Is the Scranton Times using a new advertising campaign as a clever disguise to attack Rick Santorum and promote the candidacy of Pennsylvania State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr.?

A new advertisement by the Scranton Times promoting the merging of two editions of its paper features a dummy version of the paper with the headline, “Casey to run for Senate.” The newspaper has admitted to creating a false edition of their paper for the campaign. However, what many do not know is that the publishers of the Scranton Times are large financial donors to the Casey family.

The publisher’s family has donated more than $120,000 to Casey and his brother Pat. Publisher George Lynett’s family has donated at least $85,000 to Casey’s state campaigns. Lynette’s sister, Cecelia Haggerty and her husband gave $4,200 to Casey’s Senate campaign in March. And Casey’s brother Pat received more than $40,000 in contributions during his two unsuccessfully runs for a Scranton-area congressional seat. The entire family’s political contributions have been largely limited to the Casey family, but also include $15,000 given to the Democratic Party and past Democratic opponents of Rick Santorum.

According to campaign finance laws, the Scranton Times advertising campaign may count as an illegal corporate contribution.