The following letter is reprinted in its entirety from the Post and Courier:

On a recent evening, my wife and I received at our home a publication from South Carolinians for Responsible Government.

The flier is an attack on our district’s House candidate, Eugene Platt. I know Mr. Platt well as a fellow member of St. James Episcopal Church. I know him to be an extremely honorable and noble man of fine character and values.

The flier attacks Mr. Platt’s character and values based on artful yet benign verses of poetry. I have read much of Mr. Platt’s poetry and have heard him read it to my Rotary Club.

His most recent publication shares his love for his wife who recently died of cancer.

Anyone who understands creative literature cannot be offended in the least by his lines of poetry. In a word, this propaganda from South Carolinians for Responsible Government is despicable, even for politics.

Mr. Platt exemplifies moral behavior as a widower and previously as a devoted husband. Mr. Platt is a brother Christian and friend to me as well as many.

I urge all elected officials and supporters of the organization to denounce South Carolinians for Responsible Government and refuse future contributions to it.

I also urge all politicians in the area to denounce this material and message. It is an embarrassment to anyone affiliated with a conservative agenda.

I cannot imagine any of my Republican acquaintances approving of this strategy and behavior.

Craig M. Stephans