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WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Democratic Party has filed an ethics complaint against U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta over a television interview he did this week during which he answered questions about a possible run for the U.S. Senate while being interviewed in his district office.
His longtime campaign strategist responded by saying the filing is a pure political maneuver and that Barletta did nothing wrong.
The complaint filed Wednesday cites the House Ethics Manual’s instruction that taxpayer-funded district offices “may not be used for the conduct of campaign or political activities.” A related provision states that congressional press secretaries can answer “occasional” political questions, but should not give interviews “substantially devoted” to campaign matters, the filing states.
Max Steele, Democratic Party spokesman, said Barletta’s “unapologetic discussion of his Senate run in significant detail while in his congressional office is a direct affront to House Rules.” Steele called on the office to open an investigation.
John Brabender, strategist for Barletta’s campaigns over the years, called the filing “purely a political maneuver” and said the law allows for what Barletta did.
“If you look at the law, Barletta did exactly as he should,” Brabender said. “He received a request for an interview on health care. During that interview, he was asked a question about the possible run for the Senate. He is allowed to answer that.”
Brabender said the ethics filing indicates the Democrats are particularly worried about Barletta’s entry into the race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton.
“They should be embarrassed that they didn’t understand the law,” Brabender said. “This is just a political act. The Democrats tipped their hand, showing how nervous they are of Barletta taking on Casey. The people will see this for what it is.”
Steele noted that during the interview, the seal of the United States Congress was visible in the background — he said that was a violation of the House Code of Official Conduct and a possible violation of House Rules and federal law.
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania does not agree, calling it a “baseless accusation” and going on to take shots at Casey.
The Democrats will “have to do better if they are going to hold on to this seat,” the GOP statement said. “The House Ethics Manual is very clear that nothing improper occurred in the referenced interview. Maybe they should tell their woefully ineffective Senator (Casey) to at least appear to attempt to govern. Instead, I suspect they will continue their lurch to the far left.”
The ethics filing comes just a few days after an Associated Press report that Barletta, 61, Hazleton, has told GOP officials he will enter the Senate race against Casey.
Barletta told the Times Leader on Monday he plans to soon make his intentions clear in regards to a possible Senate bid.
“I’m continuing with the process,” Barletta said Monday. “I’ve been talking with a lot of people all over the state and it’s been a positive process. I plan to make an announcement within the next couple of weeks.”
Earlier this year, Barletta said President Donald Trump — frustrated with the Senate’s slim Republican majority — had urged him to enter the race.
Casey, 57, Scranton, would be seeking his third term in the Senate. Barletta has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2010, winning his fourth two-year term in November.
Barletta endorsed Trump in the weeks leading up to Pennsylvania’s primary, became a co-chair of Trump’s ultimately successful campaign in the state and served on Trump’s transition team.
In Pennsylvania, Democrats’ hold a 4-to-3 registration edge over Republicans, though that did not stop Trump from becoming the first Republican since 1988 to capture the Keystone State’s crucial electoral votes last fall.