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Fellow Democrats rally to Kanjorski
Times Leader (Wilkes Barre PA) ^ | 6/26/2010 | BILL O ’ BOYLE

Posted on 06/26/2010 2:23:01 AM PDT by Born Conservative

Several members of Congress came to the defense of U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski Friday after he was taken to task for remarks he made during a committee hearing in Washington, D.C.

Kanjorski’s challenger, Republican Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, issued a press release Thursday criticizing the congressman for making what Barletta termed “insensitive” remarks directed toward minorities.

Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Democrat and author of the mortgage relief provisions in the Wall Street reform act, issued a release supporting Kanjorski, and later in the day five members of Congress – all minorities like Fattah – sent a letter to the House leadership supporting Kanjorski, the 13-term Democratic incumbent.

Part of Kanjorski’s comments went as follows:

“We’re giving relief to people that I deal with in my office every day now, unfortunately. But because of the longevity of this recession, these are people – and they’re not minorities and they’re not defective and they’re not all the things you’d like to insinuate that these programs are about – these are average, good American people.”

Barletta said Kanjorski should “apologize for saying some people are “defective” and that the 73-year-old Congressman is “out of touch with the world.” Barletta said Kanjorski should explain what he meant by his comments.

“He needs to explain what a defective person is,” Barletta said.

Tory Mazzola, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said, “Kanjorski’s candid moment reveals a mentality that goes against American values and traditions. The fact that he does not believe minorities are ‘average, good American people’ uncovers a harsh inequity that has no place today, never mind at the seat of government.”

Kanjorski said Friday that he appreciated the support of his colleagues in Congress.

“Early this morning, I helped to reach an agreement on a negotiated House and Senate Wall Street reform bill,” he said. “I have been working on this legislation for over two years, and today marks a great achievement for this historic legislation to change the way that Wall Street operates

“Unfortunately, too many others chose to focus on politics and distortions instead of the importance of this legislation. The American people deserve more than such petty statements from Republicans who clearly took my remarks out of context.”

Fattah called Kanjorski “a man of honor, doing an honorable thing” when he urged conferees on the financial services committee to support the mortgage relief provisions that are contained in the House version of the Wall Street reform bill, which would help those who have lost their jobs hold onto their homes.

Kanjorski’s spokeswoman, Abbie McDonough, said in a statement, “Anyone trying to politicize this issue clearly doesn’t get it. Congressman Kanjorski is fighting for all Americans who are struggling. Any statement saying otherwise is grossly misinformed.”

A letter sent to the Congress of the United States on Kanjorski’s behalf was signed by five members of Congress, all Democrats: Maxine Waters, California; Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois; Melvin L. Watt, North Carolina; Gregory W. Meeks, New York; and Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland. All five have served with Kanjorski on the House Financial Services Committee.

Meanwhile, the Cook Political Report, one of the nation’s leading political handicappers, moved the 11th Congressional District race to “Toss Up” and said Kanjorski faces his “most perilous race in years.”

In changing the rating, which went from Lean Democratic to Toss Up, Cook wrote: “Kanjorski only narrowly scraped by against former Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta in 2008, and now Barletta is back for round three. But anytime an incumbent falls below 50 percent of the vote in a primary, it’s a serious sign of danger. Last month, the powerful veteran Kanjorski captured just 49 percent of the vote against weak Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien and (Marywood University professor Brian Kelly).”


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: kanjorski
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1 posted on 06/26/2010 2:23:06 AM PDT by Born Conservative
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To: Born Conservative

“He needs to explain what a defective person is,”

The ones who are “Congressmen”


2 posted on 06/26/2010 2:25:52 AM PDT by Einherjar
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To: Born Conservative

What Pi$$e$ me off is that No Matter what a POS Demon-crat does .. The fellow Rats will defend ‘their’ fellow Rat to the end.

The ‘Repugs’<— (yes, I know it’s derogatory) Repugs will throw their own To The Rats and fall all over themselves .. apologizing and Kissing RAT a$$e$ to boot!


3 posted on 06/26/2010 2:53:20 AM PDT by plinyelder ("I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: Born Conservative

“Anyone trying to politicize this issue clearly doesn’t get it. Waste of time. Kanjorski is a Democrat politician, and we’re Democrat politicians. We Democrat politicians will lie and lie until the day we die to protect each other. Truth, honor, shame, ... that stuff just don’t mean much to us Democrats.”


4 posted on 06/26/2010 2:59:24 AM PDT by flowerplough (Hey, Hillary, hey, Bammy! On Petraeus, you change your mind like a girl changes clothes.)
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To: flowerplough
So THAT'S what they mean by: RAT BA$TARD$?
5 posted on 06/26/2010 3:02:52 AM PDT by plinyelder ("I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: Born Conservative

Kanjorski is just channeling Jack Murtha. Sadly, a majority of voters in his district have no problem with Kanjorski being a racist.


6 posted on 06/26/2010 3:32:17 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: Born Conservative

Democrats are proof that duming down works.


7 posted on 06/26/2010 3:39:44 AM PDT by Vaduz
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To: Born Conservative

It’s good to see that Democrats believe that racism is OK, as long as it is Democrats who are racist. It exposes their entire belief system.


8 posted on 06/26/2010 3:43:53 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage (Galileo: In science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of one individual)
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To: Born Conservative

The only way that could ever be insensitive is if a Republican said it.


9 posted on 06/26/2010 3:51:40 AM PDT by stevem
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To: Einherjar
Well, I think the context here is a little more nefarious here than just 'explaining what a defective' is. I think that what he really said that was 'a defective is equivalent to a minority'.

That's what this neanderthal needs to be explaining himself for.

10 posted on 06/26/2010 4:05:36 AM PDT by Gaffer ("Profiling: The only profile I need is a chalk outline around their dead ass!")
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To: Born Conservative

This is such a safe Dem district (in the past) that Kanjorski, and his predecessor, Dan Flood, could do nothing wrong in the eyes of the voters, giving each a lifetime seat in congress.


11 posted on 06/26/2010 4:24:58 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
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To: Born Conservative
Kanjorski’s challenger, Republican Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, issued a press release Thursday...
“He needs to explain what a defective person is,” Barletta said.

Sure. It's easy....

"Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a Congressman."

"But I repeat myself."

There ya go!

© Mark Twain

12 posted on 06/26/2010 4:41:21 AM PDT by Condor51 (SAT CONG!)
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To: Gaffer
"and they’re not minorities and they’re not defective and they’re not all the things you’d like to insinuate that these programs are about – these are average, good American people."

Obviously he "misspoke." What he meant to say was these are average, good American people who are non minority and non defective.

13 posted on 06/26/2010 4:58:26 AM PDT by Enterprise (As a disaster unfolds, a putz putts.)
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To: Einherjar

Are “defective people” mentioned in the health care bill?


14 posted on 06/26/2010 5:28:41 AM PDT by Not a 60s Hippy (They are SOCIALISTS, not Progressive, Liberal, Left Wing, Democrats, Special interest groups.)
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To: Einherjar

Are “defective people” mentioned in the health care bill?


15 posted on 06/26/2010 5:28:46 AM PDT by Not a 60s Hippy (They are SOCIALISTS, not Progressive, Liberal, Left Wing, Democrats, Special interest groups.)
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To: plinyelder

TV newsmedia and the rest of liberal media. If you watch TV, have cable & sat Tv then you are supporting it. TV is 100% behind the usurper.


16 posted on 06/26/2010 6:18:18 AM PDT by Frantzie (Democrats = Party of I*lam)
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To: Vaduz
Democrats are proof that duming down works.

Boy are you spot on. RATS/Libtards started their public education takeover in the 1960s, if not earlier, and boy is it showing results in the 2010s.
17 posted on 06/26/2010 7:46:35 AM PDT by Cheerio (Barack Hussein 0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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kanjorski and paulkanjorski keywords, cleaned, duplicates out, chrono sort:
18 posted on 06/26/2010 12:07:24 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; blueyon; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...

Please do, go right ahead, be our guests — he is after all the quintessential Democrat.


19 posted on 06/26/2010 12:08:12 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: SunkenCiv

Good job. Thanks!


20 posted on 06/26/2010 8:47:49 PM PDT by Born Conservative ("I'm a fan of disruptors" - Nancy Pelosi)
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