Less than a week removed from a trip to Florida, the PA Republican Party today dinged Attorney General hopeful Kathleen Kane for attending the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.
PAGOP Chair Rob Gleason accused Kane of going to North Carolina to hide her her lack of credentials.
“Kathleen Kane jetted to Charlotte this week to mingle with the D.C. Democratic elite and avoid discussing her lackluster credentials with Pennsylvania voters,” said Gleason, whose luggage is likely still adorned with airport tags from his recent trip to the RNC in Tampa.
“It’s the latest in Kathleen Kane’s campaign strategy to hide her inexperience from Pennsylvania voters and camouflage the fact that she is an unqualified candidate in this race for Attorney General.”
Kane served as an assistant District Attorney in Lackawanna County from 1995 to 2007.
The criticism originated with Kane’s opponent, Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed. He did not attend the RNC last week, as his campaign noted in a Wednesday press release, but campaigned in PA.
“I really hope the irony’s not lost on anyone that Kathleen Kane, who claims to be ‘a prosecutor, not a politician,’ has left the state of Pennsylvania for the week to glad-hand with the very political establishment she claims no connection to,” said Freed campaign manager Tim Kelly.
His campaign also clipped the above video of Kane applauding former President Bill Clinton during his Wednesday speech.
Kane has long been active in the Democratic party. A well-connected fundraiser, she took time off from her work as an attorney in 2008 to help coordinate Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in PA.
The Clintons returned the favor in April, when a rally with the former president and resulting television ad helped propel Kane to a victory over former Congressman Patrick Murphy.
Freed and Kane both attended the annual Pennsylvania Society events in New York City, New York in December.
Update: Kane’s campaign fired back.
“Everyone knows that Dave Freed is the handpicked choice of Tom Corbett and the Republican Harrisburg establishment, while Kathleen Kane won the Democratic nomination without her party’s establishment,” said Kane Communications Director Josh Morrow. “So our guess is Dave Freed really doesn’t want this campaign to become a debate on who will be a more independent Attorney General.”
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18 Responses
Wow…I become more unimpressed by the PAGOP strategy every day.
What imbecile thought this should be an issue?
Rothfus went to the RNC in Tampa, by that logic, he should also be unfit for office.
Weaksauce, gents.
I’d recommend making a commercial like this for the dems. Desperate indeed.
This is a real stretch for freed and Gleason.
Couple thoughts:
– Hard to believe she went to the DNC convention after the party helped fund her election campaign…
– Last time Kathleen was in the same auditorium with Bill Clinton he was endorsing her for the Democratic nomination….
– Kathleen sure is pretty and she does wear her cloths well. She’s also damned smart, compassionate, engagng, has a steal backbone, and more than enough experience to be not just PA’s first elected female AG, but probably’s PA’s best AG ever.
– Dave Freed’s campaign isn’t winning on the issues. Maybe cheap shots will work.
Note she’s wearing orange, the color of the Campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and children. I don’t care if she’s just a pretty face who wears clothes well, she’s STILL better than any guy either party tries to pass off as qualified to look after the public safety.
What an absolutely absurd statement. The p.r. guys at the Pa GOP must have been really bored. If this is the best they can do, perhaps they should find other work.
I fully support Kane and McCord
How much money can I donate to Freed to run that ad showing Kane and McCord with Clinton?
Holy crap – somebody better call Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to get on the case – I believe that is Rob McCord standing beside KANE!
Thanks for the Great commercial by freed with Clinton. That should give Kane a 5 point bump. Ironic… Leroy’s son-in-law who had his hand held and the field cleared by Corbett now trying to say she’s a politician. Laughable.
What is a point of this web ad if you ask me this ad is useless it said while freed go over pennsylvania while kane go to north carlin to see her party convention it bull shit
Rob Gleason should consider hiring PR people that would tell him how ridiculous comments like this make him sound.
Just, so silly!! Go back to the drawing board.
Clearly we all know now why David Freed is 11 points back in the polls. His team pulls “genius” stunts like this.
Real smart showing her applauding Bill Clinton who is very popular with PA voters of all stripes. Is Freed a moron?
I have to agree…I am a Republican and I do not understand what the hell is the point of attacking someone for attending their own party’s convention. That would be like the Democrats attacking Romney for attending the Republican convention. Just plain dumb.
This is desperate even for Republicans. The GOP is attacking Kathleen Kane for attending her own Party’s Convention? Seriously?
And she is inexperienced? Really? 12 years as a prosecutor in Pennsylvania does not give one experience?
Clearly desperate times call for desperate measures, especially when you are sitting 11 points back in the polls like David Freed is. But come on, this is just laughable.