Les Merritt says the watchdog ads are not related to his reelection.

Chris Mears, a spokesman for the state auditor, said the public service announcements and a related Web site are not aimed at helping his 2008 campaign, Dan Kane reports.

"It's fairly standard and well known that the Office of the State Auditor is the taxpayers' watchdog," he said. "It's the taxpayers that own the watchdognc domain and we hope that 10 years from now, 15 years from now, that the hotline is still getting tips through watchdognc.com."

The Web site includes a short biography of Merritt, above the words "Office of the State Auditor, The Taxpayers' Watchdog," and a photo (above right) of him peering through a magnifying glass.

The domain is registered to the state auditor's office, however.

Previously: State Democrats protest public service announcement.

Correction: An earlier version of this post did not accurately describe the page. 

A public service announcement for a state auditor's hotline currently running on TV stations across North Carolina.

For more on the ads, click here.