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February 24, 2010

O’Brien seeks forums with Kanjo

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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Democratic challenger Corey O’Brien has invited 13-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski to a series of 10 candidate forums in the 11th Congressional District race.

“We believe that in this critical election year, it is vitally important for voters to hear from both candidates, so that voters can fairly and accurately assess the candidates’ records and positions on the issues,” said O’Brien, a Lackawanna County commissioner from Moosic. “We have proposed Nanticoke, Kanjorski’s hometown, as the site of the first of these candidate forums.”

O’Brien’s campaign sent a letter to Joseph Werner, Kanjorski’s campaign manager, on Tuesday afternoon inviting the congressman to participate in the forums that would be held throughout the district in the weeks preceding the May 18 primary election.

Ed Mitchell, Kanjorski’s campaign spokesman, said the congressman did not immediately accept or decline the invitation and issued a statement on Kanjorski’s behalf.

“The congressman is too busy doing the job he’s paid to do to worry about that now,” Mitchell said. “There’ll be enough time for politics later. I guess O’Brien has a lot of free time on his hands. Lackawanna County taxpayers should ask him why.”

In the letter, O’Brien’s campaign manager, Justin Carroll, proposes that he and Kanjorski meet for two candidate forums in each of the district’s five counties – Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Columbia and Carbon. Carroll said exact formats and rules for the forums will be worked out later.

Bill O’Boyle, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7218.

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