Buchanan: Democrats are targeting him because they're embarrassed by Weiner

This just in from our Washington correspondent, Lesley Clark:

National Democrats said Friday they'll run radio ads slamming Rep. Vern Buchanan for his ties to an auto dealer that is facing a $67,900 fine from the Federal Election Commission.

In response, Buchanan's campaign said he is being targeted because Democrats are embarrassed by the Rep. Anthony Weiner sex scandal.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the spots will begin running Monday during the news-weather-traffic spots in Buchanan's district.

The ads say that Buchanan's "old business was caught illegally funneling over $60,000 in campaign donations to Buchanan to influence his election. Tell Buchanan to come clean."

The DCCC would not release the size of the ad buy.

Buchanan's camp Friday accused Democrats trying to cover up Weiner's sins by targeting the Sarasota Republican.

"The Democrats are trying to deflect attention from the Anthony Weiner scandal with a laughable attack against Congressman Buchanan," the campaign said in a statement. 

The FEC last month asked a federal court to impose a $67,900 fine on a company Buchanan once owned that the FEC says engaged in an “extensive and ongoing scheme” to reimburse employees who made contributions to Buchanan's congressional campaign.

Buchanan wasn't named in the lawsuit and his campaign has said that it is “an issue between the FEC and Hyundai of North Jacksonville, which Vern Buchanan has no interest or stake in.”

On Friday, the campaign said, "It was Buchanan who first reported these questionable donations to the FEC two and a half years ago. And the FEC obviously found that Buchanan had no involvement because the fine was issued against Sam Kazran, not Buchanan or the Buchanan campaign.  Buchanan sold his ownership in the Hyundai of N. Jacksonville store to Kazran in 2005."