News
Monday, October 25, 2010
10th District Incumbent cites differences with faction in party
Carney touts record, trust issue
By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
WILKES-BARRE – U.S. Rep. Chris Carney points to his knowledge of national security issues and his voting record as reasons he is the better candidate in the 10th Congressional District. But it’s something more personal that he believes gives him the true edge over his Republican challenger in November’s election.
U.S. Rep. Chris Carney speaks with The Times Leader Endorsement Board.
S. John Wilkin/The Times Leader
“When you are asking for the people’s trust, you need to be able to look in the people’s eyes and tell them the truth,” Carney, D-Dimock Township, said Wednesday during a meeting with The Times Leader’s Endorsement Board.
That honesty is something he doesn’t think people are getting now from his opponent, Tom Marino, 58, of Lycoming County. When it comes to contrasting himself and Marino, he said, “I think the difference in this election couldn’t be more stark.”
During a question-and-answer session with endorsement board members, Carney, 51, spent a majority of the 75 minutes discussing issues including the war in Afghanistan, drilling in the Marcellus Shale, the economy and health care.
Carney, who lives less than a mile from gas drilling wells in Susquehanna County, said he is keeping one eye on safety issues regarding drilling in the Marcellus Shale and the other on the jobs the industry is creating for Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.
“The Marcellus Shale is something that provides at least an opportunity for growth,” said Carney. He said that from a regional economic standpoint, it could be a huge boon for years to come. He said that while he owns two pieces of land in Susquehanna County -- one he lives on, the other is undeveloped -- he has not signed any leases with gas companies and has no financial interest in the industry.
Speaking as a Pennsylvania citizen, he said he favors a severance tax.
On the economy, Carney said it’s “improving from where it was two years ago. … Obviously, we have a long way to go, though.” He said he stands by his vote for the $787 billion stimulus bill in 2009 and votes against three subsequent funding bills he considered bailouts, not stimulus.
He also said he is not hiding from his vote in favor of the Health Care Reform Act of 2009, commonly referred to as “ObamaCare.” He said that if anything, it didn’t go far enough to reform the health insurance industry. Carney said he hopes to see a bill that would allow for health insurance companies to offer policies across state lines, to increase competition and keep rates low.
Though Vice President Joe Biden was in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Carney’s behalf earlier this week, Carney said he and the administration and his own party’s leadership do not always see eye to eye and he’s proud of his record of not kowtowing to his party’s wishes.
He specifically cited disagreements with the administration setting a date to withdraw from Afghanistan, wanting to close the detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and with the “PAYGO” bill that requires any new programs to have money already available to pay for it.
For the latter, Carney said Blue Dog Democrats, a fiscally conservative wing of the party of which he considers himself a member, held “(Speaker of the House Nancy) Pelosi’s and (President Barack) Obama’s feet to the fire on this, were able to get it through and the Senate passed it.”
Afghanistan, he said, and the “Afghanistan/Pakistan nexus” in particular is perhaps more than anything else the issue that keeps him up at night.
“That’s the thing that I lose sleep over,” said Carney, a father of five and commander (select) in the Navy Reserve, knowing that Pakistan has nuclear weapons and “al Qaeda has promised if they ever got their hands on a nuclear weapon they would use it against American interests.”
He said he’s opposed to the Obama administration’s “hard departure deadline” from Afghanistan.
His knowledge and personal experience with military and national security issues was put on display for the endorsement board. He said he is the only member of Congress to have personally interrogated a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, he’s been to the Mexico/U.S. border to see how the border surveillance system operates and he has participated in Predator and Reaper drone missions.
His voting record of sponsoring bills that either create jobs or try to keep jobs in America is also something of which he said he was proud.
“We will emerge from this recession at some point. … What you need is somebody working in Washington who understands and knows the district and can find those opportunities to create the jobs and how to change some of the legislation that impedes job creation,” Carney said. His Made-in-America tax credit and securing military contracts for manufacturers Gentex and BAE in Lackawanna County are examples.
He said that while many try to paint him as an ally of Obama and Pelosi, he is a registered Democrat who represents all residents of his district, regardless of political affiliation.
“There’s frustration with me in the White House. There’s frustration with me and the upper ranks of my party in Congress. They know that I represent the 10th District in Washington; I don’t represent Washington to the 10th District. That’s something that frustrates them, it really does.”
While he criticized Republicans for bowing down to the party’s far-right extremists, he said the Democrats do the same with the left-wing faction of the party.
“Talk about the middle, for crying out loud. It drives me crazy that right now the extremes on both sides are controlling the debate, it’s not those of us in the middle. … Those folks on the extremes might be the loudest, but they’re not the most numerous,” Carney said.
When asked specifically why voters would check his name instead of Marino’s, Carney said: “Oh, there’s a lot of reasons I think why that is. Paramount among them is when you are running for elected office, when you are asking for the people’s trust, you need to be able to go to those people and look them in the eye and tell them the truth. And Tom Marino has been singularly unable to do that.”
He said Marino, who served as U.S. attorney until he accepted a job as counsel for Dunmore businessman Louis DeNaples, has been effusive in his comments regarding his relationship with DeNaples and his decision to be used as a reference in DeNaples’ casino application. Carney said Marino has flip-flopped on answers he has given on Social Security, his approval from bosses to be used as a reference and whether his office was investigating DeNaples while he was U.S. attorney.
Carney said Marino still has time to clear things up.
“If we’re going to elect somebody to an office of public trust, why doesn’t he clear that up before the election?”
“Mr. Marino’s wounds are all self-inflicted, to be honest,” Carney said. “He still has time, he still has slightly less than three weeks to actually tell us what has happened.”
Carney said those unanswered questions and concerns are something for which voters should demand answers.
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Old School Conservative said...
Mr Carney can't run on his record because he violated the public trust. He says he stood up to his party ? Then why did he vote with Pelosi 92% of the time? Why did he vote for bailouts, stimulus and health care reform (including govt funded abortion) when he knew damm well that the people of the tenth were aginst it ? He did what he was told by Pelosi and company. A look at Carney's donor list tells the tale. His list is mostly Washington K Street PACS. What does the DNC Playbook tell you to do when you can't run on your record ? Go with the politics of personal destruction. The DNC is employing this tactic all across the country. Twist, lie, use misleading graphics,make up the worst things you can about your oponent. Make him look like a criminal. I hope Marino sues Carney for defamation. The FACTS show that he was a good US Attorney. He put away Mobster Billy Delia and started the Luzerne County Corruption investigations, yet Carney calls him a mobster ? Chris Carney is a rat!
Geezer said...
Ain't that the truth, Carney. Everyone should do themselves a favor and watch Marino's ed board. Absolutely appalling.
bear said...
Hey old school at least be honest yourself and admit Mr. Marino is anything but honest.If you really feel he is the best man for the job fine, but don't try to turn him into something he's not.
catholic/pro-life/conservative said...
Carney is very silent in his home town of Dimmock about the fouled water wells of his neighbors! HE HAS NOT UTTERED A WORD OF INQUIRY OR SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL NEIGHBORS AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. HIS CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE GAS EXPLORATION COS IS WELL KNOWN BUT TO IGNORE THE NEIGHBORS IS WHAT A WASHINGTON INSIDER WOULD DO!
notyourmamma said...
Good riddance to Sallie Mae, one of the most deceptive student loan operators in the country. It's no wonder they have a class action suit against them. Next on the list - the waste in healthcare. How many $7 bandaids did Mercy charge the govt for before they had a problem with reimbursement. Lets look at the facts. I 'm not for providing more tax dollars to the private industry so more seniors came become drug addicts. Carney did what he needed to do to curb the waste. Big deal if Pelosi voted the same as Carney 92% of the time. The point is??
Deek said...
Carney touts constituent trust when his voting on the hill is done to further his political career. Here's the BEST example, but there are more. His Pro-Obamacare vote proved to be an attempt to increase his stature on the hill at the expense of his constituents wishes and now their jobs (Sallie Mae-Mercy Health Partners). While he waffled back and forth on a decision, he was really positioning himself to trade his vote to Pelosi for a shot at a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. While Pelosi was handing out all sorts of favors to sway "blue dogs" her way, this was Carney's bone. The vote for the seat was taken just days after the passage of Obama care and guess what? Although Carney voted for himself, Paul Kanjorski voted against him. Don't believe me? Check out the story. April 1, 2010 The Towanda Daily Review.
Deek said...
Carney talks about trust? We can trust Carney to think of himself over the best wishes of his constituents. Look at his Pro-Obama Care vote? He waffled for days over a decision, but at the least minute voted YES! He did so because behind the scenes, Carney was negotiating with Pelosi for a shot at a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. The slot was vacated by the death of John Murtha and Carney wanted it. So at a time when Pelosi was courting all the Blue Dogs for their votes, Carney?s BONE was a shot at the seat. He did a trade. The passage of Obama Care was the weekend of March 27th and the vote for the seat occurred early in the week of March 29th. The problem is, Carney didn?t get the seat. While he voted for himself, Kanjorski voted AGAINST him. Carney screwed his constituents, the workers at Sallie Mae and NOW possibly the employees of Mercy Health Partners, all with one selfish act! And he talks about supporting NEPA jobs!
Prolifer said...
Carney is not Pro-life. He voted for Obamacare which funds abortion abortion (11 billion) of our tax dollars thru Community Health Centers. Vote him Out on Nov2. He has a 100% voting recorde with Planend Parenthood -the largest abortion provider in the country. Also vote out Phyllis Mundy who is also Pro-abortion & endorsed by Planned Parenthood -the largest provider of abortions in the country. It's a joke that Phyllis is stanging up for the jueveniles during the corruption but she foregts to stand up for the unborn. Vote Phyllis out on Nov 2nd!!!!
nuffsaid said...
This clown along with Kanjorski voted for the $800 Billion dollar bail out using our tax dollars. To make it worse they placed no controls on how the money was used and all the fat cats in the banking business used it for there bonuses. They both also love to vote with Nancy Pelosi. Folks, on Nov 2nd, PLEASE DON'T FORGET TOP TAKE THE TRASH OUT!
PAtruths said...
RETIRE THIS CLOWN... Carney needs to be retired or we will keep seeing these major bills passed that keep racking up more debt that will be passed onto our children. Plus Carney supported ObamaCare before Obama signed the executive order banning abortions. How do you think Carney got his 100% rating from Planned (ABORTION) Parenthood. He doesn't care if babies die each and everyday because he was told by Pelosi to support this illegal bill. This guy is out of the mainstream. And he try's to fool the voters that he is a blue dog. But the smart voters of the district know he is a LYING DOG. What else is Carney lying about. Did he tell anyone about his stops at the Williamsport Holiday Inn? I haven't heard him talk about that yet have you? Congressman tell everyone please..
BMTP said...
Keeping an eye on safety drilling issues? What a joke! If he was keeping an eye on things in Dimmock, then why have there been so many violations resulting in polluted wells? Carney, you've done nothing to help the residents of Dimmock in overseeinig the gas industry which affects ALL of your constituents.
para said...
para said. Carney, is full of himself. This man would do what ever Piglosi told him to do!
Deek said...
BMTP... How can Carney think about his constituents in his little hometown of Dimock, when all he was thinking about was getting his hands into the big fat corporate PAC wallet of Chesapeake Energy? While his neighbors were subject to water rationing, he was drinking his fill of cold, clear PAC money via a $2500 per plate breakfast fund raiser held for him by Chesapeake. PACs fund politicians to look the other way! When Chris says he loves coming home to his district, it gives the appearance that he actually cares about it. His actions spell a much different story, don't they!
Joe, Joey, Joseph said...
Chris Carney, you governed against the will of the people. YOU DID vote for ObamaCare even though the majority asked you not to. Which means YOU DID vote for a bill that provided federally funded abortions. YOU need to go!
votemallout said...
..all you right wingers bashing this guy...and demonizing everyone have about 2 weeks left before showtime....Enjoy it.There are not near as many Democrats voting Republican as you think ....and please don't start on the 2012 election November 3rd...Go back in the bomb shelter for awhile.Give us all a friggin' break.