Mother's milk PA 11th CD

The FEC year end campaign finance reports have been posted online. The 1st quarter 2010 reports will tell us more.


The Republicans

Chris Paige has $3500 cash on hand with no PAC contributions and raised $18,000 from individuals mostly from people outside of Pennsylvania. He kicked in $3473 of his own money for net receipts of $21,724.

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta loaned his campaign another $48,500 to bring his debt total up to $263,000 mostly owed to himself. He raised $49,000 from individuals and $17,500 from PAC's with a cash on hand balance of $52,330. Net receipts $119,480.

The Democrats

Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O'Brien raised $208,000 including loans from himself of about $2500 and PAC's chipping in $17,500. Individuals contributed $194,000 leaving a cash balance of $109,456.

It's not surprising that Congressman Paul Kanjorski has the biggest war chest with just under a million dollars cash on hand pulling in $233,000 this quarter. $111,00 from PAC's and $121,000 from individual contributions.

O'Briens camp has sent out some hard hitting press releases attacking Kanjo's support from financial PACs.


WALL STREET ENDORSES PAUL KANJORSKI IN PA-11

Longtime Kanjo spokesman Ed Mitchell dismissed O'Brien's number saying it came from "low hanging fruit."

"Let's see what he does in the next quarter."


TT:
He challenged the suggestion that contributions from Wall Street bankers and political action committees influence Mr. Kanjorski's decisions. Mr. Kanjorski led the fight for Wall Street reform and developed legislation to break up banks that get too large, he said. The legislation is meant to prevent the failure of large banks from damaging the nation's economy.

"Maybe he takes some of their money, but then he does what he wants to do for the people of the district," Mr. Mitchell said, noting several contractors who do business with the county contributed to Mr. O'Brien.