Anyone familiar with political candidates is used to a certain amount of self-serving exaggeration. Taking too much credit for a grant here or downplaying the role of a key ally there is par for the course.

But nothing tops the level of distortion being spewed in the Mon Valley-based 35th District by the campaign of George Matta II. Although he's an incumbent himself (Allegheny County clerk of courts), Mr. Matta and his team are trying to seize on the anti-incumbent fervor aimed at the Legislature for its pay-raise vote last July.

Unsuspecting consumers of Mr. Matta's ads would think state Rep. Marc Gergely voted for the pay raise when, in fact, he voted against. Although there's no scandal surrounding the conduct of the incumbent, it hasn't stopped the Matta campaign from trying to manufacture one in time for the May 16 Democratic primary. Consider this:

A Matta billboard (and his Web site) declares, "Marc Gergely took the 34% pay raise." Not true. Rep. Gergely did not qualify for a 34 percent raise, which was reserved for legislative leaders. Now in only his second term in the House, the representative qualified for the same 16 percent raise as other rank-and-file members. (The Post-Gazette also doesn't appreciate being listed on the ad as the source of this trumped-up claim.)

A Matta TV commercial says, "Marc Gergely took the late-night pay raise, increased his state pension and is one of the highest takers of the state expense per diem. In three years Marc Gergely took over a quarter of a million dollars." Not true, in three different ways.

First, Rep. Gergely voted against the pay raise on July 7. After it was passed, he said he would use the money to set up a scholarship program for his district (bad call, Marc). On Aug. 5, Mr. Gergely became the second lawmaker in Western Pennsylvania to declare that he would decline the raise after saying he would accept it (you can look it up: www.post-gazette.com/pg/05218/549638.stm). He returned the money, about $900, through payroll deduction.

Second, Mr. Gergely did not increase his state pension because he does not have one. Act 9 of 2001 says state employees must complete five years of service to qualify for a pension; Mr. Gergely has been in office for barely 3¹/₂ years.

Third, the mythical "quarter of a million dollars" that the ad claims the legislator took as "expense per diem" is actually $45,616 in per diems over 3¹/₂ years -- compensation that legislators receive for food and lodging on session days. The rest of the "quarter million" is not money Mr. Gergely "took" at all, but rather the legitimate expenses incurred by running a legislative office: furniture rental, office lease, supplies, staff mileage, janitorial services, utilities, insurance, postage, etc. Under that twisted logic, how much money has George Matta "taken" to operate the clerk of courts office?

The Matta ad cites a Post-Gazette article -- from Aug. 2, 2005 -- as the source for these illusions and even fabricates a headline at the top of a phony PG front page: "Marc Gergely takes Pay Raise! Local, B2." In reality, a Page 1 headline that day read, "21 Legislators Who Voted No to Pay Raise Accept It." While the story referred to Rep. Gergely and other legislators, it put no special focus on him; there was also no headline that named Mr. Gergely.

At first such advertising would seem to be the product of some political Darth Vader. But given how easily it is debunked, it is more like the work of Vader's dim-witted brother. Unfortunately, whenever the average voter sees a candidate quoting the Post-Gazette, he figures the claim is true.

We don't know who George Matta's media mastermind is, but the person should be fired. And Mr. Matta owes an apology to the Post-Gazette and the people of the 35th District -- they, as much as Rep. Gergely, have been the victims of a campaign of misinformation.

During interviews with the candidates, both of whom live in White Oak, the Post-Gazette editorial board concluded that they would have similar voting records in Harrisburg. They'd support a higher minimum wage, a smaller Legislature, relief from property taxes and more job creation for the 35th District, which includes Duquesne, East Pittsburgh, Homestead, Lincoln, Munhall, South Versailles, Versailles, Whitaker, White Oak and parts of Elizabeth Township, McKeesport, North Versailles and West Mifflin.

While Mr. Matta, 49, the former mayor of Duquesne, fancies himself as reform-minded and independent, he is the endorsed candidate of the county Democratic committee and was one of the party leadership's outspoken foes of the row-office reform approved by voters in 2004. Mr. Gergely, 36, who is backed by the Allegheny County Labor Council, has previous experience as the McKeesport school board president.

Since there is no Republican on the ballot, the Democratic primary will likely choose the district's next representative. Because of the Matta campaign's record of lies and deception, the Post-Gazette has no choice but to endorse Rep. Marc Gergely.