The Mercury sat down with Congressman Charlie Dent, who is running for re-election to the 15th District seat in the U.S. House, to talk about the issues.
Charlie Dent's long record of strong support of our veterans and our men and women in uniform is a fact, not opinion. Therefore, I am obviously outraged by the continually misleading and negative ads from John Callahan's campaign that attempt to smear Congressman Charlie Dent's outstanding record on veterans' issues. I wish to set the record straight.
Calls for N.J. Gov. Christie to run for U.S. president follow him in Pennsylvania
Thursday, October 21, 2010
NJ.com
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — New Jersey’s Bruce Springsteen-loving governor went to the city Billy Joel famously sang about Wednesday to stump for a Republican congressman and call on his constituents to move back to the Garden State.
Gov. Chris Christie, in another stop on his national political tour, descended on the rust-belt city near the New Jersey border to help raise money and promote the campaign of three-term incumbent Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.). He spoke to standing-room-only crowd of 150 at a leadership lecture and raised tens of thousands for Dent’s campaign at a VIP photo op and roundtable that cost up to $5,000 per couple to attend.
Dent, Callahan, Towne spar at free-flowing debate The candidates for Congress focus on the down economy.
October 13, 2010
The Morning Call
In a spirited debate Wednesday in which the congressional candidates often talked over each other, Republican Charlie Dent, Democrat John Callahan and independent Jake Towne argued how the economy got into the recession, who was responsible and how best to fix it.
Dent, the Lehigh Valley's congressman, chided Democratic leaders, who have supported Callahan, for pushing through a stimulus program that cost too much and created too few jobs. Dent cast Callahan as a rubber stamp for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's agenda and said that agenda hurts small businesses, which are the vehicles for economic recovery.
"We need a check and a balance on this administration," Dent said.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, cement executives and union representatives decry stimulus funding for a New York project that will benefit foreign cement producers
October 13, 2010
The Express-Times
That's the message U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent and local cement industry officials delivered during a Tuesday morning news conference at the Keystone Cement plant on the Nor-Bath Highway outside Bath.
Now they want the public to know more about a New York harbor terminal being built with U.S. tax dollars to import foreign cement for the greater New York metropolitan area -- a major market for Lehigh Valley cement manufacturers.
Rep. Charlie Dent has gotten an endorsement from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee.
In a letter dated Sept. 20, VFW-PAC director Salvatore J. Capirchio writes that the endorsement is based on Dent's "strong support for veterans, national security and defense and military personnel issues."
The 31-year-old group has 2.1 million members, according to the letter.
Dent's campaign released the endorsement after his Democratic challenger, John Callahan, criticized the congressman's record on veterans in a campaign mailer. The criticism was also broached at Sunday's debate at the Jewish Community Center in Allentown. We're still fact-checking the mailer and will report the results.
Callahan, Dent go head-to-head at second debate Independent Jake Towne was not included in the forum
October 11, 2010
The Morning Call
In a forum where questions ranged from Israeli security to minimum wage, some of the clearest contrasts between Rep. Charlie Dent and his Democratic opponent, John Callahan, Sunday evening came to down to whether they support extending federal income tax cuts.
Only two ways to run, congressman says: 'Hard or unopposed.' Undecideds have dwindled from a third to 10 percent
October 9, 2010
The Morning Call
Charlie Dent actually runs when he campaigns door-to-door.
College Republicans get the voter to the door, and the 50-year-old congressman runs from porch to porch. Dent bolts down brick walkways, dashes across lawns and with a reporter in tow races a tenth of a mile toward the home of an elderly man waiting in the hot September sun.
"Slow down, Charlie," the man says. "You want to make it to November."
The man knows Charlie, as most do in this well-groomed Salisbury Township neighborhood not far from where Dent grew up in Allentown. Sweat beading on his forehead, Dent meets the man in his driveway and asks for his help on Election Day. And then he's off to the next house.
"There are only two ways to run: hard or unopposed," Dent said. "Since we're not unopposed, we're going to run hard."
Poll: Dent Has Solid Lead Over Callahan in Pennsylvania
CQ POLITICS
September 19, 2010
After recruiting popular Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan to challenge Rep. Charlie Dent (R), Democrats have been quietly optimistic about their chances of knocking off the moderate Congressman in Pennsylvania's 15th district.
A poll released Sunday, however, showed Dent in a strong position in a district President Barack Obama won by 16 points in 2008.
The incumbent led Callahan 49 percent to 38 percent in a survey of 496 likely voters conducted by The Morning Call (Allentown) and Muhlenberg College. The poll was taken Sept. 11-16 and had a margin of error of 5 points.
Republicans feared that independent Jake Towne, a tea party favorite, might erode some of Dent's GOP base. But Towne earned the support of just 3 percent of likely voters in the poll, hardly enough to jeopardize Dent's 11-point lead.
Dent maintains double-digit lead in three-way race for Congress Undecideds have dwindled from a third to 10 percent
September 18, 2010
The Morning Call
John Callahan has six weeks to do something he's been unable to do since spring: convince enough voters to put him in the U.S. House seat held by Charlie Dent.
Republican Dent leads Callahan 49 percent to 38 percent in a new poll, 1 percentage point less than in April. Today fewer voters are undecided, meaning Democrat Callahan may be running out of time.
"Where is he going to make up that ground?" pollster Chris Borick asked of Callahan, Bethlehem's mayor.
Callahan's Simple Job Plan
September 14, 2010
lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com
It's so simple he can't explain it.
Dent, Callahan, Towne debate for first time Congressional candidates in 15th District butt heads in Easton.
September 13, 2010
The Morning Call
The first debate among Congressmen Charlie Dent, Democrat John Callahan and independent Jake Towne kept coming back to the same issues: jobs and the deficit.
Dent said during the hour-long debate Monday night at Lafayette College in Easton that the government should give small businesses 20 percent tax deductions, not let the capital gains tax go up and return unspent money from the stimulus law.
Then, the three-term congressman took aim at Callahan's record as Bethlehem's mayor for the last seven years, pointing out that Bethlehem has accumulated two deficits in a row, increasing its negative fund balance to $8.5 million.
Charlie Dent, John Callahan and Jake Towne face off in 15th District congressional debate at Lafayette College in Easton
September 14, 2010
The Express-Times
EASTON | Economic recovery and federal spending dominated the first debate among the three 15th District congressional candidates Monday at Lafayette College.
The candidates -- Democrat John Callahan, Republican Rep. Charlie Dent and independent Jake Towne -- called for a significant reduction on federal spending, but they differed on how government should assist in job creation.
Towne, a Lower Nazareth Township resident, said the federal government has no role in job creation, and federal laws that hinder job creation should be re-examined.
Dent said the best way to create jobs is to provide small businesses with tax incentives to hire.
The 1099 Insurrection The White House fights an effort to ease a burden on small business.
September 15, 2010
The Wall Street Journal | Opinion Journal
You might not have seen it reported, but the Senate will vote this morning on whether to repeal part of ObamaCare that it passed only months ago. The White House is opposed, but this fight is likely to be the first of many as Americans discover - as Nancy Pelosi once famously predicted - what's in the bill.
The Senate will vote on amendments to the White House small business bill that would rescind an ObamaCare mandate that companies track and submit to the IRS all business-to-business transactions over $600 annually. Democrats tucked the 1099 reporting footnote into the bill to raise an estimated $17.1 billion, part of the effort to claim that ObamaCare reduces the deficit by $100 billion or so.
Congressman Returns From Middle East Trip September, 2010
Congressman Charlie Dent, who represents the Lehigh Valley and part of Berks County, is back on U.S. soil following a security-focused trip to the Middle East.
The Congressman visited Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Georgia.
Now, Dent is making some digs at U.S. policy.
After spending a week in the region, the Congressman said he now questions the president's plan to draw down troops in Afghanistan next summer.
Dent said he's pleased with the overall situation on the ground in Afghanistan.
Quote from Callahan's political mentor fodder in the campaign
Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham used a word about Bethlehem finances that the city's mayor has refused to say.
Red... as in ink.
Bethlehem's audit showed Bethlehem finished 2009 with a $5.2 million deficit last year, but Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan doesn't describe it that way. He said, as recently as a news conference Tuesday for his congressional bid against Rep. Charlie Dent, that the city ended in the black when comparing what it brought in and spent to operate the city. He notes the city had a little over $300,000 in its accounts at the end of the year and said the city has paid down nearly $60 million in debt since took office.
Dent trumpets track record, values Benol, his challenger in GOP race for House, hopes voter frustration will lead to upset THE MORNING CALL
May 3, 2010
Palmer Township's Mat Benol is hoping voters are so frustrated with business as usual that they will help him unseat three-term incumbent Rep. Charlie Dent in the Republican primary for the 15th Congressional District seat.
The married father of two and local tea party activist has tried to squeeze in campaigning around a full-time job as a project manager at a New Jersey packaging plant, resulting in a low-key, low-budget effort that has amounted to a handful of press releases, a website and an inexpensive mailer.
His argument is simple: Dent has not been a dependable vote for limited government, especially on less visible votes, and needs to be replaced with someone who will be.
Dent gets tea party endorsement Philadelphia group passes over movement member Benol THE MORNING CALL
May 3, 2010
You would think that being a member and former organizer in the small government tea party movement would almost guarantee you the tea party endorsement.
Palmer Township tea party member Mat Benol learned Sunday that's not necessarily the case.
A tea party group representing Philadelphia and its suburbs endorsed his opponent -- incumbent Rep. Charlie Dent -- in the Republican primary for the Lehigh Valley's 15th Congressional district.
Tea Party forum in Palmer Township draws fired-up crowd of 400-plus
Saturday, April 10, 2010 The Express-Times
Judging by the applause, there were no fans of federal health care reform at Friday's candidate forum sponsored by a local Tea Party organization at the Charles Chrin Community Center.
"Let's repeal it and do something intelligent," Peg Luksik, Republican for U.S. Senate, said as the crowd applauded. Organizers estimated some 450 people attended.
Callahan weighs in on bill -- a day after passage Dent derides his challenger for waiting, but Bethlehem mayor says he waited for final details
THE MORNING CALL March 23, 2010
For months, Democratic congressional candidate John Callahan refused to take a position on any particular version of health care reform in the House or Senate, earning derision from U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent.
While the Bethlehem mayor outlined his own broad principles for health reform, the Lehigh Valley congressman heaped on the criticism, calling Callahan a "coward" for refusing to take a stand.
Republican Rep. Charlie Dent kicks off his re-election campaign in front of 200 supporters in Allentow
Thursday, February 28, 2010 The Express-Times
TALLENTOWN | Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Lehigh Valley, kicked off his re-election campaign Saturday, calling himself a proven compromiser in solving national problems.
During his three terms in Congress, Dent said Americans have never before paid more attention to the federal government and are seeking results.
"The American people want us to solve problems. They want us to work together in good faith -- I know how to do this and have done this," he said to a crowd of 200 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
GOP accuses Callahan of campaign violation
THE MORNING CALL February 18, 2010
Democrat John Callahan violated federal campaign finance laws by spending money given him to run for mayor in a way that benefited his current campaign for Congress, the state Republican Party alleged Wednesday.
Pennsylvania Republican Party files complaint against
John Callahan with the Federal Election Commission
Thursday, February 18, 2010 The Express-Times
The state Republican Party on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan used his mayoral campaign money for his congressional campaign.
Callahan campaign manager Justin Schall said the almost $10,000 in research Callahan's mayoral campaign account paid for in May and June was used in both his mayoral and congressional races so therefore was a justified city campaign expense.
FEC Complaint Filed Over Callahan's Deceptive Misuse of Campaign Funds
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com
On the day he's set to launch his petition drive for Congress, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan finds himself in hot water with the Federal Elections Commission. According to a complaint filed today by Pennsylvania GOP boss Rob Gleason, Callahan has been funneling money from his mayoral committee to fund his congressional quest.
Callahan called out by media for false ads on veterans' issues
BETHLEHEM - John Callahan was called out Friday on his false advertisements that distort Charlie Dent's record on veterans' issues. The Allentown Morning Call issued an Ad - Watch has officially noted that most of Callahan's veterans' ads are misleading at best, outright false at worst.
October 20, 2010 
October 21, 2010 
Thursday, October 21, 2010
October 13, 2010 
CQ POLITICS
