Lottery Suspends Ads Amid Collusion Probe

BOSTON (AP) -- The Massachusetts Lottery has halted its advertising while the state attorney general looks into allegations of improper coordination between lottery staffers and Timothy Cahill's independent gubernatorial campaign.

Cahill, who as state treasurer oversees the lottery, issued a statement on Thursday night saying the ads would be suspended until Attorney General Martha Coakley concludes her review.

The announcement came within a couple of hours of a request from Coakley that the lottery stop running ads until after the Nov. 2 election, "to avoid even the appearance of impropriety."

Cahill's former campaign manager, Adam Meldrum, has said he is prepared to present evidence to Coakley of collusion between the campaign and the Lottery to run government-paid TV ads that laud lottery management.

Cahill and lottery officials have previously denied any coordination.