Search
Close this search box.

Barletta Ad Talks Illegal Immigrants, Gene Stilp (Watch Video)

Congressman Lou Barletta (R-Luzerne) is on TV in PA-11 with his first ad of the 2012 campaign season. It’s split positive and negative, with a hit against Democratic challenger Gene Stilp.

The ad, titled “In Our Corner” highlights the freshman Congressman’s first term in office, touting his fight to keep jobs in the hands of U.S. Citizens, as well as protecting medicare and social security.

“Lou Barletta fought illegal aliens who tried to take jobs from hard-working Pennsylvanians. And Lou’s fighting to protect Pennsylvania seniors’ Medicare and Social Security,” an announcer says.

The ad also goes negative on Barletta’s opponent, Gene Stilp, knocking him for supporting a “radical agenda.”

“Gene Stilp? He’s fighting for a radical agenda that dramatically cuts Medicare advantage, which over 800,000 Pennsylvania seniors count on,” the ad says, apparently referring to Obamacare.

The ad was produced by Brabender Cox and is airing in the Harrisburg and Scranton media markets to the tune of $100,000. A campaign spokesman said they hadn’t yet decided on ad details for the final week of the campaign.

In a response to the ad, Stilp didn’t pull punches. He blasted the ad, claiming that the facts and attacks are misleading.

“This ad is completely false,” said Stilp in a statement. “I support the steps taken by President Obama to protect and strengthen Medicare, which saves hundreds of billions of dollars. It is Congressman Barletta that voted for the Ryan Budget, which turns Medicare into a voucher program and harms our seniors.”

It’s the same Medicare messaging that candidates are using across the country. Obamacare and the House GOP Budget (called the Ryan plan, and which Barletta voted for twice) both remove identical sums of $716 billion from Medicare – not from beneficiaries, but from providers – in an effort to reduce waste.

“Congressman Barletta has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from lobbyists and corporations to run this false and misleading ad. This is what’s wrong with Washington and is why I am running,” Stilp said.

Barletta is the former Mayor of Hazelton, Pa. in Luzerne County. He gained national attention during his tenure over stringent measures he proposed to crack down on illegal immigration. He has continued to focus on the issue in Congress.

Stilp, of Dauphin County, is a good government activist who most notably organized protests over the infamous 2005 legislative pay raise. He’s a quirky candidate known for outlandish props (like his pink, pig-shaped campaign bus), and he outperformed other Democrats in a 2010 run for state House.

But his challenge to Barletta is held back by poor fundraising; Stilp reported just $13,500 on hand at the end of the 3rd quarter, compared to $351,000 for Barletta.

That said, it is something that Barletta decided to throw in a jab at Stilp in the ad. Incumbents whose internal polls show them safely ahead typically don’t say their opponents’ names on television.

Keegan Gibson contributed to this report.

14 Responses

  1. It doesn’t matter who takes the Commander in chief’s job, the ultimate public servants job in the Oval Office, but under the Obama regime the absolute promise of blanket immigration reform is sacrosanct. Should Mitt Romney take the Oval office, he could still be intimidated by the greed leeches, the K Street lobbyists and the elitists in his own party, to keep the illegal migrants and immigrants coming. The open border zealots are in both political parties and only the TEA PARTY proponents will stop them. The costs will just accelerate and all to be paid by the public, while the instigators pay nothing.

    California is a Sanctuary State for illegal aliens, shielded by a Liberal Governor Jerry Brown, and a near Socialist Sacramento assembly, that have an outrageous nerve to ask for more money for education. The school system is drowned in illegal alien children, which are forced on the taxpayers by the courts in uncompensated financial requirements. A state measure 30, a so called temporary tax to fund schools and 38 which is another measure for even extra funding for schools to employ thousands of more teachers is a ridiculous burden. This is the never ending cycle when California voters are being scammed to empty their pocket books. This is just another travesty of an educational system broken, as more of the taxpayer’s money is just be absorbed to pay for the overcrowded schools, but not just in California, but across the 50 states to pay for the education of illegal alien children. Just go into the schools in Los Angeles, and half the staff in the office is bilingual and the classrooms are overloaded with kids who can hardly comprehend English. It surprised me before I left California that the school my son was in, that an American flag was even flying? States as California and many others have no real protection against voter fraud, whether at the voting precinct or especially absentee ballots. Other methods of election frauds is a legal voter, ushered from one state to another; where they once resided. Assuredly, there will certainly be irregularities in states with large illegal alien populations, but before or after the election anybody being found to be a non citizen will be prosecuted, in either party.

    There are very serious allegations being aired that the Democrats are committing Massive Voting Fraud in the crucial Bell Weather State of Ohio. Reports are emanating from unnamed polling agents in this important Swing State of Ohio, no American President has ever won without taking this very noteworthy State, of doable colossal voting fraud being perpetrated on the American people. The Dem-Liberals are bussing in scores of Somalis who cannot speak a word of English, and who may very well all be illegal immigrants, to the polling stations and aggressively advising them to vote for the Democratic candidates in the State. These pointed practices are illegal, and at the end of the day could be the deciding factor in who occupies the White House on November 7th.

    Californians or come to that, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico in the Southwest need more tax money, but the issue is it just attracts illegal migrant and immigrant females in smuggling a large majority of unborn babies across borders or on international flights. The American federation of Immigration Reform (FAIR) in a report estimates that over 400.000 babies are smuggled into America annually through this method. All those children receive free delivery and as they are credited with immediate citizenship, the parent or parents are able to settle here for good. This is a carefully orchestrated situation that the politicians say little about, as they have already been coerced by the migrant organizations as the radical La Raza, Communist founded groups as the ACLU. The smuggling of the unborn is the origination of the children of the Dream Act. Hundreds of billions of dollars are needed every year, because the parents recognize the more children they conceive, the more difficult it is to deport them. Then even should the parents leave the child is still a holder of a U.S. passport and can return at a later date.

    At the age of 18 they can their sponsor the parents, as then they are supposedly are able to financially support them. In most cases this is seldom happens in perpetuity, for then the parents are then catered to by the U.S. government after the sponsors no longer keeps them financially stable. Now enter–“THE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ACT, which will eliminate these entries, so at least one parent must have valid citizenship, for the child to gain citizenship. This would be very financially beneficial to U.S. taxpayers that would halt this activity, and would save over 100 billion dollars a year. This law will bring to halt illegal aliens bringing their children here to take advantage of our health services, educational system and many more free programs with cash benefits. Our borders still remain wide open in many places, including Canada for the illegal importation of drugs and people. For the record an estimate of a million legal immigrants are admitted to this nation each year, but we should recognize in this global market we should allow a steady stream of the paramount top list of Scientists, Technology, Engineering and mathematicians (STEM WORKERS) who would be highly beneficial to Americas future. What we don’t need are more people with no qualification, no education and adding to our own people who live in poverty.

    Under another Obama 4 year administration is a promise to the 20 million plus illegal aliens a Path to Citizenship. So not only illegal aliens will be tempted to vote for the man, but many will and Democrats will intentionally stay oblivious. The cost according to the Heritage Foundation is well over TWO TRILLION DOLLARS to complete the process, which includes Social Security, Supplementary Social Security, retirement, pensions, health care, education and other different financial programs; much of it paid for by taxpayers. At a working age, American citizens begin paying for their retirement, having paid into these systems, but illegal migrants and immigrants in the majority have not? In fact they are even fraudulently using their children to collect 4.6 Billion dollars in child credits, which this government and probably the previous ones don’t think its worth prosecuting?

    Adding further to restrictions THE LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT (E-Verify) should also be implemented, so businesses and the agricultural industry can no longer just hire illegal workers without penal implications and harsh fines. As we need temporary workers, then a fully regulated system should be installed as it was with the 1940’s “Bracero” Program. This worked well, but greedy politicians in collusion with the business community closed it down. Now we have a corrupt system that has been highlighted by many companies being raided by ICE and the owners punished. So getting back to the California state voting measures and probably in other states, illegal immigration is a very expensive situation, which needs a solution? But its not being continually taxed to pay for the illegal entry of illegal aliens and their children. Honest immigrants wait years to get an entry visa, while the other types get rewarded by Washington and individual states with a cornucopia of free welfare programs. The Legal Workforce bill could drive illegal aliens home, as if they cannot be hired, then they will leave. Instead of listening to my personal suggestions, go to TEA PARTY.ORG, NumbersUSA and JudicialWatch.org and you can judge the absolute financial negative effects of illegal immigration. Remember–this November it’s illegal and a felony for non citizens to vote, but then the Democrats have proven time and time again they don’t care who votes. Illegal or not?
    Regarding third party candidates—the two party systems are in collusion to keep further interference in their political games. That’s why the TEA PARTY (THE PEOPLES PARTY) the moderate Conservatives have had to slip through the obstacles, by infiltrating the Republican Party to claim a place in Congress.

  2. “Lou fought illegal aliens trying to take our PA jobs.” What is this Laredo? cut to scene, Lou Barletta punching Javier and Hector in the face as they show up to mow the lawn and trim the hedges. Ridiculous – and Hands down the unintentionally funniest line of any PA ad this season.

  3. Stilp will be getting a significant Republican vote from the southern parts of this district. People like Stilp and are angry they have a Congressman from Hazleton, 100 miles from them.

  4. In a report issued by the Conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation in June 2007, which under those conditions to pass an Immigration Reform package will cost over $2.6 Trillion dollars to taxpayers. As an addition the 50 states must follow the rulings of the court to pay for any illegal aliens medical care treatment, the education for their children to k-12, welfare payments for every child, low income housing if they have 3 or 4 extra babies, cash payments and receive without paying into the system over $2.4 Billion dollars annually for child tax credits, even if the child doesn’t reside in the U.S. This is an abomination for every hard working citizen and legal resident and now Obama has admitted a Comprehensive Immigration Reform that will devastate our ailing economy. A conservative amount paid out by just states is somewhere around $113 billion dollars, but this was the projection some years back. Every year it strains the treasuries of each state, so citizens and legal residents must ask themselves what is being taken from their pocket books for taxes to pay for this indignation. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION drastically and financially effects all Americans—no matter who you are—Hispanic, Black, Caucasian, Asian if you are legally here, as you are paying for the illegal aliens and all those who broke into this nation.

    Be very aware that because this election is of the overriding importance to Americas future, Democrats will pull out all stops either intentional or through incompetence backed by the Liberal heavyweights to ignore non-citizens voting in the elections. Overwhelmingly—all prudent Americans voters should be vigilant of anything that looks suspicious in the voting booth or through absentee ballots. The TEA PARTY and TRUE TO THE VOTE will be out in force, to guard against odd situations. Voting illegally is a felony, which can lead to prison. Our nation must retain FAIR ELECTIONS no matter the consequences to either party. The Democrats have requested foreigners from the corrupt United Nations to monitor large metropolitan regions, when the overall majority of voter fraud is within the Democratic Party. In states as California, a liberal Sacramento stronghold with large populations of illegal aliens, which have no restrictions on who is voting? No official picture ID is needed, so anybody can easily vote even, if they are not a citizen. THIS GENERAL ELECTION WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT ILLEGAL ALIENS, UNLESS PRESIDENT OBAMA GAINS A SECOND TERM. THE PRESIDENTS ABSOLUTE PROMISE TO PRESS FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM—AMNESTY BY ANY OTHER NAME COULD ATTRACT ILLEGAL ALIENS TO VOTE NO MATTER THE PENALTY?

    Accentuated enforcement: In 1986, the U.S. approved amnesty to some three million illegal immigrants as a quid pro quo for an exclusion on the future hiring of illegal immigrants. The amnesty was granted, but the prohibition on the future hiring of illegal immigrants was never enforced as it is seemingly today. This would repeat the same mistake; mass amnesty if it should be permitted, however the border and employment enforcement provisions of the act would be as likely hollow and will probably never be enforced. In fact funding was cut off to enforce these laws, so that businesses were not held accountable for hiring unauthorized labor. To avoid repeating the mistakes of 1986, enforcement must come first.

    Do not grant amnesty: Amnesty is unjust and would be very expensive. Obama Proponents will dispute that there is no feasible alternative to giving citizenship to all the illegal immigrants in the U.S. But serious, phased enforcement of a ban on hiring illegal immigrants would cause many, if not most, illegal immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. and return to their native countries. This would definitely be the “Cause and Effect” of the “LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT” nationally known to the public as mandatory E-Verify to minimize economic interference. It could be possible to give some current illegal immigrants temporary work visas, especially in the field of farming, but carefully regulated and with the unequivocal stipulation that they must return home when these visas run out. Such temporary visas would not grant access to welfare, Social Security, Medicare, or citizenship. The farmers should be wholly responsible and not the U.S. taxpayer? If necessary, the exiting illegal workers could be replaced by legitimate temporary workers or by permanent immigrants who have never violated U.S. laws and have been inspected by agents of the government. For the record an estimate of a million legal immigrants are admitted each year, but we should recognize in this global market we should allow a steady stream of the paramount top list of Scientists, Technology, Engineering and mathematicians (STEM WORKERS) who would be highly beneficial to Americas future. What we don’t need are more people with no qualification, no education and adding to our own poverty.

    Close the “BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ” loophole: Under current law, when U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants turn 21, they can petition the government to grant their illegal immigrant parents legal permanent residence, thereby conferring an automatic path to welfare entitlements and citizenship upon the parents (hence the term “anchor baby”). The popular concept of “birthright citizenship”-that anyone born in the United States is automatically a U.S. citizen-is historically and legally imprecise and ought to be corrected by Congress. Despite the consequences, this backdoor path to citizenship for illegal immigrant parents should be closed as this original law was protect slaves after the Civil War. Pregnant mothers, who smuggle their own children into the United States, are the instigators of what has become President Obama’s “Dream Act.” Then again, it’s not the children’s fault, the blame falls like a ton of bricks on the parents as they have caused the massive monetary problems for decades. Learn everything you want to know about the outrageous costs to Taxpayers, the cycle of illegal immigration that never ends and what you the taxpayer voter can restrain this silent invasion at NumbersUSA, Tea Party.org, American Patrol and Judicial Watch.org.

  5. Sam, you are nuts, Barletta is ahead by 20 points. This is over. Stilp has no chance, he is a fool. Vinsko would have given Barletta a race.

  6. Word from the inside is this race is very close. Stilp’s game plan all along has been to let Lou underestimate him. Lou has a pile of money, but Gene has effectively used the media to his advantage so well that money doesn’t matter.

    Lou is hoping to buy his way into 7 counties that have no idea who he is.

    On the other hand, everyone knows Gene.

    This is the race everyone will be talking about on November 7th. I don’t think any conventional candidate could pull this off, but Gene is anything but conventional.

    Vinsko underestimated him too, and he lost by almost 10 points.

    Can’t wait to see all the pundits scratching their heads after he wins. They need to scrap their measuring stick of “who has more money” and pay attention to what is actually happening out there.

    Think about this…
    If Gene just spent all of his time making calls and having events to raise money, what would he spend it on? TV ads for name recognition? He has higher name recognition in the new district than Lou does.

    Gene doesn’t need to raise money to run commercials. He’s a walking, talking, bus driving commercial out there getting the front page of the paper in every town he goes to. Not to mention the local news stations, radio shows, etc. You can’t even buy the kind of press Gene gets for nothing.

    Call him a clown all you want because he uses props, but they work. This is going to be a pickup seat for the dems, and he will have done it without any help from the party. Shame on them. I guess he won’t be beholden to vote with the party who isn’t even helping him.
    In fact, Gene won’t owe anyone anything. That’s the way he wants it, and that’s why he’s running his campaign this way.

  7. Interesting that Barletta attacks Stilp in the ad. Does that mean he’s worried about a Stilp upset?

  8. Has anyone seen a poll for this race? I haven’t found one. Do you think it is way closer than anyone expected it to be? Stilp is crazy and a maverick. Vinsko underestimated him and lost. Barletta might be doing the same thing.

  9. Really Lou? Gene is trying to cut Medicare?
    Isn’t he the one driving around the state in a red, white and blue bus that says “Protect Medicare” all over it?

    What a stupid ad. Glad Lou is wasting his dirty corporate money on a useless ad like that.

  10. Too bad Barletta doesn’t give air time to the aide he sent to the debate scheduled with challenger Gene Stilp. Barletta didn’t show up for the debate but instead sent a paid staff assistant.

  11. Yep…Lou kept all those illegals from taking jobs from hard working Americans…jobs like vegetable picking and landscaping…you know, $4 an hour jobs that Americans aredemanding.

  12. This Congressman is just like all the others in our do nothing Congress. If he truly fought illegal immigration; we would have a national e verify system and we would have opened up 7 to 8 million jobs currently being done by illegals!!!

    We dont live in PA but we have our own do nothing Congressman in Mike Coffman. Not sure who is better these days; a do nothing Republican or a Democrat who will be worse. We even had 2 other choices. We met one of them and she had no clue on illegal immigration so she lost our vote too.

Email:
  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen