A tracker for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party recorded audio of Gubernatorial candidate and state Senator Scott Wagner (R-York) discussing why he pushed for the severance tax that had passed the state Senate for fail in the state House.  

According to the Morning Call, Wagner said “I told Stan at a meeting three weeks ago, he was sitting like fifteen feet away from me, I said ‘Stan you cannot let this severance tax get through … because if that happens the governor is going to get reelected. Stan, you take that to the bank.’”

Wagner voted against the tax proposal in the Senate, and has spoken against the tax both on the floor of the Senate and during campaign events.  

Democrats jumped on the audio recording, saying it is a conspiracy against Governor Tom Wolf.  

“Republicans in the Legislature conspiring with their gubernatorial candidate to block a shale tax for electoral gain is Harrisburg at its very worst.  Scott Wagner seems to have swamp fever,” Pa. Dems Communications Director Beth Melena said.  

While Saylor declined to comment on the conversation, his spokesman said the conversation did not have an impact on his decisions.  

“The chairman doesn’t allow political conversations to affect his views and votes on policy items. Stan has a long record of opposing a severance tax. It’s nothing new,” Saylor’s spokesman John O’Brien told the Morning Call.  

Wagner’s Campaign Manager Jason High told the Morning Call that the comments were “campaign talk” and said of Wagner’s opposition to the tax “he’s been pretty vocal about that for a long time.”

You can listen to the audio below.