A Portland pollster has hired an attorney and says he won't reveal who hired him to conduct a survey of New Hampshire voters that has created controversy and led to allegations of 'push polling'.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office had asked a Multnomah County court to force pollster Bob Moore to cooperate.

A grand jury in New Hampshire is investigating whether Moore and his company, Moore Information, illegally conducted a “push poll” on New Hampshire voters before the 2007 presidential primary.

Moore's attorney released a statement Wednesday criticizing the AG's inquiry.

“It is unfair and disturbing that the New Hampshire Attorney General 's office is more interested in playing politics than in objectively reviewing the merits of the case, ” Moore Information attorney Terrence Kay said in a statement.

“Even after receiving cooperation from Moore Information, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office has held press conferences, improperly disclosed confidential information (which were improperly obtained), mischaracterized legitimate survey research, ignored the simple legal facts that should have resolved this issue because New Hampshire law does not apply to Presidential primaries," he said.

More: Read the statement

A push poll is a survey purporting to be unbiased---but is actually an effort to plant negative information about a candidate in the minds of voters.

KGW TV gained access to the actual questions and statements read during phone calls to voters.

More: Read controversial poll questions

Moore has denied the charge.

Under New Hampshire law, a push poll exists if all three of the following criteria exist, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

1. The call is on behalf of, in support of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office;

2. The recipient is asked questions relative to opposing candidates which state, imply or convey information about the candidate’s character, status, record, or political stance; and

3. The call is conducted in a manner likely to be construed by the voter to be a survey or poll to gather statistical data for entities that are independent of any political party, candidate, or interest group.”

The state has no law against push polls in the primary, but it is forbidden before the general election unless the person or group paying for the push poll is identified up front.

After 400 voters were called November 11, 2007, both Mitt Romney and John McCain’s campaigns complained to the New Hampshire Attorney General.

Moore has refused to disclose who hired him, but did issue a statement that read “Moore Information has never, currently does not, nor will it ever engage in push polling.”

Read response by Moore Information