On the Campaign Trail: Races heating up as Election Day nears

Oct. 11—WILKES-BARRE — This week saw the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County and the University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service calls on the political action committee backing Jim Haddock to take down portions of their TV advertising, citing "direct, blatant policy violations."

James May, the Republican candidate in the 118th Legislative District race, said the TV commercial, which was funded by the Harrisburg Political Group "PA Fund For Change," lifted the last five words of a much longer statement May had given to the League of Women Voters in 2020 and spliced it into a video, thereby, May said, "distorting the original intent of the statement."

According to May:

"They literally went through hours and hours of video, then pulled the last five words out of one single sentence and spliced it into a video to give a completely false impression to the voters. The League of Women Voters has a clearly-stated policy that no portion of their videos can be pulled out and used in this way. Jim Haddock's supporters are willfully violating this policy, and I am grateful to the League of Women Voters and to the University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service for insisting they take it down"

Haddock issued a response:

"I have nothing to do with the ad. I cannot legally communicate with outside groups, and James should know this. The real issue is James May's extreme position on women's reproductive rights. This is an issue that matters to voters in this district. James May doesn't support exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is at risk. May also would criminalize a woman and her doctor for a private medical decision. I believe in a woman's right to choose, and I will always support that right in Harrisburg."

In an email sent to James May, Dr. Jean Harris, Co-Director of The University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service, said that after consulting with the current and past presidents of the League of Women Voters and other relevant individuals, they made the decision to contact PA Fund for Change and "insist they remove the clip from their ad."

The Pa Fund for Change did not respond to emails from the Times Leader requesting comment.

"Jim Haddock knows that this Harrisburg money group backing him is directly violating a clearly stated policy from The League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County and by the University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service who own this video," said May. "If he does not immediately demand that PA Fund for Change pull this ad, he is complicit in their actions."

ICYMI: Saturday Night Live's "Weekend

Update" blasts Oz's 'comically bad week'

"Is it just me or are some candidates trying to lose?"

That's how Saturday Night Live began blasting Dr. Mehmet Oz for his "comically bad week," starting with news that "he killed over 300 puppies in medical experiments and ending with him speaking at a fundraiser in front of Hitler's car."

"The midterms are only a month away and is it just me or are some candidates trying to lose?" said Colin Jost. "In Pennsylvania with Dr. Oz... a review of scientific studies published by Dr. Oz found that his experiments killed over 300 dogs. But eventually, he got the recipe right."

Jost continued: "Dr. Oz has refused to comment on the report that his research killed over 300 dogs, though it's possible that he couldn't hear the question over the wood chipper.

"But don't worry. Dr. Oz won everybody back last night when he gave a speech in front of Hitler's car. Worse, he then got into the car and backed over a dog."

NRSC: Fetterman does

not show up for work

The National Republican Senatorial Committee this week said Democratic candidate John Fetterman has a habit of not showing up for work as Lt. Gov. of Pennsylvania — a job that taxpayers pay him $179,000 per year for.

"Let's not forget that he skipped dozens of city council meetings as mayor of Braddock too," the NRSC said.

The NRSC cited an Associated Press story:

"Records from Fetterman's four years in office, however, offer a different portrait of his time in the $179,000-a-year elected job. They show Fetterman typically kept a light work schedule and was often absent from state business, including presiding over the state Senate, which is one of his chief duties, according to an Associated Press review of his daily calendars and attendance records.

"The review found that Fetterman's daily schedule was blank during roughly one-third of workdays from January 2019, when he first took office, to May of this year, when he suffered a serious stroke. Even on days where his schedule showed he was active, a typical work day for Fetterman lasted between four and five hours, the records show.

"The findings, which focus entirely on his tenure before his stroke, are notable because Fetterman points to his time as lieutenant governor as a leading credential in his Senate campaign. And as his bid for a seat that could swing the Senate majority becomes more competitive, some Democrats privately worry that Fetterman is proving a lackluster candidate and losing ground in the campaign."

Among other things, the AP story showed that:

—Fetterman's daily schedule was BLANK for 33% of workdays in 2019 when he first took office.

—A typical workday for Fetterman was between 4 and 5 hours.

—The AP noted that "Fetterman's campaign didn't explain the gaps in his schedule."

—He booked national media interviews "during times he otherwise had state business to attend to."

—Records show that Fetterman skipped at least 53 city council meetings during his 13 years as the town's mayor, or roughly one-third of the meetings held during his tenure.

"Fetterman's 2015 financial disclosure when he first ran for U.S. Senate showed that he was paid just $1,800 a year to be Braddock's mayor and lived off $54,000 given to him by his parents that year alone," the NRSC stated.

Statement from NRSC Spokeswoman Lizzie Litzow: "If Fetterman can't even show up for his current job, how can Pennsylvanians trust him to show up for a job in the U.S. Senate? Well, the short answer is they can't. That, coupled with not showing up for debates and not being transparent with his health, shows that John Fetterman has no respect for the people of Pennsylvania or their hard-earned tax dollars."

Fetterman notes massive rallies,

says Oz is 'nowhere to be found'

As Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman has been criss-crossing the commonwealth, drawing massive crowds, the Democratic candidate for governor this week asked, "Where has Dr. Oz been apart from speaking in front of Hitler's car?"

Fetterman said, "Oz is scared to hold events because his team knows no one will show up."

Oz has claimed that Fetterman is "hiding behind his computer screen" or "in his basement," but over the past month, Fetterman said he has met thousands more Pennsylvanians than Oz.

According to the Fetterman campaign:

"Since Fetterman's massive Montgomery County rally last month, nearly 30 days ago, where he drew an overflow crowd of over 3,000 people, Oz hasn't held a single public event with a large crowd. And he's held very few events with small crowds, too.

"In the weeks after the Montgomery County rally, Fetterman has drawn crowds of 1,043 in Scranton, 500 in Indiana, 609 in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 1,025 in the Lehigh Valley, over 600 in the pouring rain in Pittsburgh, 838 in deep-red York, and yesterday's massive turnout of 1,230 in Bucks County.

"In the same period of time, Dr. Oz has not held a single public event with a large crowd. He fund-raised in Florida, appeared in front of Hitler's car in California, and held a small event in Franklin County, but otherwise, has only been seen with a handful of people at a time."

Fetterman campaign manager Brendan McPhillips said:

"It's been four weeks and Pennsylvanians have no idea where )Dr. Oz) has been or what he's been doing. Pennsylvanians don't want to replace one no-show, deeply unpopular senator who refuses to speak with regular people with another."

Cook Political Report shifts

PA Senate race to 'toss up'

The Cook Political Report this week announced that it has shifted the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race from "Lean Democrat" to "Toss Up," given that polls have begun to tighten as John Fetterman refuses to be transparent about his health and his radical views on crime, drugs, and taxes.

Oz Campaign Manager Casey Contres stated:

"The momentum is with Dr. Oz in the closing weeks of the campaign as voters learn more about John Fetterman's dangerous views on decriminalizing dangerous drugs like heroin, his commitment to raising taxes on hardworking Pennsylvanians while failing to pay his own, and his policies that put criminals over victims and our communities. Fetterman's extreme views are too radical for Pennsylvanians."

University of Scranton sets PA House

and PA Senate candidate debates

The University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service (CEEPS), in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County, will host debates for PA House and Pennsylvania Senate candidates in October.

All debates are presented free of charge and will take place in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center on the University's campus.

The dates and times of the debates and the candidates (listed alphabetically) are listed below.

—The 112th Pennsylvania House seat: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m.; Kyle Mullins (D) and William Torbeck (R).

—The 114th Pennsylvania House seat: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m.; David Burgerhoff (R) and Bridget Kosierowski (D).

—The 118th state House seat: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, 8 p.m.; James Haddock (D) and James May (R).

—The 22nd state Senate seat: Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, 6:30 p.m.; Thomas Bassett (R) and Martin Flynn (D).

For more information, email ceeps@scranton.edu.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.