Spinning newspaper headlines are a staple of campaign ads, but now Illinois Republicans are objecting because some of those headlines are made up.

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Gubernatorial candidate and dairy magnate Jim Oberweis began airing the ads statewide this week, suggesting Republican front-runner Judy Baar Topinka, the state treasurer is ethically challenged. The bogus headlines sport mastheads from the Chicago Sun-Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Chicago Tribune and the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register.

Topinka campaign manager Terry Barnich told the Post-Dispatch the ads are clear distortions and "out-and-out lies." But Oberweis campaign manager Joe Wiegand said they are just a creative way of getting a point across quickly.

State GOP Executive Director John Tsarpalas said the spots are under investigation. He urged the candidates to play nice.

The Illinois Republican primary is March 21.