Kanjorski staffer may have violated ethics rules

Washington staffers for Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) provided a list of legislative interns to the longtime incumbent’s campaign, a disclosure that comes on the eve of his primary battle against Corey O’Brien and may amount to a violation of House ethics rules.

Politico reports on an e-mail that was sent from Kanjorski’s legislative director to a campaign staffer, a message that included a document with contact information for interns who worked in Kanjorski’s government office. House ethics rules stipulate that “internal office files… may not be used for campaign or political purposes.”

Kanjorski campaign spokesman Ed Mitchell told Politico he could not “authenticate that these supposed emails have not been altered,” but also conceded that “maybe the intern list should’ve been handled better.”

The e-mail has also been reviewed by pa2010.com, and appears, at first glance, to be authentic.

Kanjorski is favored to win renomination on Tuesday, but is facing an energetic challenge from O’Brien, a Lackawanna County Commissioner.

The northeast Pennsylvania district is ranked No. 4 on the pa2010.com Congressional Power Rankings.

•Also on pa2010.com: O’Brien hopes field campaign can overcome Kanjorski