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Carney 'livid' with Kanjorski after missing powerful seat in Washington
Citizens Voice (Wilkes Barre PA) ^ | 3/31/10 | BORYS KRAWCZENIUK

Posted on 03/31/2010 11:51:39 AM PDT by Born Conservative

They will not say so publicly, but U.S. Reps. Chris Carney and Paul E. Kanjorski are not on speaking terms.

Carney, D-Dimock Township, wanted to be the next Pennsylvania member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee that controls federal spending.

As senior member of the state's Democratic congressional delegation, Kanjorski could have helped him get that appointment to a vacant committee seat.

Instead, the delegation last week voted to recommend a suburban Philadelphia congressman to congressional leaders who will fill the vacancy.

The two congressmen refuse to say much about their spat, but their silence and veiled swipes at each other are raising eyebrows over Kanjorski's role in the recommendation and whether Northeastern Pennsylvania lost a chance at a larger share of federal funding.

Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, refuses to disclose his vote, saying it is "confidential."

"And unfortunately, the people that are talking about it obviously have interests," he said Tuesday after a public meeting at the South Side Senior Citizens Center. "And I think they've made major political errors in breaching confidential relationships."

He did not name "the people."

Kanjorski, who touts his own prowess at bringing home federal dollars, refused to discuss whether he had harmed Northeastern Pennsylvania's ability to do that. He disputed that he cost Carney the seat.

As "dean of the delegation," Kanjorski said his job is to ensure "that we have someone who can get that support from the steering and policy committee. To have named somebody that couldn't have gotten that support (and) wouldn't be on Appropriations would have been fruitless for us."

Asked if he was saying Carney would not have received the appointment, Kanjorski said, "I didn't make that judgment," before an aide cut off further questions.

Kanjorski actually said more than Carney, who has refused to be interviewed. He issued his first statement on the matter Tuesday, promising to continue to fight for the region's "deserved share of federal funds."

"I'm not going to comment on the internal workings of the delegation," he said. "What I will say is that I had counted on the support of my colleagues in maintaining geographical balance from the state on the Appropriations Committee. … And I will always put our region ahead of politics when making these critical decisions."

"He is livid," said a source familiar with Carney's thinking who spoke only if he was not identified.

The delegation voted Thursday to recommend Rep. Patrick Murphy to replace the late Rep. John Murtha. The Johnstown area congressman was legendary for spreading federal dollars across the state. Kanjorski frequently sought his help.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with input from a steering and policy committee, has final say over committee appointments. Presumably, the recommendation would play a key role if she chose a Pennsylvanian. Efforts to reach her spokesman were unsuccessful. The state, which had four congressmen on Appropriations earlier this decade, only has Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Philadelphia.

Murphy, D-Bristol Township, a King's College graduate, represents Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia. In a secret ballot among the 11-member delegation, he received six votes, Carney four votes and Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Erie, a single vote.

The source said Carney is sure Kanjorski voted for Murphy. Carney voted for himself and had commitments from Reps. Jason Altmire, D-McCandless, Michael Doyle, D-Forest Hills, and Tim Holden, D-St. Clair. Kanjorski ignored Carney's appeals for support, the source said.

Another vote for Carney would have created a tie and forced a second vote, leaving Dahlkemper to break the tie.

Phone calls to the other nine Democratic delegation members were mostly ignored. Only Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Edgmont, responded.

"At the request of the Pennsylvania delegation, it was a secret ballot and I will respect that," Sestak said in a statement issued by his office.

Local residents who grew up with Reps. Joseph McDade, a Republican, and Daniel J. Flood, a Democrat, both Appropriations members, learned first-hand the power an Appropriations member wields. Both are renowned for bringing federal dollars here. After McDade, Rep. Don Sherwood, Carney's predecessor, had an Appropriations seat for about 5½ of his eight years in office.

Political science professors David Sosar, Ph.D., at King's College and Jeff Brauer at Keystone College are puzzled by Kanjorski's apparent lack of support for Carney.

With Murphy and Carney facing stern re-election tests later this year, the delegation could be betting Murphy is likelier to win, Sosar said.

"They evidently are sacrificing Carney for Murphy," he said.

In 2006, as he ran for Congress for the first time, Murphy told The Citizens' Voice that Kanjorski had been a mentor since college. Perhaps the personal relationship had an influence, Sosar said.

The matter could become at least a fringe campaign issue.

Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey D. O'Brien, who is challenging Kanjorski for the Democratic nomination to the 11th District congressional seat, said his opponent blew "a golden opportunity" to attract hundreds of millions of dollars to the region.


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: carney; kanjorski; keyhouseraces; khr; pa10; pa11
Dem in-fighting like this is good.

Carney and Kanjorski were Stupak last minute hold-outs on the House Obamacare vote. (to make it look like they were agonizing over the decision, even though they had decided long before the vote that they would vote for it)

1 posted on 03/31/2010 11:51:40 AM PDT by Born Conservative
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To: Tribune7; Renegade; Dr. Ursus

Ping


2 posted on 03/31/2010 11:55:04 AM PDT by Born Conservative ("I'm a fan of disruptors" - Nancy Pelosi)
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To: Born Conservative

Beat your brains out, Democrats.


3 posted on 03/31/2010 11:59:37 AM PDT by YHAOS (you betcha!)
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To: Born Conservative

Both are on the endangered species list:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2483764/posts


4 posted on 03/31/2010 12:01:33 PM PDT by randita (Sarah Palin has the same computer that I have.)
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To: Born Conservative

Kremlinology.


5 posted on 03/31/2010 12:03:00 PM PDT by denydenydeny ("I'm sure this goes against everything you've been taught, but right and wrong do exist"-Dr House)
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To: Born Conservative

Actually pretty typical of your average Pennsylvania Democrat. They have all had their emotional development arrested at age 12. Here in Allegheny County they spend an awful lot of their time trying to kneecap fellow Democrat Dr. Cyril Wecht for snarky things he said as a County Commissioner thirty years ago.


6 posted on 03/31/2010 12:06:58 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Born Conservative

So, this was to be Carney’s payback, and the Democrat Party reneged?

LOL!!!!!


7 posted on 03/31/2010 12:18:28 PM PDT by Rational Thought
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To: Born Conservative

They are all carnies - except for the ones that are circus clowns.


8 posted on 03/31/2010 12:18:39 PM PDT by NonValueAdded ("The real death threat is their legislation" Rush Limbaugh, 3/25/10)
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To: Born Conservative

From “Just Ask Alice”, a comedic advice column in a local newspaper. Read to teh end to see why it’s posted on this thread.

DEAR ALICE: I think Americans should give Nancy Pelosi credit for keeping a stiff upper lip during all the tough debate on the way to passing national health care.

—DUSHORE DEM

DEAR DU: You are right. Nancy had a stiff upper lip, a tightly stretched forehead and an oddly arched eyebrow.

—ALICE

**********

DEAR ALICE: I agree with President Obama that the passing of national health care proves that America is a land governed by the people, for the people.

—OBAMA FAN, OVERTON

DEAR OB: Well, the president wasn’t quite accurate since 55 percent of Americans oppose his bill.

—ALICE

**********

DEAR ALICE: Now that national health care is going to happen, should I reschedule the prostate exam I have at my doctor’s office in June?

—CONCERNED, CAMPTOWN

DEAR CON: I’d look into this if I were you. I’m hearing postal employees will be doing prostate exams at the post office on Saturday mornings since they won’t be busy delivering mail anymore. It’s part of a new efficiency wave sweeping the government.

—ALICE

**********

DEAR ALICE: If I lose my job, will I still have health insurance?

—CC, WASHINGTON

DEAR CC: Yes, Congressman. When you lose your job in November, you will continue to have health insurance.

—ALICE

http://74.95.82.237:591/rconline/FMPro?-db=rconline.fp5&-format=record_detail.html&-lay=allfields&-sortfield=articleno&Cover=N&WebAdStatus=N&-op=cn&Search=cc&-op=eq&Category=Ask%20Alice&-op=eq&Month=March&-op=eq&Year=2010&-max=20&-recid=12629349&-find=


9 posted on 04/01/2010 8:27:14 AM PDT by flowerplough ( Pennsylvania today - New New Jersey meets North West Virginia.)
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