The Lincoln Chafee campaign issued a formal statement last night shortly after Chafee's spokesman told The Journal that a staffer had been suspended without pay for improperly sending campaign-related e-mails from a Senate computer.

Chafee's statement:

"The campaign of U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee had no knowledge of the improper actions of a young staffer in the Senator’s Providence office. This staffer improperly forwarded personal email messages using Senate equipment. She has been suspended without pay, and the Chafee Campaign disavows the action and its content.

"My campaign had no knowledge of this action," said U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee. "I will not tolerate use of government equipment for improper purposes."

-- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples