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Kanjorski gets flak over racially tinged comments
Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) was on the receiving end Thursday of criticism in political circles and on the blogosphere, after he said Wednesday night that people benefiting from government relief are “not minorities and they’re not defective … these are average, good American people.”
Kanjorski’s remarks came during a hearing of the conference committee that is reconciling financial reform legislation passed by the House and Senate. He quickly drew heat from Republicans, including opponent Lou Barletta, who said the incumbent’s comments were “outrageous and shows how out of touch Kanjorski is with the real world.”
Kanjorski’s spokeswoman told Politico that her boss’ comments were being purposefully misinterpreted.
“Anyone trying to politicize this issue clearly doesn’t get it,” spokeswoman Abigail McDonough told the Web site. “In his impassioned plea for conferees to adopt Pennsylvania’s model program to help homeowners facing foreclosure to stay in their homes, the congressman was stating that many people insinuate that those who benefit from government programs are those not looking for jobs, but that those suggestions are wildly inaccurate.”
During the hearing, Kanjorski said: “We’re giving relief to people that I deal with in my office every day now unfortunately. But because of the longevity of this recession, these are people—and they’re not minorities and they’re not defective and they’re not all the things you’d like to insinuate that these programs are about—these are average, good American people.”
See video of Kanjorski’s comments below.
June 24, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Tags: Lou Barletta, PA-11, Paul Kanjorski
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Chrisocrat
Jun 24th, 2010
Taken completely out of context.
Tom
Jun 25th, 2010
A few more months and this bigot will be gone. Hopefully he takes the rest of his psycho liberal loser friends with him. PA can’t afford liberalism!!!
TB
Jun 25th, 2010
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader and Scranton Times Tribune didn’t carry this story. Politico took it and ran because it looked like a juicy headline. If it hasn’t made headlines in the 11th yet, it wont. Kanjo has nothing to worry about.
I’m assuming Tom is a small government conservative. Well Tom, who do you think pays for the maintenance of the Interstates you travel, enforces quality standards for the products you consume, prevents terrorists from attacking the homeland, makes sure that prescription drugs are safe, and provides Medicare coverage for your old lady? You guessed it fool, the Federal Government.
flynnbw
Jun 25th, 2010
Oh boy.
Well, you can clearly understand what he was TRYING to say — that people insinuate that anyone receiving any sort of assistance from the federal government is a “welfare queen,” disabled, etc. In pushing back on those types of attitudes, unfortunately he misspoke and made it seem like he’s the one who thinks that all minorities are not “good, hard working Americans.”
PoliticsPA’s Morning Buzz: 6/25 | Politics PA
Jun 25th, 2010
[...] Kanjorski’s getting some heat – Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-11) is receiving some criticism because he said during the conference committee of the Wall Street Reform bill that the people receiving government aid “are not minorities…not defective,… they are average, good American people.” (h/t pa2010.com) [...]
John
Jun 25th, 2010
Kanjorski has always been a crook, but now he’s a racist too. His comments are no different than racist Joe Biden calling Obama articulate and clean. It disgusts me that he represents a few people in this state. What is wrong with his district?????