Christmas in 2002 when they found he had no place else to go.

The man, Ishema Umuhoza, 26, graduated from the University of Dayton and has been denied an application for political asylum. The Neuhardts, both attorneys, have appealed the decision and say that Umuhoza is legally living in the U.S. as he awaits review by federal courts of the appeal.

The issue started with a report from the Dayton Daily News on the matter. The NRCC quoted part of that report, saying that Neuhardt's "not the only one in trouble with the law in this story":

"Umuhoza, 26, has been found guilty of at least four traffic violations - mostly driving without a license - since 2001, and was issued three warrants for failing to appear in those traffic cases. He's also had a number of other brushes with law enforcement. He was found guilty of public intoxication in 2005 and has a current active warrant in Dayton Municipal Court for failing to appear for a 2006 public intoxication charge.

"He was arrested last month after a couple called Yellow Springs police to report a man, apparently intoxicated, lying in the street. Police cited Umuhoza with disorderly conduct." (Dayton Daily News , 9/24/08)

"Both bizarre and troubling, Sharen Neuhardt's defiance in harboring an illegal immigrant raises serious questions about her judgment, "said NRCC spokesman Brendan Buck. "While she obviously thinks she can defy federal deportation orders, it is more astonishing that Neuhardt thought she could hide this from voters. Ohio voters want a representative who will help solve the illegal immigration problem, not one who contributes to it."

Update:

The Austria campaign also kept the heat on Neuhardt with a statement from Austria campaign manager Brad Mascho:

"As the facts of this year's long case come to light, there are many concerns about the poor judgment of attorney Sharen Neuhardt.  It appears she is knowingly willing to ignore the law and court records.  As a sworn officer of the court, any allegation that Sharen Neuhardt harbored an illegal immigrant for several years is a serious matter.  Questions about attorney Sharen Neuhardt's involvement in his past and the providing of safe harbor to a person with active warrants deserve answers and more thorough scrutiny from the appropriate officials.

Our campaign learned of Sharen Neuhardt's involvement harboring an illegal immigrant from the Dayton Daily News.  Now it appears Sharen Neuhardt is attempting to divert attention from her own misdeeds by playing politics with the very important issue of illegal immigration."