Steve Santarsiero’s temper tantrum over Internet blogs
PA-08 voters rejoice! Steve Santarsiero found his top campaign issue: Throwing temper tantrums over critical Internet blogs. According to The Bucks County Courier Times, Santarsiero is upset over an NRCC blog post accurately highlighting his dismal voting record.
Of course, Santarsiero had no problem sending out false press releases shamelessly suggesting Brian Fitzpatrick is a racist. Or with the DCCC trying to connect Fitzpatrick to the Ku Klux Klan. Or any of the many hits the DCCC has put out attacking Brian Fitzpatrick for that matter.
Annnnnd, here’s a live look in at Santarsiero at his campaign headquarters.
NRCC Comment: “Steve Santarsiero has no problem sending out false press releases attacking Brian Fitzpatrick but somehow takes issue with the NRCC accurately showcasing his dismal voting record. Steve Santarsiero can dish it out but can’t take it and needs to grow some thicker skin.” –NRCC Spokesman Chris Pack
Santarsiero says blogs violate campaign civility pledge
The Bucks County Courier-Times
By James Boyle
June 16, 2016 – 7AM
http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/election/santarsiero-says-blogs-violate-campaign-civility-pledge/article_45d8395d-9943-53c9-8d2b-60ae4fb44d1f.html
The Democratic nominee for the 8th Congressional District says articles recently posted to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s website violated the Positivity Pledge signed by both candidates.
State Rep. Steve Santarsiero took issue with a blog posted last week on the NRCC’s website that called him out for missing 16 votes between June 7 and 8. Santarsiero previously said he would not be able to debate Republican opponent Brian Fitzpatrick on days when the state Legislature is in session.
In the blog, NRCC spokesperson Chris Pack writes that Santarsiero is “a little rascal” and he “missed 44 percent of votes in Harrisburg since using the legislative session as an excuse for not being able to debate Brian Fitzpatrick.”
In a press statement Monday, Santarsiero said he missed the votes because of a family emergency and criticized Fitzpatrick for not speaking out against the NRCC’s attack.
“I’m offended — but I guess I’m not surprised — that congressional Republicans are attacking me for spending time at the hospital with my 90-year-old father, a proud WWII veteran and former teacher, while he underwent life-saving surgery earlier this week,” said Santarsiero. “Will Brian Fitzpatrick finally live up to the rules of the civility pledge we both signed and condemn this below-the-belt attack or will he — like he did with Trump’s racist remarks — merely ‘disagree’ with it?”
Both candidates signed a Positivity Pledge in May, promising to adhere to a pact created by the editorial boards of The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times. Part of the pledge reads:
“I further pledge not to mount defamatory attacks that misrepresent, distort or in any way falsify the facts regarding my opponent. Additionally, I pledge to dissociate myself from and condemn negative material — published, broadcast or transmitted on social media — circulated on my behalf by organizations unaffiliated with my campaign.”
Fitzpatrick responded with a statement Wednesday saying both candidates need to come out against attacks by the national committees.
“I call on Steve to join me in demanding that both national parties refrain from all attack ads,” said Fitzpatrick. “I fully intend to honor my pledge, which I initiated, and I expect Steve to do the same. This cannot be a one-way street.”
Nearly 20 blog posts on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) website dating back to February have hammered Fitzpatrick hard on subjects ranging from his entry into the race after moving back to Bucks County in December to allegations about Hatch Act violations that have not been proven.
Several posts attempt to paint Fitzpatrick with campaign words and actions by Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. One article, from February, accuses Fitzpatrick of remaining silent when Trump did not denounce David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan during a CNN interview.
“Brian Fitzpatrick has been mute since he announced in PA-8, but he can’t continue to remain silent after Donald Trump refused to unequivocally denounce the Ku Klux Klan,” said Jermaine House of the DCCC on Feb. 29. “It’s not at all surprising, that a candidate whose campaign plan is to say nothing, while hoping voters recognize his last name, won’t speak out against the racist elements in his party.”
The bulk of the DCCC posts are dated before the signing of the Positivity Pledge, between Feb. 18 and May 11. There are a handful of post-pledge articles from the DCCC site and the Santarsiero campaign that continue the strategy of hanging Trump’s activities onto Fitzpatrick.
Since signing the pledge, Santarsiero and Fitzpatrick each said they were eager to start debating face-to-face. The campaigns have since released dueling proposals for dates on which to hold debates. Only one date, June 22, matched proposals from both camps for the first of six debates.
“Mr. Santarsiero must defend his record of scarce accomplishment,” said Fitzpatrick spokesman Athan Koutsiouroumbas after the debate dates were released. “Brian Fitzpatrick spent a career holding people accountable and keeping families safe. He will champion security and opportunity for all.”
The 8th Congressional District includes all of Bucks County and parts of Eastern Montgomery County.