Part of the flier also includes a headline from a Nov. 23, 2003, Salt Lake Tribune article about illegal aliens coming to Utah. The article, Jenkins acknowledged, had nothing to do with illegal aliens getting in-state tuition.

"This (mailer) points out that the national (Republican Party) will do anything, break any trust, have no integrity at all," Matheson said. "They will even throw two of their own (Hatch and Chris Cannon) under the wheels of the bus."

Matheson said that apparently Hatch and Rep. Cannon are also wrong for Utah families.

Hatch was not immediately available for comment Monday.

Monday evening, Rep. Cannon said that he still supports his bill and has no idea why the Utah Republican Party would criticize Matheson for co-sponsoring it. "I don't know what goes on over there."

Swallow and the NRCC have taken a low road in negative campaigning, charged Matheson, who added he was glad to co-sponsor the Hatch and Cannon bill. The bill is still pending in Congress.

"I hope voters recognize (the campaign tactic) and reject it," Matheson said.

To add more irony to the mailer, in 2002 conservative state Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas, a member of the conservative so-called Cowboy Caucus and a candidate for speaker of the Utah House, sponsored a bill that passed the Legislature in 2002 that also gives dependents of illegal aliens who live in Utah the right to pay in-state tuition. Swallow, who was in the state House at the time, voted against it.

The new state law has been working for more than a year, and dozens of students have taken advantage of it, said Nancy Lyon, University of Utah assistant vice president for government affairs.

Jenkins said the NRCC and the Utah Republican Party have worked jointly on 14 separate mailers that have gone out either supporting Swallow, criticizing Matheson or both.

"This is an unfortunate incident," said Jenkins, who when first asked about the mailer by the Deseret Morning News said he did not recall that specific piece of mail and would have to research its origins.

It is too bad that proper "foresight" on the piece was not exhibited, he added, confirming that the piece is about the Hatch/Cannon Dream Act, although the act is not named.

New Federal Election Commission reports show that the NRCC has spent more than $14 million across the nation on targeted U.S. House races this year, Utah's 2nd District being one of them.

As of Thursday, FEC reports show the NRCC has spent just over $1 million in pro-Swallow or anti-Matheson TV ads, mailers and telephone calls.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com