GOP Rep. Chris Shays lashed out at his own party's national strategists today for sending out a flyer which accused his Dem opponent Diane Farrell of wanting to have "coffee talk with the Taliban." Shays posted a statement on his website slamming the flyer, which was sent out by the NRCC, as "outrageous" and as "garbage," saying that it was "an insult to the intelligence of the Fourth District." He added that the NRCC had "crossed the line." Shays' broadside against his party came a day after Election Central posted the flyer and called Shays' office to inquire whether he viewed the flyer's accusations as acceptable political rhetoric. His full statement after the jump.

Shays' statement on the NRCC's anti-Farrell flyer:

NORWALK, Oct 13 - Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT) issued the following statement about the recent NRCC mailer linking Diane Farrell to a group supportive of having talks with the Taliban:

“Recently, the NRCC sent an outrageous mailer to the homes of Fourth District residents claiming she is supported by a group sympathetic to the Taliban. The NRCC has crossed the line.

“I have always been against these political attack ads, whether they are from the Democrat Party or Republican Party. They are an insult to the intelligence of residents of the Fourth District.

“These ads have to stop. I call on the NRCC to put an end to sending this type of garbage to Fourth District mailboxes.

“My opponent’s party and shadow organizations working on her behalf have made negative, misleading and outrageous charges against me for three years and she has said nothing about them. That is the difference between my opponent and me.

“I put forward a schedule of 11 debates with my opponent because I want this to be a race about issues and the legitimate differences between us. I look forward to the remaining debates and interacting with voters throughout the Fourth District.”