A supporter of Republican Steve McDonald has been sponsoring "robocalls" this month, trying to keep one of McDonald's rivals out of the race for state Senate.

Bob Guzzardi, an attorney from Montgomery County, said Wednesday he's responsible for two rounds of phone calls made recently to Lancaster Republicans. During the phone calls, a recorded voice encourages people to attend county commissioners meetings and oppose "another Thibault tax."

The calls are a reference to former Lancaster County Commissioner Paul Thibault, who is considering a run for the 13th state Senate District seat currently held by Gibson E. Armstrong, who is retiring.

The proposed county budget has a 7.3 percent property tax increase, but Thibault has been out of office for four years and has nothing to do with it.

Guzzardi, who has an eclectic history of political activism, said he was slamming Thibault for supporting a 28 percent tax increase during his tenure, which ran from 1995 until 2003.

"I financed the robocalls," Guzzardi said, "in order to convince Paul Thibault and his donors that this would not be the best race to get involved in. Why waste your money on a losing record?"

Thibault was not available for comment Wednesday night.

McDonald, the only Republican candidate in the race thus far, said his campaign had nothing to do with the robocalls, but he wouldn't condemn them, either.

"The record of Paul Thibault as it relates to taxes and spending is not a favorable one, unless you like paying taxes," McDonald said. "I certainly wouldn't classify (the robocalls) as mean unless you thought what was being said was negative. The only thing negative about the whole thing is Paul Thibualt's record on taxes and spending."

The 13th Senate District covers most of southern Lancaster County, Lancaster city and a part of eastern York County.

Guzzardi is one of McDonald's biggest supporters, having donated $1,500 to his state Senate campaign committee in June. McDonald months ago confirmed he sought Guzzardi's support.

Guzzardi's has a multifarious history of political activism. He calls himself a conservative reformer in favor of limited government regulation and reduced taxes, and he's financially supported Republican campaigns against long-established GOP leaders like former state Sens. Robert Jubelirer and David "Chip" Brightbill.

He's also donated money to Democrats like U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. and Gov. Ed Rendell, donations Guzzardi has since called "mistakes." Nonetheless, Guzzardi supported Democrat Jason Leisey of Mountville in 2006's Senate campaign against Republican Mike Brubaker, who won.

Guzzardi attracted strong criticism from Democrats and the gay community in Philadelphia in 2006 because he donated money to former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, long seen as a political enemy by the gay community. Guzzardi at the time owned the 12th Street Gym, which catered to a gay clientele, but Guzzardi said the backlash caused him to sell it.

Even in the campaign for the 13th state Senate District, Guzzardi has been active on several fronts. In 2006, he donated $250 to Armstrong, but he has since switched his loyalties to McDonald, which he has labeled a "180-opposite" of the current Senator.

In September, Guzzardi paid for several rounds of robocalls aimed at state Rep. Scott Boyd, a West Lampeter Republican, slamming him for taking $61,000 from House Republican coffers to pay for public service announcements.

Guzzardi said at the time the aim was to keep Boyd out of the Senate race.

Boyd, who recently chose to run for re-election in his House district instead of making a bid for the Senate, said Wednesday Guzzardi's tactics had nothing to do with his decision.

Guzzardi confirmed he uses Dialing Services of Roswell, N.M., to produce the robocalls.

A company called Dialing Services on its Web site www.dialingservices.net offers automated phone calls like the ones targeting Thibault, opinion surveys and push polls, which are polls used to manipulate public opinion.

E-mail: dpidgeon@lnpnews.com