SEATTLE – Accusations are flying back and forth between the two candidates for King County prosecutor over money – where the candidates are getting it and whether they're reporting it.

In the fundraising race, Republican Dan Satterberg has more than $450,000.  That's more than twice the amount raised by Democrat Bill Sherman.

Now, Sherman is crying foul.

"There can be no question that it is an ethical lapse," said Sherman, who is asking the state to investigate how the Satterberg campaign got its money.

Under state law, the most any individual can give a prosecutor candidate is $700.  But, there are no limits on how much you can give a political party.  In October, big donors wrote $15,000, $25,000 and $50,000 checks to the state Republican party.

Last Thursday, the party then gave $38,000 to Satterberg.  Then on Friday, another $81,000.

"This is a process that makes a mockery of our campaign finance laws," said Sherman.

When asked about whether the people who made the campaign contributions knew the money was going to Satterberg, Washington Republican chairman Luke Esser responded, "We do not allow for earmarking, and we made no pledges or promises about how the money would be spent."

State Republicans say they raised more than $400,000 last month, and there's nothing illegal about putting roughly a quarter of that toward Satterberg.

Republicans say the Democrats have done exactly the same thing, giving Sherman $30,000 dollars last week.  Sherman still hasn't reported that to the public disclosure commission.

"Bill Sherman is being a hypocrite.  He's doing exactly the same thing that he's whining about," said Esser.

In mid-October, a KING 5 News poll found Sherman slightly ahead with 49 percent of voters.  As Satterberg hit the airwaves with commercials, SurveyUSA found him pulling ahead with 50 percent.

But the race still considered close.

Satterberg calls Sherman's accusations ridiculous and desperate.

"This is a guy who wants to be the prosecutor?  But he has no evidence to support a serious allegation, he doesn't know the law, and he himself is in violation of the P-D-C rules?" said Satterberg.