Tom Waring, the Wire
Brian Fitzpatrick, the Republican nominee in the 8th Congressional District, released a statement regarding recent ISIS attacks in Afghanistan and France and the continued threat of global terrorism.
“While our hearts go out of the victims of these attacks, we must also continue our focus on eliminating those who would carry out these heinous attacks. Likewise, all nations must be willing to reform anti-terror policies that have failed — including those in France that allowed a convicted terrorist to carry out his gruesome attack,” he said.
“While some seem content to accept these attacks as the ‘new normal,’ I refuse to cede our future — and that of innocent people in any nation — to the deranged ideology of radical extremism and its thirst for blood.”
Fitzpatrick called for Congress to work with the White House and military leadership to establish a coherent counter-terrorism strategy to defeat, not appease, ISIS and groups like it. Only with American leadership and an engaged international community, he said, can peace and freedom replace fear and danger around the world.
For nearly 15 years, Fitzpatrick served as an FBI special agent, with a focus on supporting global counter-terrorism efforts.
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Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick released a statement expressing support for the Certified Drug and Alcohol Recovery Housing Task Force/Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs draft recommendations for certifying recovery house programs and calling for further efforts at the state and federal level on the issue:
“Speaking with district residents — including many in my own neighborhood — it is clear that the proliferation of recovery homes in our area, as well as the genuine concern about their efficacy and safety, is one that transcends typical civic involvement. As such, community members are right to expect an honest dialog and bipartisan effort between local, county, state and federal leaders to address their concerns,” he said.
Fitzpatrick applauded the state’s Certified Drug and Alcohol Recovery Housing Task Force, led by Rep. Frank Farry, for its effort to address this issue with input of all those impacted. “As a member of Congress representing the people of Bucks and Montgomery counties, I will work toward addressing each of these issues in the collaborative manner required. There is work to be done at the federal level to better the understand the impact of recovery homes on local planning and address uncertainty caused by current federal housing law. Likewise, federal representatives must be willing to address the shortcomings in our current drug education, treatment and recovery programs as well as remain committed to providing enforcement and first responders the tools they need to win this fight in communities like ours,” he said.
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Congressional candidate and state Rep. Steve Santarsiero issued a condemnation of Donald Trump for his comments about support of the United States’ NATO allies.
Santarsiero called on Republican opponent Brian Fitzpatrick to join him in standing up for U.S. allies abroad.
“Donald Trump’s irresponsible comments about not standing up for our NATO allies aren’t just reckless, they pose a national security risk,” Santarsiero said. “As Republicans usher in Donald Trump as their new standard bearer, responsible leaders from both parties should denounce this rhetoric and assure the world and our allies that America will always stand with our friends. I call on Brian Fitzpatrick to stop ducking the problem, demonstrate leadership and join me in condemning Trump’s destructive rhetoric.”
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The Pennsylvania Democratic Party and Bucks County Democrats recently led a demonstration outside of Republican congressional nominee Brian Fitzpatrick’s ice cream social in Levittown.
With chants like, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, why is Brian lying low?” protesters called on Fitzpatrick to answer questions about Donald Trump.
“Brian Fitzpatrick pledged to support Donald Trump and has been embracing his policies, so why does he keep ducking Trump?” asked Jermaine House, of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Brian Fitzpatrick’s dodging is a desperate — but futile — attempt to avoid the damaging reality: voters in Pennsylvania will see no daylight between him and the offensive Donald Trump in November.”
