An anti-abortion letter printed on letterhead that names U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., criticizes Sen. Ted Kennedy and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as not being real Catholics and calling President Barack Obama a radical.

A Brownback spokesman has denied the letter was authorized.

But it has hit the blogosphere, including this item in The Huffington Post

“The letter, distributed by the conservative group the Catholic Advocate, included an envelope that had the Senator’s signature as well as a seemingly-official, though unprofessional-looking, letterhead bearing Brownback’s name,” according to The Huffington Post item.

The letter urges supporters to petition the Freedom of Choice Act, and it says: “Real Catholics need a new voice — not the likes of Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi who have campaigned as Catholics while voting to undermine the values that we hold most dear.” It criticizes five other senators as well, including Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

But Brownback spokesman Brian Hart has apparently told the National Catholic Register Brownback’s chief of staff had “not seen, approved or heard of” the letter. Hart also said the office has spoken to the organization and mail house that distributed the letter and “directed them not to use Sam Brownback’s name, signature, likeness or representation in any way moving forward and expressed that we are not pleased with the content of the letter.”

Brownback is a staunch conservative and one of the most vocal abortion opponents in the Senate. He has already said he will not seek another term in 2010 and is widely expected to run for governor in Kansas.