HAZLETON – This morning, Vince Galko, manager for Congressional Candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, released the following statement:

For the past several weeks, Paul Kanjorski has used his Washington, D.C., smear team to attack Mayor Lou Barletta.

Lou Barletta is running for the United States Congress because he wants to bring about much-needed change to our nation’s capitol.

What is extremely troubling is the fact that Paul Kanjorski is not only hiding behind his D.C. attack team, but now it is quite clear that Mr. Kanjorski lacks the political will to make his own decisions.

Sunday, his chief campaign aide was quoted as saying: “I’ll be more than happy to have the congressman speak to Mr. Barletta when he decides he wants to talk about the issues.” (Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 18, 2008)

Does this mean Mr. Kanjorski has to get permission from his aides before he speaks?

What a shame. After 24 years in Congress, Mr. Kanjorski can’t even decide for himself when he will have the courage to speak to Lou Barletta on the issues. The Congressman refused to speak to the media for a story about how he refuses to speak to the media. Mr. Kanjorski needs to explain to the voters why he refuses to speak for himself and hides behind his surrogates. That’s not leadership and that’s insulting to the residents of the 11th District.

Lou Barletta will meet Mr. Kanjorski any time and any place to address the problems created during Mr. Kanjorski’s two-plus decades in Washington, D.C. I hope the Congressman will come out of hiding soon.

It has been become clear to the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania that Paul Kanjorski lacks the leadership and courage to tackle the important issues facing this region and this nation.  Lou Barletta saw a major issue facing his city and he stood up for the citizens he was elected to serve. Now he wants to go to Washington so he can stand up other towns and cities facing the serious issues that grip our country today.

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