By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com
Joe Sestak on Monday forcefully responded to criticism from Arlen Specter that the congressman doesn’t pay his campaign staffers enough, saying the incumbent Democratic senator’s attacks are the kind of political tactics voters don’t want to see.
The response came after three days of critical press releases from Specter’s campaign, which cited FEC reports showing the challenger paying some of his staffers below minimum wage. The latest missive, sent Monday morning, featured criticism from state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney.
Sestak, in a statement, said Specter has insinuated he’s a “criminal and deserter after 31 years in the military.”
“The worst I’ve ever said about Arlen Specter is that he was a Republican,” the former admiral said. “For 30 years, Arlen Specter has used these kinds of dishonest attacks against Pennsylvania Democrats. Soon, we Democrats will get the chance to say whether we think that’s the way politics should be conducted.”
The exchange is another sign the Democratic primary race, already contentious, is assuming what will likely be a nasty tone for the next 10 weeks, until May 18.
Chairman Rooney said earlier, in a statement provided by the Specter campaign, that Sestak should pay his staffers more.
“Joe needs to answer these questions about whether he’s paying his staff the minimum wage and if he isn’t he’s got to pay the price,” Rooney said in a statement.
Tags: Arlen Specter, Arlen Specter for Senate, Joe Sestak, Joe Sestak for Seante
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