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10th district race Insinuation about ill wife upsets U.S. Rep., who responds to Marino on not co-sponsoring abortion bill

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Andrew M. Seder on Facebook   |   @TLAndrewSeder on Twitter

On active duty and not permitted to discuss politics, U.S. Rep. Chris Carney was quiet last week as his opponent in the November election attacked his views on taxpayer-funded abortion. On Monday, not silenced by a Navy Reserve uniform, Carney went on the offensive in a conference call.

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Carney

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Marino

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First reported online at

3:23 p.m.

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He called out his Republican challenger in the 10th District, Tom Marino, for making statements last week that insinuated Carney used his wife’s breast cancer surgery as a reason to duck placing his name as a co-sponsor on a bill that would have prohibited taxpayer funds being used for abortions. Marino made the claims, Carney said, at a time he was restricted from commenting.

“I was unable to respond to his political posturing,” said Carney, D-Dimock Township.

The issue is House Resolution 5939, introduced July 29 and listed a bipartisan lineup of co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke. Carney’s absence from the list was pointed out by Marino’s campaign in an e-mail at 9:52 a.m. on Aug. 3. At 1:53 p.m. that day, Carney’s office sent an e-mail alerting the public that the congressman’s wife, Jennifer, had undergone surgery on July 30 and that he returned to the district July 29 to be with her.

Jason Fitzgerald, spokesman for the Marino campaign, offered condolences and said that as a two-time cancer survivor himself, Marino fully understands the situation.

But he said the excuse doesn’t hold water with the lack of co-sponsorship. The first memo seeking co-sponsors was circulated July 22 by the office of U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said Jeff Sagnip, a spokesman for Smith. Subsequently, two follow-up reminders were sent to representatives asking for their support by the end of July 29. Sagnip said requests for co-sponsors went to every member of the House.

Carney said the answer as to why he didn’t add his name before returning to his Susquehanna County home is simple.

“I have never signed on to a piece of legislation without reading that legislation,” he said.

Carney said he supports the bill and will vote in favor if it comes to a vote. He said he also will sign on as a co-sponsor in the near future.

During the 10-minute conference call, Carney did not hold back when attacking Marino and his campaign. “The last few days have demonstrated a great deal about Tom Marino’s character and singular lack of integrity,” he said.

“My priority in the time leading up to Jen’s surgery on July 30 was my family,” Carney said. “The way that Tom Marino has carried out this latest attack, repeatedly attacking on this issue when he knew the circumstances, demonstrates he is bereft of basic human decency. It is gutter politics of the worst kind and it has absolutely no place in our community.”