Barletta: Kanjo should be answerable for DCCC attack

Democratic incumbent Paul Kanjorski is trying to stay out of the fray as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee continues its barrage of attacks on Republican challenger Lou Barletta.

Kanjorski campaign spokesman Ed Mitchell refuses to condemn the DCCC’s actions including the latest – the party’s attempt to link Barletta to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

But, Barletta, a second-term Hazleton mayor, said Kanjorski should be held accountable for the actions of the DCCC.

And, two political analysts say the early assault is indicative of how contentious the campaign will become.

“I call it plausible deniability,” said Terry Madonna, professor of public affairs at Franklin & Marshall College and director of its Center for Politics and Public Affairs. “Yes, it’s plausible that a candidate didn’t know about an attack on an opponent; it’s become standard campaign fare. The party doesn’t want the candidate to spin the negatives; let somebody else do that.”

Kanjorski and Barletta are unopposed in their respective primary elections in the 11th Congressional District. Kanjorski has held the seat for 12 terms. Barletta lost to Kanjorski in the 2002 congressional election by 22,000 votes.

Barletta is calling on Kanjorski to either endorse or condemn what the DCCC releases.

The latest DCCC press release claims Duke has endorsed Barletta – a report that Duke denied on Wednesday.

The DCCC filed a complaint in February with the Federal Election Commission regarding Barletta’s 2002 campaign finance reports, then sent out numerous press releases urging Barletta to explain what the DCCC called an “illegal” loan.

“Mr. Kanjorski and his committee should be focusing on the issues facing the district and the country,” Barletta said. “I haven’t seen one statement from the congressman or his campaign that would distance himself from the DCCC and its tactics.”

Mitchell said the campaign is not “involved in these skirmishes” but would not repudiate the DCCC’s moves.

“We haven’t found that the DCCC has done anything that would be construed as detrimental to our campaign,” Mitchell said. “We have very little control over what they do. The DCCC goes about its business of getting Democrats elected. That’s their job.”

Tom Baldino, professor of political science at Wilkes University, said the “preliminary bombs” are aimed at softening the target for a “full frontal assault” by Kanjorski later in the campaign.

“The intent is to raise doubts in people’s minds about Barletta,” Baldino said. “I think it’s horrible when either party does it, but campaign law allows it. Maybe campaign laws need to be cleaned up, but until they are, these tactics do create doubt and that’s their job.”

“I have not endorsed Lou Barletta or anyone else for that matter for Congress,” Duke wrote. “I don’t know anything about the man, but even if I did voice support for a candidate, it must be a new low in political smears to use my opinion of a candidate as basis for attacking him.”

Madonna said candidates should be held accountable for statements made on their behalf against their opponents, but they seldom are.

Madonna believes the early attacks on Barletta indicate the Democratic Party is concerned about the 11th District race.

“There are very few small town mayors who have a national persona like Lou Barletta,” Madonna said. “It appears that the Democrats are going out of their way to see that he doesn’t get any traction out of the chute.”

Barletta believes the continued attacks will eventually hurt the Democratic Party’s credibility.

“I think this reckless behavior indicates they are clearly lost. I don’t think the DCCC can be considered credible on anything.”

Barletta called on Kanjorski to repudiate the DCCC’s ads and compared the situation to events that transpired in his inaugural run for Congress. In 2002, the National Republican Campaign Committee ran television ads that Barletta hadn’t approved.

“I called them and told them how I felt and asked that they pull the ads,” Barletta said. “I was vocal and I took action.”

Madonna said candidates have to respond to negative charges, or they continue to circulate.

“Unfortunately, that’s what these campaigns are about,” Madonna said. “They make candidates spend a couple of days defending or explaining a charge or belief that they’ve never held. A charge unanswered, is a charge believed. You have to immediately respond and respond in force. You can’t just leave it alone or it will never go away.”

Barletta said he wants the campaign to be about real issues facing the district.

“I believe the people are smarter than the people at the DCCC think,” Barletta said. “There are people out there who have to choose daily whether to buy heating oil, food or medication. This is another case of how Washington has lost touch with the people and what they want and need.”

11th District

•The 11th Congressional District includes parts of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties and all of Monroe, Columbia and Carbon counties.

•The district extends east to the New Jersey border, west past Bloomsburg, south past Shamokin and north to Blakely.

•In Luzerne County, it includes Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston and Nanticoke and most municipalities on the east side of the Susquehanna River.