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WILKES-BARRE — The Democratic National Committee is unveiling a new billboard in the Wilkes-Barre area, thanking President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey for providing direct payments and resources to reopen schools and distribute vaccines, and calling out U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey for opposing the American Rescue Plan.
A news release from the DNC states, “By voting against the American Rescue Plan, Sen. Toomey rejected direct payments of up to $1,400 for 86% of Pennsylvania’s adult population and 84% of children, including 8.1 million adults and 2.8 million children.”
This billboard is near the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport on I-81 north of Exit 47. It will be up for one month.
“Folks in Wilkes-Barre and senators traveling home won’t be able to miss this message: Help is here thanks to President Biden and Senator Casey — but if it were up to Sen. Toomey, Pennsylvanians wouldn’t be seeing any of the much-needed relief the American Rescue Plan is delivering,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. “Democrats like Sen. Casey passed this relief package, which is already providing Pennsylvanians with direct payments and resources to help manufacture and distribute vaccines, because they knew help couldn’t wait. Now, we’re making sure every Pennsylvanian knows it’s no thanks to Senator Toomey.”
The billboard is the latest step the DNC has taken to make sure Pennsylvanians know help is here with President Biden’s American Rescue Plan — a plan that the DNC said is overwhelmingly popular with voters.
In March, a TV ad went up in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, highlighting how President Biden and Pennsylvania Democrats have delivered real, tangible results for Pennsylvanians and their families by making the American Rescue Plan a reality.
Toomey’s office responds
Sen. Toomey’s office issued a statement on the billboard:
“Washington Democrats exploited the waning days of a public health crisis to enact major parts of the wasteful, partisan left-wing wish list.
“As a result, taxpayers in NEPA and around the country now must pay for a $350 billion bailout of poorly run states and cities, at least $4 billion in loan forgiveness for only minority and immigrant farmers, Obamacare subsidies for people with six figure incomes, and stimulus checks to incarcerated felons.
“If the DNC wants to waste its money in NEPA highlighting this, we encourage them to do so.”
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.