Carney slams Marino in new ad

If your keeping score this is the third TV spot from Congressman's Chris Carney reelection campaign. The first 2 were positive spots that you can view here. His Republican challenger Tom Marino is not on the air yet and may not have the money to do any TV after reporting only $11K cash on hand as of June 30th. I'm sure that his fundraising has picked up since then but looking at his last FEC report most of that is probably going to various consultants. I'm sure he will get some outside help but so far the NRCC hasn't spent any money on his behalf.

That being said the only 2 polls released in this race so far that have come from Republican outfits shows that he is ahead. Carney's campaign polled the district in June and has surely done so since but unlike the last 2 cycles they have not released the results. They might be worried because this ad goes after Marino's relationship with Louis DeNaples who is famous for owning a junk yard, bank, landfill, all the former watershed land of PG&W, a casino and who knows what else. He may even own my blog.

Here is the ad:




From Wiki:


Louis A. DeNaples is a prominent Scranton, Pennsylvania businessman, best known as former owner of the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. In January, 2008, DeNaples was charged with four counts of perjury due to his suspected ties to the Bufalino crime family when applying for a Pennsylvania state gambling license.[1] The charges were later dropped in April 2009 after DeNaples agreed to turn over legal control of Mount Airy Casino resort to his family.[2] DeNaples is owner or invested in several businesses, including DeNaples Auto Parts, Inc., Keystone Landfill Inc. and is Chairman of the Board of First National Community Bankcorp, Inc.[3]...

In 1978, DeNaples pleaded no contest to a conspiracy charge of defrauding the government of $525,000 in contracts relating to the cleanup and recovery of the City of Scranton in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes. Prosecutors claimed DeNaples plotted with three county employees to falsify records to obtain $525,000 in federal reimbursements.[4] He was subsequently fined $10,000 and was placed on probation for three years. Four people, including James Osticco, a Bufalino crime family underboss were convicted in 1982 of jury tampering in DeNaples fraud trial. [5]

In 2001, as part of a federal gambling investigation, four informants make mention of a relationship between DeNaples and current leader of the Bufalino crime family, William D'Elia. The informants alleged DeNaples made payments to D'Elia for undisclosed work and paid the crime boss protection money. [5]

The Carney camp sent out a press release yesterday reinforcing this message:

CLARKS SUMMIT – Congressman Chris Carney today called on Tom Marino to release a letter he has promised to make public surrounding the controversial reference he wrote as a U.S. attorney on behalf of a convicted felon. Tom Marino claims that he has a letter that shows he was authorized by the Department of Justice to give the personal reference despite an ongoing federal investigation of the felon at the time. The unethical decision by Tom Marino has yet to be fully explained, despite repeated questions from reporters in northeast and central Pennsylvania.

"The controversial ordeal illustrates Tom Marino's career-long lack of judgment and integrity," said Carney for Congress campaign spokesman Josh Drobnyk. "Tom Marino should stop hiding and release the letter. He said he had permission from the Department of Justice to serve as a personal reference for a convicted felon back when Tom Marino was a U.S. attorney. He said he would provide proof in writing of that permission. But he has yet to do just that. Where is the letter? The people of northeastern and central Pennsylvania deserve a straight answer on this and, instead, all they are getting is the run-around from Tom Marino. Families deserve to know the truth."

Here's what we do know. In 2005, while Tom Marino was a U.S. attorney in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, he wrote a personal reference for a casino application of a convicted felon who was under further investigation. Marino resigned in disgrace two years later and promptly went to work for the felon, making $250,000 a year. When asked about the matter in a radio interview in the spring, Tom Marino said he had notified the Department of Justice about the personal reference and had been given the department's permission. He later told the radio host that he would provide a letter from the Department of Justice showing he was authorized to provide the character reference. More than four months later, he has still not released the letter.

Reporters have tracked this story for years:

http://www.wilknetwork.com/pages/7074698.php

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/all-marino082107,0,878720.story

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/all-resign082407,0,4810885.story

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/36560.html

http://www.mcall.com/news/all-a1_5marino.6221869jan11,0,4798885.story

http://thetimes-tribune.com/marino-tops-gop-opponents-in-personal-wealth-1.749563

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-marino-justice-20100901,0,6567497.story

http://www.wilknetwork.com/-Tom-Marino-Should-Stop-Hiding-/7074698?pid=20883

http://www.wilknetwork.com/-Casino-Marino--Plays-Roulette-With-The-Truth/7074698?archive=1&pid=20411

The Marino campaign responded by reminding everyone that Nancy Pelosi is a liberal:


Williamsport, PA – Following a negative and misleading ad released by Chris Carney, U.S. Congressional candidate Tom Marino issued the following statement.
“Chris Carney should be ashamed of himself for attacking my character and ethics in his latest negative ad. He is trailing badly in the polls and has grown increasingly desperate. He wants to talk about anything other than his liberal voting record.
For 18 years I protected the people of this region, first as Lycoming County District Attorney, then as United States Attorney for the Middle District. As a prosecutor I put away murderers, child molesters, rapists, drug dealers, and organized crime figures. For Chris Carney to question my integrity is outrageous.
If Chris Carney wants to talk about associations, why doesn’t he explain his close association with Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi? He has voted with Nancy Pelosi over 91% of the time. He has been a part of the Obama/Pelosi team that has allowed unemployment to hit double digits, the national debt to double, and Medicare to be cut by 500 billion dollars. He joined Pelosi in voting for bailouts and the governments run health care. It’s Chris Carney that owes the hard working people of this district an explanation.
While Chris Carney and his liberal cronies continue their negative personal attacks, I will focus on the issues that are important to the people of the 10th District. I will talk about my plans to create private sector jobs, eliminate excessive regulations, reduce government spending, cut taxes, and repeal the Obama/Pelosi/ Carney Healthcare bill”.