Hillary Clinton's Detective Investigating John Spencer

New York Republican Senate hopeful John Spencer is accusing Sen. Hillary Clinton of mounting a dirty-tricks campaign to torpedo his candidacy, charging that a private detective agency employed by the Clintons during impeachment is now digging into his private life.

Citing campaign finance records, team Spencer says K.T. McFarland, his little known Republican challenger who vows to force him into a primary run-off, paid $12,000 to Investigative Group International. The detective agency was headed up by notorious private eye Terry Lenzner during the 1990s when it helped dig dirt on the Clintons' enemies.

Last week, after the New York State GOP nominated Spencer to challenge Mrs. Clinton, Republican chairman Stephen Minarik urged McFarland to drop her challenge for the sake of party unity.

But McFarland refused to yield, vowing instead to continue a primary challenge that Spencer says will hobble his already difficult battle to unseat Mrs. Clinton.

After IGI went to work, McFarland campaign manager Ed Rollins began attacking Spencer's private life, alleging that he had an affair and two children with his chief of staff.

Just how was McFarland able to afford the pricey private eye? Donors to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats, it turns out, have suddenly decided to bankroll the Republican spoiler's campaign.

Naming names and offering dates of donations, Spencer's campaign web site says:

"Twenty donors to McFarland who gave her a total of $25,200 also gave $343,150 to the Democratic National Committee, $6,000 to Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, $9,900 to Howard Dean, $4,000 to John Kerry and $6,910 to Hillary Clinton."

"A clear pattern has emerged whereby donors to McFarland are also big supporters of Senator Clinton, the DNC and other related left-wing entities," the Spencer campaign charges. "Is this another Clinton dirty trick?"