Walker sues Burns over attack ads

SAVANNAH - Democrat Charles ``Champ&#39;&#39; Walker Junior sued his Republican opponent for slander to, saying attack ads that highlight Walker&#39;s past arrests and accuse him of gouging inmates&#39; families are false and misleading. <br> <br> The suit, which opponent Max Burns dismissed as ``baseless,&#39;&#39; comes five days before voters decide which candidate will represent the new 12th Congressional District that includes Savannah, Augusta and Athens. <br> <br> Walker said of Burns&#39; attacks, ``This is one of the nastiest campaigns in Georgia, probably in the nation, and it&#39;s all personal against me. He talks about integrity and responsibility. Today is about him taking responsibility.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Walker, an Augusta businessman, denied the suit was politically motivated, though he acknowledged Burns&#39; attacks tightened the race in a district that was drawn as a safe seat for Democrats. <br> <br> Burns, a Sylvania college professor, has aired television ads saying Walker&#39;s past arrests, on charges from shoplifting to driving with a suspended license, show he&#39;s too irresponsible to be a congressman. <br> <br> The 34-year-old Walker was arrested four times on misdemeanor charges between 1988 and 1991. But prosecutors dropped the charges in each case, which Burns&#39; ads don&#39;t mention. <br> <br> Walker&#39;s suit says the ad&#39;s statements illegally harmed his reputation because they infer Walker was guilty of criminal conduct. <br> <br> The suit also says Burns slandered Walker with a radio ad that accused Walker of setting collect calling rates from Georgia prisons that charged inmates&#39; families ten dollars a minute. The lawsuit says the accusation is false.