In a new radio ad, Gubernatorial candidate Paul Mango targets comments by fellow candidate Scott Wagner and members of his campaign.
“Scott Wagner has set the record for the lowest political attack ever,” the ad’s voiceover says.
“Wagner, who’s never served in the military, attacked Paul Mango for serving his country.”
The ad points to comments Wagner made on WHTM’s Sunday show This Week in Pennsylvania earlier this year when he said Mango “went to West Point. He got a free education.”
Wagner continued to say “[Mango] will be quick to tell people that he has an MBA from Harvard. That means he supposedly is smarter than others.”
The ad also points to Facebook posts by Wagner’s Lehigh County Chair Kevin Martin about Mango’s military service.
Mango’s campaign responded to the posts through retired Four Star General and Army Vice Chief of Staff Dan Allyn.
“Attacking a Veteran who puts his life on the line for his country shows Wagner lacks character,” Allyn said.
Wagner’s campaign questioned the use of Martin’s comments, comparing it to comments made by Carla D’Addesi on a controversial podcast. D’Addesi described herself as the faith-and-family-coalition leader of the Mango campaign to the Pittsburgh City Paper.
On the podcast, D’Addesi addressed Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine.
“Rachel Levine used to be Richard Levine. And just take a look at the person — I mean, you would be really frightened if this person was in the bathroom with your little girl because she looks like a man. I always say to my husband, ‘I adore you, I think you’re really handsome, but if you were in the bathroom with me with a skirt and lipstick, I would scream bloody murder, I would be frightened,’” D’Addesi said according to the City Paper.
“It’s interesting that the Mango campaign has now reversed course in their policy that campaign volunteers articulate official campaign positions. Mango’s campaign had the complete opposite position with Carla D’Addesi’s bigoted remarks in February. We now recognize Ms. D’Addesi’s comments as a reflection of Paul Mango’s official view of Rachel Levine,” Wagner campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said.
Mango’s campaign spokesman Matt Beynon told the City Paper that D’Addesi was not “a surrogate nor speaking on behalf of the Mango Campaign during her recent appearance with Rev. Moon.”
“Paul Mango believes that all Pennsylvanians should be treated with respect and dignity; however, he does oppose Scott Wagner’s bathroom bill because it infringes on individual privacy, personal security, and religious liberty,” Beynon said.
Wagner’s campaign also contends Wagner has never criticized Mango’s military service, and pointed veterans who have endorsed his campaign.
“Scott never criticized Paul Mango’s military service. He pointed out that Paul Mango went to college at West Point as a basic biographical fact. Scott has a tremendous amount of respect for our armed forces and is endorsed by Pennsylvania veterans like Congressman Scott Perry, State Senator Guy Reschenthaler, State Senator Ryan Aument, Commissioner Josh Parsons, Don O’Shell – Clerk of Courts York County, Dave Sunday – District Attorney York County and Allegheny County Councilman Sam DeMarco,” Wagner campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said.
The ad continues the back and forth between Mango and Wagner attacking each other for not being a true conservative ahead of the May 15th primary election. The back and forth has included an ad attacking Wagner’s history and the state GOP Chair calling the attack “over the top.”
The ad is running on multiple media markets on conservative news talk radio. You can listen to the ad below.
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36 Responses
Yeah so…I don’t know how to break this to Mr. Mango, but as an 82nd Airborne soldier — and ranger to boot, you ought not hurt so easily. And let’s be clear. Not everyone who serves in the Army has good character — just like not everyone who serves at the alter has good character. Just like we have the guts to question the character of the clergy, we have the guts to question Mr. Mango’s. I mean who, but a man one who wants to fool the public into believing he’s a combat soldier, would claim to have served “during the Cold War?” I’ll tell you who: the same guy who cries “poor me” when someone, like Mr. Martin, rightly challenges Mr. Mango’s attempt to falsely position himself in this manner. The truth? Neither jumping out of an airplane at Fort Bragg or graduating from West Point makes him a war hero. Only serving in combat makes you a combat soldier and only displays of selflessness while in battle, makes one a war hero. Mr. Mango should stop leading and letting people believe otherwise. It’s an affront to those of us who actually did enter into bloody battle fields and watched our friends die around us. It’s an affront to the millions of vets who come back and can’t live with themselves. He’s holding their badge of honor, and it doesn’t belong to him. He didn’t earn it.
Hear hear!
All of what you said would be fine if any of it was remotely true. He never once put himself off as a combat vet. You are either making grand untrue assumptions or are know better and are just here to provide counter narrative from a vet supporter of the opposition. As one combat vet to another, you are way off point.
Does he, or does he not, say he “served during the Cold War?” Who says that except someone with no combat service who wishes to plant the suggestion otherwise? Military service, all of it is valuable because, as the saying goes, “we go where they send us.” But to good grief. Even those of us who served in Panama, Grenada, the Gulf War — we also served at the same time during the “Cold War.” No one got a medal for the Cold War, and no one brags about having served during it. Wake up man.
Since when do the actual words ” during the Cold War” magically turn into the actual words, “War Hero”? Seems like they are very different words. Stop making stuff up to make Mango look bad.
Being a veteran doesn’t automatically qualify you for political office just like being a business person doesn’t either. Wagner’s people shouldn’t have made any rude remarks but this is overblown.
I love how the GOP always does a patriotism litmus test yet their party has become so unpatriotic with what they allow their president to get away with. Shut up, Mango. We’re tired of listening to you.
Hey Vets for Trump endorses Paul Mango! Just saw a comment about that on FB. You can Google it by typing in Vets for Trump and looking at the first website. It’s at the top of the page. The article also cites Admiral Kubic and General Vallely. I used to see those guys on the news.
I spent 23 years in the Air Force. Those who serve our country do so out of a commitment to the mission in whatever capacity that is. They do this selflessly so we can continue to enjoy our freedoms. I appreciate all those who serve at home and abroad. I hope you join me in voting for Paul Mango on May 15.
The Vets for Trump group that has absolutely no affiliation to the Trump campaign…? They have a disclaimer that says it is one guy’s views. The Mango Campaign must be desperate if they are pushing this endorsement. Almost as bad as the Santorum endorsement.
LOL Trump has on affiliation with the Military. 5 time draft dodger.No matter who wins the republican primary–The ” BLUE WAVE” IS PICKING UP STEAM.
Wagner is Garbage and Mango is just bringing out that Fact .
Mango is just turning out to be too nasty and Wagner is just sleezy. Voters really need to stop buying into these false patriots who sling buzz words.
Kevin Martin has tapped into a promising new jobs program for AFAM’s! Be black and support big daddy Trump! If ya can’t beat them, join them! Get Rich o dye tryin’ YO!
Wagner should move to Missouri. Looks like he could get elected Gov there. They love people who beat women! Wagner beats his daughter- PFA doesn’t lie. Katherine just needs daddy’s money so she’ll say ANYTHING!
Mango is pathetic.
Not only is that tiny Kevin Martin a joke and disgusting but then you have that slob Chris and that other troll Bob. I get that the MAG group is worried since they received 25k from the trash man and they don’t want that faucet to turn off. Wagner is a loser and has never denied the charges all he says is that it’s dirty. Know why he isn’t denying because they are TRUE. Wagner is done and his 5 loyal ball licking trolls are done.
Sam, I want to buy you a drink, sir.
Reagan had a saying which he called the 11th Commandment “Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.” Now, I think he wasn’t saying you shouldn’t criticize but he was making the point that interparty spitting contests between candidates are losing propositions. This isn’t going to work for either candidate and even worse Trump’s antics are driving a bigger wedge with voters who live in areas like Bucks and Montgomery County. Mango and Wagner are totally out of touch with the times and their campaigns show it.
Kevin Martin is a CHUMP who couldn’t carry Mango’s jump boots. Wagner is worse, he relies on chumps like Kevin Martin to attack for him. At least Mango has the conviction to stand and deliver his own attacks. Wagner wont even debate him. He has canceled several debates now and has even tried to send in his rino lackey, Bartos, to defend him. I’d say birds of a feather, but they are all spineless.
Do your homework, chump. Wagner has participated in more debates than any other endorsed candidate in PA history. After you’re done with your homework, and your milk and cookies, get some rest. You have a full day of more stupidity and ignorance ahead of you.
How can anyone even consider Wagner as a legitimate candidate. He has continually put his foot in it and time and again Mango has made him look silly, by simply exposing the truth. The party lashes out at Mango, and in response receive 200+ pro mango anti wagner responses. If it’s not obvious by now, their endorsement means jack, and Wagner is not going to win the primary, let alone the general.
And those “200+ pro mango anti Wagner responses” were from less than 20 people. The same 20 people that follow Mango around cheering him on at every event. Mango’s campaign is a joke.
if it is such a joke then why does the wagz camp worry about it so much? huh, chris?
Chris is a bum just like the rest of Wagner’s trolls. The daughter had to speak or the money stops coming in. Plus it was the other daughter that we don’t hear from that support was owed to. But with all that Wagner has no plan and no idea what he is doing. Then he has that slime ball Jason High and Ray Zamboney taking him over the coals.
I’m not voting for either of these clowns, but Mango gave up any high ground when he attacked Wagner as a ‘deadbeat dad.’ A deliberate and complete distortion of reality. A father should know better than anyone.
Mango, you may have been an honorable man at some point, but you have given that up with the attack that you and everyone else knows to be false. You have no honor, no character, and no dignity.
Ellsworth is the only option that shouldn’t make your skin crawl.
Ellsworth voted for and donated to Obama and Clinton, absolutely no way she even has a hint of a chance, and if she does it’s a sad thing. As far as the “high ground”, I call BS. If it’s true then it is true, it’s better we know these things now instead of during the general against Wolf. Wagner was brought to court over the $800,000 owed, and he has a PFA from his daughter. What more do you need, as the saying goes, don’t shoot the messenger.
Info from Mango campaign is all true.
Wagner attacked Mango 1st, March 9th. Mango asked him take the ad with the 3 lies , waited, asked again, Wagner refused, A true leader does not retreat, he fires back. Wagner facts are backed up with facts, Wagners are lies.
That’s a lie Donna, and you know it.
no steve, it is not, and you know it.
On that same thread on Facebook, Mango cheerleader Bridget Fisher referred to Kevin as “Token”. So Mango’s a racist now just because one of his supporters is a racist? What’s good for the goose…
what are you even talking about?
Kevin Martin’s FB post – the one referenced in the article. Bridget Fisher replied to Kevin and called him “Token”. If we’re now holding candidates accountable for what their volunteers do, then Mango is a racist because one of his volunteers is a racist. I was simply pointing out how ridiculous it is of Mango to run an ad based on what a Wagner volunteer posted on Facebook. It shows how desperate and pathetic Mango’s campaign is.
Pathetic is using fake accounts (botnet) to promote a fake media ploy like Kevin Martin, pretending he is anyone who has said anything of any value for conservatism. Even more pathetic is using that fake media ploy to shill for fake conservatives like Wagner and have their fake accounts like and comment on all of his posts inflating his Social Media ‘presence’. Even more pathetic than that is using a platform as a fake media ploy who shills for fake conservatives, to harass women in the conservative movement with those fake accounts when they don’t acquiesce to advances from said fake media ploy. I don’t know what some lady said on FB, but I know about all that pathetic crap I just brought up.
I forgot a level of pathetic…Even more pathetic than all of the other levels of pathetic, is to use that fake media ploy who shills for fake conservatives, who then uses that platform to harass conservative women with fake accounts, then also uses that same fake media ploy platform to attack a veteran candidate, with a third party chump who’s closest experience to serving was carrying a flashlight as a chucky cheese security guard. Now that’s pathetic.
Boy… You are reaching. I’m a no body in the field of politics and campaigns. Just a citizen!
Hi Chris…. How am I even relevant? LIL I’m a voter, an opinionated one. I’m not on anyone’s payroll, I work in no campaign capacity. Are you going to pick on every voter who says something YOU don’t like? Funny… Kevin didn’t say a word to me about it. He did respond on other points tho. Yet, you want to pull out an ordinary citizen, and puck on me? You’re nuts!
PS that complaint is from Chris DelVecchio btw.
Bridget, I should have known you weren’t smart enough to keep up since you’re supporting a fraud like Paul Mango. Allow me to explain for you. Mango is using the Facebook post of a Wagner volunteer in an ad attacking Wagner. My point was simply that if Facebook posts from volunteers are fair game, then the Wagner campaign should run an ad calling Mango a racist using your racist comment directed toward Kevin Martin as the evidence. Your reaction to my comment proves my point – it’s ridiculous to use the Facebook comments of candidate’s volunteers to attack an opposing candidate. I don’ think that the fact that you’re a racist should reflect on Mango.
Dear Bridget. No one was “pucking” on you. Just recognizing that you’re racist is all. You take good care now.