Days before the general election, the Vermont Republican Party filed a formal complaint with the attorney general's office on Thursday alleging an illegal collaboration between Democracy for American and the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial challenger.
 
In the complaint, the state's Republican Party requested that the attorney general conduct a speedy investigation into the alleged illegal collaboration and claims the Symington campaign and DFA, who endorsed Symington earlier this year, broke state campaign finance.
 
"Speaker Symington's campaign appears to have been highjacked (sic.) by special interest groups that clearly do not reflect the values of a majority of Vermonters," Vermont Republican Party Chairman Rob Roper said in a statement on Friday. "Symington has failed to connect with Vermonters on the most important issue - the economy - and her campaign is now so desperate for support with just days to go that they appear to be inappropriately coordinating with Democracy for  America."
 
The Symington campaign and Democracy for America quickly refuted the Vermont Republican Party's charges.
 
"This is totally without merit and obviously a weak attempt to distract Vermonters from the scandal about the Governor's use of taxpayer funds to support his campaign," said Symington's communication director Michael Carrese. "This political stunt comes as the news broke that Jim Douglas has suddenly changed his story about using public money, and that story is at odds with what his campaign has been saying."
 
Executive Director of Democracy for America Arshad Hasan agreed with Carrese, and attempted to tie incumbent Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury) to President Bush.
 
"The coordination that troubles Vermonters is between Jim Douglas and the failed policies of George Bush," Hasan said in a statement. "Jim Douglas has been a cheerleader for the economic philosophy that has driven us into the current financial crisis and has no plan to protect working men and women from home foreclosures or escalating health care costs."

The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.