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BY FLORENCE GILKESON: Senior Writer

Matt McWilliams, under indictment for election campaign violations, has suddenly become an issue in a Republican primary in the 4th congressional district race.

Todd Batchelor of Holly Springs, one of four Republican candidates in the 4th District, has issued a news release calling on one of his opponents, Robert E. (Whit) Whitfield, to disassociate himself from McWilliams.

Batchelor said McWilliams is acting as a campaign adviser to Whitfield, a Hillsborough Repub-lican.

Whitfield and Batchelor, along with fellow Republicans How-ard Mason of Knightdale and James C. Powers of Cary, are vying for the opportunity to oppose incumbent Democratic Congressman David Price in the November general election. The four will face off in a July 20 primary.

Batchelor said McWilliams is co-starring in a television commercial for the Whitfield campaign.

“I am surprised Mr. Whitfield would continue to run a political ad that prominently features a person recently indicted on multiple felony counts relating to campaign fraud,” Batchelor said in his statement. “I am shocked that Mr. Whitfield apparently does not appreciate the seriousness of the charges and the impact on the integrity of his campaign.”

The Pilot was unable to reach Whitfield or McWilliams on Tuesday for a response.

Batchelor said McWilliams also developed and maintains the Whitfield for Congress Web site. He said McWilliams also represented Whitfield at a recent street festival.

McWilliams resigned as vice president of the Moore County Republican Party last year when he announced his candidacy for state House of Representatives, a seat now held by House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan. McWilliams also acted as webmaster for the Moore County GOP, a position he gave up when he announced his candidacy.

However, the charges pending from the state Board of Elections do not pertain to his state House announcement, but to his candidacy in 2002 for a seat on the nonpartisan Moore County Board of Education. He lost that election.

McWilliams later withdrew his candidacy for state House and moved from Moore County to Hamlet in Richmond County.

He faces seven charges involving the filing of false campaign reports with the Board of Elections. McWilliams has been released on bond. A Grand Jury indicted McWilliams on five counts of perjury for the alleged false statements and two counts of obtaining money by false pretenses. He is accused of illegally using $261 in campaign funds.

“I am disappointed Mr. Whitfield continues to run television ads featuring Mr. McWilliams, considering the magnitude of the felony charges brought,” Batchelor said. “Mr. Whitfield would be well advised to dismiss Mr. McWilliams, pull the TV ad and do no further damage to his own campaign or the Republican Party,” Batchelor said.

Batchelor said Price, the incumbent Democrat, “can only be defeated by a Republican nominee with a clean record, good judgment and integrity as the hallmark of his campaign organization.”

The Fourth District is centered on the Research Triangle area of the state and includes all or parts of Wake, Orange, Durham and Chatham counties.