Mark Woerner, Republican candidate in the newly formed House District 169 race of York County, is the focus of a recent attack ad that called his conservative and limited government credentials into question.
“Mark Woerner doesn’t want you to know the facts about his real record of higher taxes, massive debt, and protecting his own perks,” the ad says. The ad was paid for by a group called PA Taxpayers for Integrity; however, this group is not registered with the Department of State and apparently doesn’t exist. The address used is a PO Box that isn’t even currently rented out.
“Mark Woerner has been masquerading as a conservative Republican, but one look at his record and you can see he is a Philadelphia style liberal,” the ad proclaims. It goes on to cite examples of Woerner raises property taxes, increasing public debt and voting against the elimination of “taxpayer funded health care benefits.”
The ad directly counters Woerner’s personal promise to “not accept a taxpayer-funded pension, a state-provided vehicle, per diem or any automatic pay raise,” and his self-proclaimed belief in “small, limited, Constitutional government.”
But Woerner also received the endorsement of the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania, a non-profit political action committee that espouses “limited government, economic freedom, and personal responsibility” – one of the most active conservative organizations in the state.
CAP has consistently reared its conservative head into York politics, of late. The group supported the campaign of write-in candidate Scott Wagner in the state Senate District 28 special election — an election that he won by a large margin.
Recently, CAP earned the anger of many higher-ups in the state Republican party for what they see as creating divisions in the party itself.
York County GOP Chairman Bob Wilson told the York Daily Record that “CAP doesn’t understand York County … They need to stay out.” Wilson also sees the Tea Party as having a negative influence on the Republican Party.
Wilson’s anger was spurred by PAC’s fundraising efforts in order to help the campaign of Ernie Merisotis, a Republican candidate in the HD-93 race.
Thus, CAP candidates tend to be both well-funded and very far to the right. And yet, PA Taxpayers for Integrity’s ad attacks the campaign of one of CAP’s endorsees because the group believes that Woerner’s conservative campaign is merely a misleading facade.
The new 169th represents Codorus, Heidelberg, Penn, Manheim, Shrewsbury and West Manheim Townships, as well as Glen Rock, Hanover, New Freedom, Jefferson and Railroad Boroughs.
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5 Responses
Dear Observer
Have you been able to varify the statements given in the flyer If so show those of us where to find them and who wrote them. I can quote political enemies of anyone but that does not make them true. Any unregistered group and anyone hiding behind a made up name has a lack of courage for they do not want to be responsible for what they say or do. That goes for any individual or group
Correction Pathfinder Communications is in Malvern
I have asked House Republican Caucus Secretary Mike Vereb to investigate. I do not know whether he will or not. He denies any prior knowledge of these mailers.
I have to think that House Republican Caucus Majority Whip Rep. Stan Saylor either knows of this. At any rate, he can investigate what appears to be criminal election fraud.
Let us see what Republican leadership does.
The four mailers have had to cost about $10,000, which had to be paid for by donor or donors who may, themselves, either be complicit or have knowledge of the mailers.
Republicans attack Republicans and attempt to manipulate the outcome of an election with anonymous mailers by an unregistered entity.
Law enforcement needs to investigate to determine if this is, in fact and in law, criminal.
Mr. Freeman,
First, how is it defamation if it is Mr. Woerner’s record? The facts are the facts regardless of whether you or anyone else likes them.
Second, how can you call out this PA Taxpayers for Integrity group when CAP has spent a fortune in this district (and others) over the past several weeks? Apparently, only the groups you like are OK, while those you don’t should be ashamed of themselves.
Woerner isn’t going to tell people these facts about himself, so someone else needed to.
Bob Wilson needs to go and people who are hide while defaming others should be ashamed of themselves especially this PA taxpayers for integrity group