PORTLAND – Pam Richards wants Democratic activist Tom Connolly to give her a heads-up the next time he expects to make news.

Richards’ husband is Tom Connolly, a Portland artist, carpenter and mason. Unlike the other Tom Connolly, Richard’s husband did not tip reporters to George W. Bush’s drunken driving arrest in Kennebunkport 24 years ago.

But that didn’t stop calls for the Portland lawyer from pouring into the family’s Carleton Street home. Some of them were from reporters, and others were more sinister.

“I’m gonna get you,” one male caller said.

The calls started soon after news of the Republican presidential candidate’s arrest broke Nov. 2. The first one, from a reporter, came after midnight and woke Richards, who feared it could be news of a family emergency.

Richards unplugged the phone until later that morning. The calls resumed and the family received more than 60 calls for the other Tom Connolly, whose home number is unlisted.

Richards’ husband is the only Thomas Connolly listed in the Portland area.

Richards became frightened by some of the angry calls and reported them to the police.

“It makes me feel a little less safe,” Richards said.

The family replaced the giggling voices of 7-year-old Kyle and 5-year-old Sophia on their answering machine with a message telling callers that their home was not that of the attorney.

“Well, I’m glad you’re not that scumbag,” one caller said.

The family now has caller ID and the children have been told to not answer calls from outside the area.

Richards’ family is not alone in receiving threats since the story broke several days before Election Day.

The actual object of this antagonism, the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and delegate to the Democratic National Convention, was keeping a low profile after receiving death threats and having trash dumped on his lawn.

Connolly said he acted independently of Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore’s campaign. He also said he never intended to become the focal point of the story when he provided details to reporters who overheard him in a courthouse talking about the arrest.

Portland attorney Erin Lehane, sister of Gore spokesman Chris Lehane, said she received harassing e-mail and phone calls falsely accusing her of being involved in the release of Bush’s arrest record.

Meanwhile, Richards’ family has considered getting an unlisted number, but felt they couldn’t because Tom works from home.

Two years ago, the family received calls for the other Connolly during his gubernatorial run. They changed their listing to E. Thomas Connolly, but it didn’t help.