An unknown political group calling itself "Hoosiers for Truth" has started running automated telephone calls against Rep. John Hostettler (R) that accuse the six-term member of Congress of wanting gun rights for child molesters -- a charge Hostettler vigorously denies and appears to be false.

Hostettler “has voted against making it a crime to sell guns to convicted sex offenders - including child rapists,” a male caller says. Democratic opponent Vanderburgh County sheriff Brad Ellsworth denies his campaign is behind the calls and strongly condemned the tactic.

Ellsworth himself has been targeted by similarly lurid charges -- not from an anonymous group, but from the National Republican Congressional Committee. In June the NRCC charged that Ellsworth was in Washington when his office accidentally released an accused child rapist. The NRCC followed up with an attack ad, but the accused rapist was later caught and the controversy appeared to blow over.