Actor Morgan Freeman denies doing ad for GOP 'Tea Party' candidate

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman disputed a Republican congressional candidate's claim that Freeman recorded a campaign ad on his behalf.

Tea party-backed hopeful B.J. Lawson and his campaign had said that Freeman narrated the candidate's latest commercial, which bashes Democratic Rep. David Price. Freeman said in a statement through his publicist that no one who represents him ever authorised the use of his name, voice or likeness in support of Lawson. "These people are lying," Freeman said. "I have never recorded any campaign ads for B.J. Lawson, and I do not support his candidacy."

The advertisement posted online features a narrator with a voice that sounds like Freeman's, and concludes: "It's time that you and I had a voice in Washington. Vote B.J. Lawson for Congress."

Lawson and campaign manager Martin Avila initially said Freeman cut the ad after a supporter brought the actor and the campaign together. Avila later backed off that claim, saying the campaign had a contract signed for a Freeman ad with Los Angeles-based agency M.E.I. Political. The agency did not return a call seeking comment.

Lawson, who built his candidacy with the support of tea party activists, is campaigning against Price in North Carolina's 4th Congressional District, which covers the Durham-Chapel Hill area and has a large bloc of black voters.

Freeman has supported Democratic candidates in the past, including Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential contest.

Rapper T.I. reports to US federal prison – again

FORREST CITY, Arkansas (AP) — The rapper T.I. has reported for a second time to a federal prison to serve time for a weapons violation.

The 30-year-old T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, showed up shortly before noon yesterday at the gates of the Forrest City low-security prison, travelling in an entourage of two black Chevrolet suburbans.

Harris served about seven months in the Arkansas prison in 2009 before he was released last December on probation.

Last month, a federal judge sentenced him to serve another 11 months in prison for breaking his federal probation after he was arrested on September 1 in Los Angeles on drug charges.