A national Republican group yesterday scuttled a pre-recorded phone call effort the state Attorney General's Office said may have violated New Hampshire law by contacting residents listed on the federal Do Not Call registry.

The National Republican Congressional Committee voluntarily agreed yesterday afternoon to stop making automated calls to homes on the registry, said Deputy Attorney General Bud Fitch, who oversees election law.

Under state statute, political campaigns are allowed to contact people on the Do Not Call list, but cannot use automated recordings to do so.

Fitch noted households not on the registry may continue to receive the calls, which criticize Democratic congressional challenger Paul Hodes, who is in a hard-fought race with Republican Rep. Charlie Bass in the Second District.

Democrats said they began receiving complaints Thursday from residents, some of whom hung up before realizing who was making the calls.

Party officials continued to pursue the matter with the state over the weekend and yesterday were the first to announce the RNCC's decision.

Kathy Sullivan, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic party, charged the messages as the latest in Republican dirty tricks. She said countless were made in the more than three days before they were stopped.

"Charlie Bass had his chance to do something about this early and to take a stand," Sullivan said. "He did not do it."

Bass' campaign said the congressman called national Republicans Saturday and asked for the recordings to be pulled. A spokesman likened the RNCC's effort to those of liberal groups such as MoveOn.org, which has targeted Bass.

"Yesterday, Charlie Bass called upon the NRCC and all outside groups to cease those calls and all calls into New Hampshire," said Lindsay Jackson.

Polls show a tight contest between Bass and Hodes, in a race that has captured national attention and seen massive spending and advertising efforts.

Alex Burgos, a RNCC spokesman, would not say whether his organization followed New Hampshire law in its calls, which hit Hodes over taxes and health care.

"All our efforts are in compliance with federal law," Burgos said.

Fitch said the agreement with the RNCC came after a conversation about 2 p.m. yesterday between the Attorney General's Office and the general counsel for the Washington-based RNCC.

The state continue to investigate, with no decision on whether to pursue civil action, Fitch said.

About seven residents complained to the state about getting the calls, though a handful of them turned out not to be on the Do Not Call registry, Fitch said.

State statue that took effect January 2004 provides a fine of up to $5,000 per violation.

Arguments over prerecorded messages have been hashed out between Republicans and Democrats in previous elections.

In 2005, Democrats complained an automated message in support of Frank Guinta bid for Manchester mayor was being received by households on the Do Not Call list.

An attorney advising Guinta argued that federal law trumped state law and allowed the calls to be made.