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PA-8: Fitzpatrick Bros. Under Fire For Pre-Campaign Activity

Rep. FitzpatrickThe Fitzpatrick brothers, Mike and Brian, are facing questions about their activities in late 2015.

According to Scott Bland of Politico, Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick was making calls on his brother’s behalf while Brian was still working for the FBI.

“Mike had been making calls for months” one Bucks County Republican told Bland. “For months, maybe longer than that. … ‘Hey, I’m your congressman, look at the job I’ve done, I want you to support my brother.’”

“Mike was saying to people, my brother is looking at it,” another Republican remembered. “Wouldn’t Brian earn some of your consideration and support even though he can’t voice it?”

Fitzpatrick apparently started pitching his brother to others around Thanksgiving of last year, while the younger Fitzpatrick has said he didn’t resign from the FBI until January.

There is nothing new or even shocking about this type of activity. It goes on all the time. The problem, though, is that technically it’s illegal.

Under the Hatch Act, federal employees are prohibited from any “preliminary activities regarding candidacy”.

“The Hatch Act is a prohibition not only on formal candidacy, but on pre-campaign activities,” former FEC general counsel Larry Noble said. “”Even if [Mike Fitzpatrick] was doing it of his own accord, it at least reflects the fact that the brother who is running now was thinking about running and was taking preliminary steps…Any steps would be in violation of the Hatch Act, and it’s hard to imagine a situation where your brother would be soliciting support if you hadn’t done something to prompt that.”

PoliticsPA reached out to the Fitzpatrick campaign but did not receive a response.

UPDATE: “The last thing Bucks and Montgomery county voters need is another Washington or Harrisburg insider representing them in Congress. I hope the FBI investigates whether Brian Fitzpatrick was politicking on the taxpayer dime,” said Naughton Campaign Manager Erik Polyak.

UPDATE 2: The Santarsiero campaign sent the following statement:

“If the troubling allegations are true, and Mike Fitzpatrick was indeed making illegal calls on his brother’s behalf while Brian Fitzpatrick was still living in California and working for the Federal Government, that would have been a clear violation of the Hatch Act. If true, that would raise serious questions for which the public should demand answers. No one should be above the law.”

UPDATE 3: Brian Fitzpatrick’s spokeswoman Linda Mannherz sent PoliticsPA the following response:

“These unfounded and anonymous accusations are just more dirty tricks from a political machine threatened by Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI Special Agent and federal prosecutor, whose candidacy is focused on changing the status quo.

With a dirty trick website against Brian Fitzpatrick being the subject of a Federal Election Commission complaint this week, attacks like these are why people are disenchanted with the political process.

Brian has an unblemished FBI record protecting our country. He is calling for a Civility Pledge for all candidates. These dirty tricks need to stop. Voters demand better.”

16 Responses

  1. This is horse crap. Fitzpatrick will have much more to worry about than this stuff if Trump and Hilliary are at the top of the ticket. Naughton will lock down every women vote in the district and eek out a win.

  2. I agree that the parody website is tacky, but that’s not what this article is about. This article is about potentially illegal activity by a sitting congressman and his candidate brother who also happens to be a former FBI agent who focused on political corruption (irony much?). I don’t know if it’s true, but this isn’t the first time Mike has been investigated for Hatch Act violations, which makes this extremely disturbing. This is the BS everyone is tired of and complains about. It has to end.

  3. I’m not a fan of either Fitzpatrick brother, but this attack is nonsense.

  4. Illegal activities in politics during the 2016 campaigns are prevalent. It is in the minds of all concerned Americans. Nobody is above the law. Activity such as this, violation of the Hatch Act, is irreprehensible by anyone. People need to be accountable for their indiscretions. It’s time to make everything politically correct.

    Concerned voter.

  5. The Fitzpatrick brothers proved they are in service for themselves. Mike Fitzpatrick knew he was violating the Hatch Act and our favorite crime fighter, Brother Brian looked the other way. These two frauds have been exposed.

  6. OMG. . .have the Democrats gone mad? The Fitzpatricks are squeaky clean, that’s what the politicians like Santaserro can’t stand – so let’s go groveling in the dirt and find something, anything and when that fails, let’s get creative. Go Brian-but you’re almost too good for this uncivilized game.

  7. What a joke. More dirty tricks from the Santarserio campaign. Career politician who has accomplished nothing. Steve spends more time obsessing about his opponent than he does about himself or his positions. He’s so dumb as to try to take on the entire FBI. Good luck with that. Fitzpatrick was keeping us safe while your wife was making millions defending tobacco companies. Wait until that comes out. Fitzpatrick by double digits.

  8. The only way Fitzpatrick could Win ……..Would be to Cheat !
    Why would Voters want another Fitzpatrick ….When Mike was a Horrible Congressman and did not support the Poor,Seniors,Vets or Working class !! I sure am glad he is done !!!!!!!!

  9. Although Mike is a total tool in this article, there isn’t anything to say his brother was doing anything. In fact, in Bucks it seemed as if his brother had remained absent from everything… I still don’t know where he is. So. This is stupid.

  10. The great public corruption fighter Brother Brian is also corrupt. Don’t you love it when politicians have double standards and think they’re above the law.

  11. I think in the 80 year history of the Hatch Act. Like only 1 person (Hilda Solis) has been charged of what they are talking about. Considering he did not vest in his FERS pension(Law Enforment) because he quit prior to 20 years of service. They have have nothing to look at or take away.

    This is bush league doubt its from the Santaman camp. Santa has to worry about one green nig at a time and the lady is first on the target list.

    This is internal BS from the tall man in new hope. Big Tree’s fall hard and apparently do make sounds on the way down.

  12. Did you really expect a response? Not if his lawyer had anything to do with it. 5th Amendment?

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