By Tom Waring
Wire Staff Writer
The National Organization for Women last week endorsed Shaughnessy Naughton in the Democratic primary in the 8th Congressional District.
“I am proud to have the endorsement of NOW, an organization that has been instrumental in advancing women’s rights and civil rights over the last half-century, and continues to today,” Naughton said. “I hope to build on NOW’s legacy, and push for legislation that will make our system even more equitable. In Congress, I will fight for pay equity, healthcare access, voting rights and marriage equality. We have come a long way since NOW’s founding, but there is still a lot more work left for me to do in Washington.”
Naughton faces Kevin Strouse in the May 20 primary. The winner will challenge Republican Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick. The district includes all of Bucks County and a portion of Montgomery County.
“I am proud that NOW has endorsed Shaughnessy Naughton, who will be a strong advocate in Washington for women and families in Pennsylvania,” said Caryn Hunt, Pennsylvania NOW president. “She is not afraid to stand up and fight for what she believes in, including women’s rights, economic justice and equal pay for equal work.
Congressman’s Fitzpatrick’s policies have been disastrous for women in the Eighth District, and it is time for a new voice in Congress.”
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Naughton also received the endorsement of the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19, a Philadelphia-based AFL-CIO affiliate.
“After meeting with both Eighth District candidates, we are proud to endorse Shaughnessy Naughton,” said Gary Masino, Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 business manager. “With Shaughnessy in Congress, hardworking families in Bucks and Montgomery counties will know that there is somebody standing up for them in Washington. Mike Fitzpatrick has forgotten that middle-class workers have grown and strengthened our economy — but Shaughnessy gets it, and will fight to protect the middle class.”
Naughton, a publishing company owner and scientist, also has the backing of EMILY’s List, Women’s Campaign Fund, the Democratic Advancement, Progressive Kick and Women Under Forty political action committees and more than 60 local officials.
“I am proud to have the endorsement of the Sheet Metal Workers, who have been fighting for better working conditions for families throughout the region.” Naughton said. “As the owner of a family-owned and operated small business, I understand how important it is for local workers to be able to provide for their families, and I understand what it takes to make that possible. In Congress, I will fight to raise the minimum wage, eliminate the unfair gender pay gap, enact paid family sick leave and invest in the infrastructure that will get our economy back on track. I am running for Congress because I want to help rebuild the path to middle-class prosperity, and I look forward to working with the Sheet Metal Workers to make it happen.”
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Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee is delighting in the fact that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee did not include Strouse as part of its “Red to Blue” program.
Last May, Strouse was part of the DCCC’s “Jumpstart” program, which provided early financial, communications, operational and strategic support.
Last month, 16 Democrats — but not Strouse — were chosen for the Red to Blue program for meeting fundraising, organization and infrastructure goals.
“His campaign is such a mess that he can’t even get the DCCC to return his phone calls,” said NRCC spokesman Ian Prior.
The 8th Congressional District was included in the “Emerging Districts” category for Republican-held seats that are on track to be put into play.
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Fitzpatrick, who is in his third term, spoke of letters he received from eighth-grade students at Newtown Middle School during a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee.
The hearing addressed the impact of the $17 trillion national debt on the American economy.
“Mr. Chairman, these letters have all been received in my office since January this year — and they’re all about the national debt. The interesting thing about these letters is that every one of them was written by a teenager concerned about the national debt,” Fitzpatrick said during the hearing. “I would ask each of you, if Alex were here or Tia were here, what would you say to them about the future of their country?”
Honeywell CEO David Cote responded, “I would say, ‘I think their letters are right on the money,’ and I wish they would write to all the other teenagers in the country to do the same thing. They’re absolutely right. They’re the ones that are going to be the most affected by this.”
Other witnesses included Alice Rivlin, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, and Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum.
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Fitzpatrick is encouraging high school students to enter the House App Contest.
The nationwide event allows students to create and exhibit their software application for mobile, tablet or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
The deadline to enter is April 30.
Interested students can find out more about the competition, as well as a list of resources and registration information, at http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/HouseAppContest.
“This competition is a new, exciting way to connect Bucks and Montgomery county students to a field with limitless potential,” Fitzpatrick said.
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Katie McGinty, a Democratic candidate for governor, is calling on the Pennsylvania Legislature to enact a total ban on all gifts to elected officials and staff to restore the public’s confidence in state government.
McGinty’s call for a ban on all gifts comes on the heels of reports of legislators allegedly receiving cash payments. Under current law, legislators are able to receive cash and other gifts as long as they are reported.
State Attorney General Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, has been criticized for not prosecuting the alleged crimes. She cited the dropping of all charges against the informant in an unrelated case, along with what she saw as a targeting of black lawmakers.
“Pennsylvanians are losing faith in state government, and one way to remedy that is to enact a ban on all gifts to elected officials and their staff — with no exceptions,” McGinty said. “There will always be a gray area and distrust by the public as long as lobbyists are permitted to provide gifts to the people they are lobbying. The Legislature must act now to ban all gifts immediately because the people of Pennsylvania deserve a government they can trust.”
McGinty also pledged that if the Legislature doesn’t act, as governor she would ban all gifts to administration officials and staff under her jurisdiction.
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Allyson Schwartz, who is also seeking the Democratic nod for governor, unveiled an economic plan called InvestPA.
The proposal would spend $30 million to help manufacturers grow, hire and stay in Pennsylvania. It would also invest in the state’s biotechnology, life sciences and high-tech industries.
“Our hard-working and determined people, vast energy resources, manufacturing base, top universities, life sciences and agricultural strength all provide opportunity,” Schwartz said. “As governor, I will push Harrisburg to think differently, be innovative and take advantage of our assets to grow our economy and create new, good-paying jobs for working families.”
In addition, she would require that, by 2030, 30 percent of electricity must come from clean, renewable sources. To pay for some of her initiatives, she would enact a 5-percent tax on natural gas drilling.
In other campaign news, Schwartz announced a plan to give tax incentives to companies to hire, train and retain about 10,000 new employees.
Schwartz faults Gov. Tom Corbett for Pennsylvania being among the bottom 10 states for job growth.
As governor, she would, among other things, reinvest in community college and vocational training initiatives. She’d like to double the number of worker-trainees enrolled in registered apprenticeship programs from 10,000 to 20,000.
“We must bridge the gap between those who want jobs and the employers who need skilled workers,” she said. “By making real investments in creating partnerships between government, industry and our universities, we can allow employers to take advantage of the greatest asset Pennsylvania has — our workers.”
