The state's Republican Party leader says Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fran Ulmer improperly received a $13,200 discount from a charter boat company for a May fund-raiser held in Whittier.

But a spokesman for Ulmer's Republican opponent, U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski, acknowledged on Thursday that its campaign was offered the same trip at a discounted price, a practice allowed by the state's campaign contribution rules.

Meanwhile, in a separate issue, Alaska Democratic Party officials on Thursday accused GOP lawmakers of violating state ethics laws that bar politicking on the state's expense.

Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich filed a complaint on Wednesday with the Alaska Public Offices Commission alleging Ulmer should pay the full cost of the chartered cruise. Based on the price paid by other organizations for similar cruises, he estimated that cost at $15,000.

"We want them to pay the cost of the charter. It's a campaign cost; it cannot be a contribution," Ruedrich said Thursday.

Ulmer's campaign held a fund-raiser on the Phillips Cruises ship Klondike Express on May 11, charging the 154 attendees $100 each for the three-hour tour, according to the complaint.

Campaign records show that Ulmer paid the cruise company $1,232 for the use of the ship and for food. The company is owned by Brad Phillips, who could not be reached for comment.

Under state law, individuals and sole-proprietor businesses such as Phillips' charter service are limited to giving $500 in total contributions to a candidate per year.

A discount for the charter service would be considered a campaign contribution, said Brook Miles, director of the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

But Miles said the business could offer the discounted service legally if it also extended the rate to other political campaigns.

Ulmer is the state's lieutenant governor and the Democratic candidate for governor. She faces Republican Murkowski in the Nov. 5 general election.

Murkowski spokesman Dan Saddler said the cruise company also offered its campaign use of the tour service. Saddler said he does not recall when the offer was made or its specifics, but that the cost of the cruise was below the normal price.

Ruedrich said the cruise company would have had to extend the discount to Wayne Anthony Ross, who lost in his bid to be the GOP candidate for governor, as well as those running on the other party tickets.

Ruedrich also alleged that Ulmer's campaign failed to list the $100 ticket price that each person paid as an individual campaign contribution.

In a separate issue, Alaska Democratic Party officials accused Republican lawmakers of using state staff, resources, and the state's e-mail system to attack Ulmer.

The accusation came after Senate Republican Majority press spokesman Ron Irwin announced GOP lawmakers would hold a press conference Thursday to criticize Ulmer's plan to resolve the state's fiscal woes. The press conference was scheduled for the Anchorage Legislative Information Office.

The Republicans first postponed the 1 p.m. press conference and then announced it would be held at the headquarters of the Republican Party of Alaska. The news conference later was canceled.

Irwin said the event was intended to be a "non-campaign related" evaluation of potential fiscal policy by Republican lawmakers. It was ultimately called off after worries that it could be construed as a partisan attack, Irwin said.