Democratic candidate Shaughnessy Naughton is calling out Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick for his actions during the current government shutdown. Naughton, a chemist and publisher who is seeking the Democratic nomination in PA-8, is challenging the congressman to sign a discharge petition to end the shutdown.

A discharge petition is a legislative maneuver that is used in the House wherein a majority of the body signs a petition to bring a bill to the floor. If that petition receives the signatures of a majority of the House it will be released to the floor regardless of whether the Speaker wants it to or not. Democrats have started just such a petition to challenge Republicans, like Fitzpatrick, who have indicated that they want the shutdown to end.

“I am asking Congressman Fitzpatrick to be a leader in his party and do what’s right,” said Naughton. “Children need access to nutrition programs. Federal employees need to be paid. We need meteorologists to predict dangerous weather patterns. Please, Congressman Fitzpatrick – don’t tank our economy and hurt your constituents.”

Naughton also attacked Fitzpatrick on the issue of his pay. The Congressman announced last week that wanted his pay withheld during the shutdown and co-sponsored the “Government Shutdown Fairness Act”, which would prohibit members of Congress from being paid during the shutdown. Due to the 27th Amendment, however, this bill wouldn’t be able to take effect until 2015. Then, Fitzpatrick stated he would donate his pay to charity if federal employees don’t receive back pay for the time they missed during the shutdown.

Naughton took the opportunity to label Fitzpatrick as inconsistent on this issues.

“Congressman Fitzpatrick is being a hypocrite all over the place. First he is cutting his pay during a shutdown, then he is considering giving it to charity. First he is proud of his co-sponsorship of the “Government Shutdown Prevention Act,” then he refuses to vote for it,” she stated. “He is not putting his money where his mouth is and he is not representing the needs of the Eighth District. I don’t understand how he can expect voters to trust him after so much flip-flopping.”

Ian Prior of the NRCC responded that Rep. Fitzpatrick is the only one looking for solutions while his opponents focus on negative attacks.

“For people that claim to be interested in solving problems, Shaughnessy Naughton and Kevin Strouse have been 100% negative politics and 0% solutions,” Prior said. “Instead of attacking Congressman Fitzpatrick’s bipartisan efforts to break the gridlock in Washington, Naughton and Strouse should start taking some positions on whether they would have joined their fellow Democrats in voting against funding for FEMA, the National Institute of Health, Women, Infants and Children nutrition programs, as well as whether they support the full and immediate implementation of Obamacare in its present form.”

Naughton is running in the Democratic primary against Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Kevin Strouse.