The Harvard Current, which has regularly--albeit briefly--scratched its way into the national media with quirky political scoops, is embroiled in a war of words with the Republican National Committee.

At issue is an article published on the newsmagazine's website describing a visit to the committee offices by a group of seventh grade students.

Written by Current Executive Editor Daniel Z. Levine '03, the article quotes a parent and student who accuse the committee's constituent services director, Rebecca King, of calling Vice President Al Gore '69 a "pathological liar" and "a Communist" during a field trip.

The story attracted national news attention after Lloyd Grove, a well-known Washington Post political gossip columnist, wrote about in his column.

Committee officials have strongly disputed the account.

Clifford D. May, the committee's director of communications, said in an interview that the Current story was "journalistic malpractice," and told the Post, "The poor woman [King] is getting knifed and getting her reputation slandered, and there's no truth whatsoever to it."

May also told the Post that the comments attributed to King by parent Judy Gelman and a student, Sivan Jacobovitz, were either incorrect or were taken out of context.

Levine, however, noted that the committee hasn't explicitly disavowed the comments.