Democratic senatorial candidate Rep. Joe Sestak (Pa.-7) has called on the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) to assist in the safe and productive development of Marcellus Shale natural gas deposits.
“There is extraordinary economic potential associated with the development of Marcellus Shale resources,” Sestak stated.
“However, as the oil spill in the Gulf reminds us, there is also great risk. It is, therefore, critical that this study is detailed and completed in a transparent matter.
“I encourage the EPA to create a thorough and scientifically based study, and I suggest that they do so in as expeditious a manner as feasible, given strong economic pressures and rapid development already taking place, especially in Pennsylvania,” he said.
Visit www.joesestak.com for more information.
• Republican senatorial candidate Pat Toomey has called on Sestak to return campaign funds which were donated by Democrat Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.-15).
Rangel has been charged with multiple ethics violations by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee.
Rangel donated a total of $12,000 to Sestak through campaign committees. Sestak received $2,000 from Rangel’s campaign committee and leadership PAC in 2006. Sestak received $5,000 from Rangel’s Leadership PAC in 2006, and another $5,000 in 2008.
The Toomey campaign pointed out that Democrats Chris Carney and Kathy Dahlkemper have donated money they received from Rangel to charity.
Visit www.toomeyforsenate.com for more information.
• Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett spoke to workers at a transportation company in Erie about his small business plan.
Highlights of the plan include simplifying the tax code, instituting regulatory flexibility for small business and repealing the Inheritance Tax.
Visit www.TomCorbettforGovernor.com for more information.
• Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato released a policy paper on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The policy paper called for maximizing resources that enable people with disabilities to live independently and receive home- and community-based services and to recognize the importance of meeting the needs of people with disabilities in housing, workforce development, transportation and other areas.
“The 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is an important reminder of the strides our nation has made and the work that remains in order to ensure that people with disabilities can thrive in the workplace and in society,” Onorato said.
Visit www.voteonorato.com for more information.
• Rep. Joe Sestak, a 31-year-veteran of the Navy, commented on the recently leaked classified military files by Wikileaks, a Sweden based organization, which released over 90,000 classified documents on the Afghanistan War.
“While there are instances when information is wrongly classified, it is wrong and potentially harmful to release classified documents,” he said.
“All of the material precedes the President’s new direction given last December, and concern about the ISI...reinforces the need for a counter-insurgency mission focusing on the terrorist safe haven across the border in Pakistan,” Sestak said.
“My concern is about how our strategy is being executed and how to measure our progress,” he said.
Wikileaks.org is a self-proclaimed whistleblower organization that releases sensitive government material, while protecting its anonymous sources.
Congressman Chris Carney said he was “outraged” by the release, which he considers to be treasonous.
“Our intelligence officers are given special trust,” he said. “As an intelligence officer myself for nearly 16 years in the Navy Reserve, I believe that this leak shows utter contempt for our nation, our leaders and our men and women in uniform.
“The sheer volume of information that has been handed to our enemy in this case is incredible. It is unconscionable, and from perspective, unforgivable,” he said.
Efforts to receive a comment from Pat Toomey and Tom Marino were unsucessful.
Earlier this year, the website released a controversial video of surveillance footage taken from a U.S. military helicopter, which showed U.S. soldiers firing on members of the Reuters news network, who were thought to be armed insurgents.
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division arrested an U.S. military intelligence analyst in connection with that leak.
Visit www.wikileaks.org for more information.
