From Aaron Blake at The Hill.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s (D) office on Monday confirmed the governor’s recent comments that he has tried to get Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) to switch parties and run as a Democrat.
After Rendell said in a news station interview that he, Vice President Biden and Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) have all lobbied Specter to make the switch, Casey’s office denied that Casey had done so in any private manner, and Biden’s office declined to comment.
But Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo said Rendell has indeed tried to convince Specter on many occasions to switch parties.
“The governor has had conversations — both public and private — trying to urge Sen. Specter to switch parties, and each and every time, he has received a resounding ‘no’ in response,” Ardo said.
Ardo did not speak to how serious the supposed lobbying efforts by Biden and Casey were. He agreed with Casey’s office that Rendell might have been referring to an event last month at which Rendell and Biden joked about Specter switching parties.
“I think the governor was alluding to some [conversations that were] public, some private, some tongue-in-cheek, some a bit more serious,” Ardo said.
Showing posts with label Snarlen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snarlen. Show all posts
Monday, March 16, 2009
Justice And Mercy Entered The Room and Between Them Walked The Offer/Promise Of Quid Pro Quo
AFL-CIO pledges votes for Specter
Angling for a critical Senate swing vote to pass the "card check" bill that would make it easier to form unions, Pennsylvania labor leaders promised Sen. Arlen Specter that they will switch union members from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party to help him win a tough 2010 primary election, The Washington Times has learned.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William M. George said he pledged Mr. Specter "all kinds of help from the union" in a series of meetings to woo the Republican senator's support for the bill, which would ease rules favoring secret-ballot elections to unionize workplaces.
"We are pushing to give him help in the primary, including changing Democrats to Republicans for the primary," Mr. George told The Times. "It's hard to do because of other races in the state ... but we'll do it for 'card check.' "
"It is surprising in this era of change that anyone would be brazen enough to suggest a quid pro quo" of endorsements and other political support, said Jerry Gorski, national chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a group spearheading opposition to the bill.
"Why would the AFL-CIO throw their support to a candidate based on one single issue?" he asked, accusing the union of trying to "buy" Mr. Specter.
Angling for a critical Senate swing vote to pass the "card check" bill that would make it easier to form unions, Pennsylvania labor leaders promised Sen. Arlen Specter that they will switch union members from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party to help him win a tough 2010 primary election, The Washington Times has learned.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William M. George said he pledged Mr. Specter "all kinds of help from the union" in a series of meetings to woo the Republican senator's support for the bill, which would ease rules favoring secret-ballot elections to unionize workplaces.
"We are pushing to give him help in the primary, including changing Democrats to Republicans for the primary," Mr. George told The Times. "It's hard to do because of other races in the state ... but we'll do it for 'card check.' "
"It is surprising in this era of change that anyone would be brazen enough to suggest a quid pro quo" of endorsements and other political support, said Jerry Gorski, national chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a group spearheading opposition to the bill.
"Why would the AFL-CIO throw their support to a candidate based on one single issue?" he asked, accusing the union of trying to "buy" Mr. Specter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)