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Bipartisan NPR poll reinforces Charlie Dent's positive poll numbers; more bad news for John Callahan

A poll conducted by bipartisan polling firms and published by National Public Radio this week shows that voters in battleground Congressional districts - including the Fifteenth District - are more likely to retain their Republican Congressman than vote for a challenger, and more likely to replace a Democratic incumbent.

The NPR poll was conducted in 60 battleground Districts, including 10 with Republican incumbents. The poll shows the following: Of voters in the Districts with a Republican Congressman, 49 percent would definitely re-elect the incumbent while only 37 percent think it's time for "someone else". If the election were held today, voters in those same districts would re-elect their Congressman by a margin of 52-39. Even more impressively, in those same districts, Republican candidates generically hold a 16-point lead, 53-37.

Earlier this year, an internal poll by the Dent Campaign showed Charlie Dent with a commanding lead of 53-27 over Democrat John Callahan in a three-way race. A Morning Call/Muhlenberg College poll later showed that Charlie Dent enjoys a 12-point lead over Callahan. The NPR poll is consistent with results showing Charlie Dent well ahead of John Callahan.

"This verifies that local voters still view Charlie Dent as the best candidate to represent them on the important issues of the day in Congress," said Shawn Millan, campaign manager, Charlie Dent for Congress. "And it's bad news for John Callahan, whose campaign is run by a national party operative and has done nothing but recycle Washington talking points. His campaign is out of touch and sinking fast."

Here is a direct link to the poll results on NPR's Web site: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127834800&ps=rs

Additionally, here is an assessment provided by National Review.

John Callahan flip-flops as his credibility gap widens on financial issues

This week, John Callahan once again tried to correct his own talking points on legislation to reform financial services, and now claims he would have voted against the TARP emergency legislation of 2008 after his campaign said he was for it. His new set of talking points only reinforces the fact Callahan has no credibility on the financial services issue.

Two weeks ago, Callahan's campaign manager said Callahan would have voted for the TARP program in 2008. (http://www.pa2010.com/2010/05/in-the-15th-tying-dent-to-wall-street-is-the-strategy/) Then he tried to couch the talking points to suggest Callahan would have voted for the first bill but not the second bill - which would have meant he thought we had a financial crisis one week and not the next. Now he finally says he would have voted against it entirely. (http://www.pa2010.com/2010/06/callahan-says-he-would-have-opposed-the-bailouts/)

But if Callahan wouldn't have voted for TARP, why hasn't he reversed his support for Barney Frank's legislation that would create a permanent TARP bailout fund and use recovered TARP funds for new spending instead of deficit reduction?

Charlie Dent voted to end the program because it was supposed to be a temporary response to a crisis, and has voted to require all repaid funds pay down the deficit.

"It's increasingly obvious that John Callahan doesn't know what he's talking about, period," said Shawn Millan, campaign manager, Charlie Dent for Congress. "His campaign says one thing, then comes up with a completely absurd effort to change its message, and now completely reverses itself. Some advice to John Callahan - if your Washington-based campaign manager knows so little about where you stand on important issues, consider replacing him."

As House and Senate conferees meet to work on a final version of financial services legislation - due to major differences between House and Senate versions - Charlie Dent has said he will review the final legislation before making a determination on whether it is effective, and more importantly if it might worsen the already struggling economy. Meanwhile, John Callahan is still trying to figure out where he stands on legislation that was passed in 2008.

Callahan's credibility gap doesn't end there. Callahan also supports a proposed $100 billion bank tax that will make credit less available to individuals and small businesses, and that would be assessed on institutions that didn't even take TARP funds. Ironically, after Callahan claimed to support the Senate bill before it was complete, the Senate dropped the tax from the legislation for many of the same reasons Charlie Dent opposes it.

Just as with health care reform, here is yet another issue where John Callahan has no credibility.

Does John Callahan want to close Gitmo
and try foreign terrorists in America?

Why is John Callahan attending a political forum to discuss a discredited approach to a serious national security issue? That's the question as Callahan joined a conference discussing ways to hold trials for dangerous terrorists in America, possibly even in Pennsylvania.

When President Obama took office, he announced a plan to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, terrorist detention center, housing terrorists in American prisons and granting them trials in U.S. courts meant for American citizens. The Attorney General even planned to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, in New York City. Under a great amount of protest and pressure from leaders like Congressman Charlie Dent, the Administration is reconsidering these plans.

But John Callahan apparently wants this plan back on the table. He participated in a conference to get information on why we should try foreign terror suspects in the American homeland.  Congressman Dent said Callahan's attendance raises some basic questions:

1. Does John Callahan support closing Gitmo?  If so, how?
2. Does John Callahan believe American soldiers should be reading Miranda rights to terrorists they capture on the battlefield?
3. Does Callahan believe American soldiers should face criminal charges for violating the civil rights of terrorists?
4. Is Callahan willing to require our military soldiers to gather forensic evidence on the battlefield for a prosecution in a civilian American court?
5. Does John Callahan honestly believe that foreign terrorists should be imprisoned and tried on American soil?

"These are not academic questions," Dent said. "Consider that a location in Western Pennsylvania was put forward as alternative site to New York City for the Khalid Mohammed trial. This is an important issue that hits home.

"Instead of listening to a plan that even the Obama Administration is quietly abandoning, here's who John Callahan should listen to – the families of these terrorists' victims, some of whom live right in our own community. He should get the thoughts of the men and women in uniform who captured these individuals and who right now are fighting for our national security in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and elsewhere. And he should heed the opinions of leaders from both parties who know the cost and security risk of terrorist trials in our own backyard."

Congressman Dent is a member of the Homeland Security Committee and has taken a leadership role in demanding common-sense use of military tribunals for foreign terror suspects, to be held at Gitmo's facilities that were designed for that very purpose.

In January, Congressman Dent co-led a bipartisan delegation to Guantanamo Bay and authored a nationally published article about the issue. (See below)

Voters in the Fifteenth District will be reminded that John Callahan helped Wall Street friends at the expense of taxpayers. Callahan interfered with an independent city authority's attempt to save money through a bond reissue, and in doing so Callahan cost city taxpayers more than $1.5 million.

Charlie Dent for Congress will be sending out a telephone message about a 2004 incident in which John Callahan demanded that the independent Bethlehem Water Authority suspend a bond issue that could have saved the city $3 million to consider a bid from Callahan's preferred Wall Street firm, Merrill Lynch.

The facts: In 2004, the Bethlehem Water Authority board was prepared to authorize a refinancing of a bond issue, having worked for months to open bids to underwriting firms that would float the bond issue. Under the leadership of Chairman Ron Donchez, the Authority was looking to recapture more than $3 million in savings. Donchez, a respected community banker who had served the Authority through four city Administrations, had been appointed by Mayor Ken Smith and promoted to chairman by Mayor Don Cunningham.

But Mayor John Callahan intervened in the Authority's plan. Despite the fact the Authority is independent of city government, Callahan demanded a stop to the bond issue so he had time to "review" it. Donchez would later tell Bethlehem City Council that he met with Callahan but the mayor never discussed a "review"; instead, Callahan attempted to coerce the Authority to accept a bid from Wall Street firm Merrill Lynch. Callahan even insisted the Authority consider a new financial adviser and bond underwriting counsel, which raised eyebrows.

After Callahan insisted on THREE bids, Merrill would finally receive 15 percent of the work, along with two other firms that had already secured bids in the competitive process (and Mayor Callahan would still complain that Merrill should have received more of the business).

But the costly damage of Callahan's delay was done. The Authority had estimated it could save taxpayers $3 million with the refinancing had it gone through on its original timeframe. With time lost until Callahan's demands were made, the markets turned and the refinancing yielded only $1.35 million - a loss of more than $1.5 million.

Donchez acknowledged he had tried to accommodate Callahan as much as possible, but eventually called Callahan on his interference and offered to resign the Authority board. In return, Callahan called Donchez an "f---ing Boy Scout." Callahan would later claim his phrase was meant to "pay a compliment" to Donchez' reputation for integrity (of note, nobody ever called Callahan that).

Callahan claimed it was a "miscommunication" between him and Donchez (which apparently lasted several weeks), but he also admitted: "Yes, I wanted Merrill Lynch to have an opportunity to bid on this refinancing. I do know the underwriter."

To try and get work for his friends and supporters in the financial industry, Callahan cost the city more than $1.5 million in savings. And when confronted by an individual who was looking out for taxpayers, Callahan mocked him.

"This is yet another example of Callahan's style of politics and mismanagement - coercion, cronyism and poor judgment," said Shawn Millan, campaign manager, Charlie Dent for Congress. "Callahan stood up for his friends and political supporters, tried to silence those who wouldn't give him his way, and left the taxpayers and water customers on the hook for his costly mistakes."

Source: Bethlehem City Council minutes, July 20, 2004

Callahan exposes his hypocrisy on financial regulation rhetoric

After weeks of following the party line of his Washington-based political handlers on the issue of financial regulation, John Callahan now admits he would have voted for the very legislation he derides as a "Bush bailout" and "blank check to Wall Street."

Callahan confirmed to the nonpartisan political Website pa2010.org that he would have voted for the TARP program in 2008, even though he has been criticizing Charlie Dent's vote for it. While Callahan has been engaged in confusing political double-speak, Congressman Dent has been fighting to ensure federal resources are used sparingly and responsibly.

When the TARP bill was considered, Congressman Dent cosponsored an amendment to withhold half of the funding - $350 billion – unless it was determined that additional capital was needed to stabilize the financial services infrastructure of the country. Of course, Speaker Pelosi wouldn't allow such a sensible amendment to be considered. What's worse is Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Barney Frank now want to use this money as a perpetual slush fund to advance their own misguided political, social and economic agenda.

In January 2009, Congressman Dent voted to block the release of the final $350 billion pending further Congressional review of how the money was being used. He later opposed expansion of the program to include bailouts for the automakers. In December 2009 he offered an amendment to end the TARP program on its original expiration date (Dec. 31, 2009) and ensure that repaid money goes back to the Treasury for deficit reduction.

In comparison, Callahan supports a $100 billion bank tax directed at institutions serving our communities that never even took TARP funds. Callahan has proclaimed his support for a financial regulatory bill that is not even completed, but has been silent on actions by the Administration and Congress to expand the TARP program beyond its original limits and misdirect repaid and unspent funds for new spending rather than pay down the deficit.

"It's obvious John Callahan has zero credibility on our nation's financial services infrastructure," said Shawn Millan, campaign manager of Charlie Dent for Congress. "This is an example of phony outrage from a phony candidate. Callahan's hypocritical stances make it clear he is only interested in partisan pandering, not serious policy discussion."

While John Callahan has engaged in rhetoric, Congressman Dent has been engaged in problem-solving. He's talking with people in the community who understand the issue and how it will affect everyday Americans.

Charlie Dent reviews legislation and understands how it will affect the people of his district - in particular how best to protect taxpayers, ensure that small businesses have access to credit, and put people back to work.

Voters get the message about Callahan's bad judgment

Voters in the Fifteenth District will hear today about one of Congressional John Callahan's biggest lapses of judgment as mayor, as a phone call will remind them of his failure to protect taxpayers in the John Hirko civil suit of 2003-04.

The campaign of Charlie Dent for Congress will be sending the call to illustrate the first of many examples where Callahan's record as mayor falls far short of his rhetoric. 

The facts of the case: In 2004, the City of Bethlehem was the defendant in a civil trial waged by attorney John Karoly over the 1998 shooting of suspected drug dealer John Hirko by Bethlehem police. The city had already been cleared of wrongdoing by the Pennsylvania Attorney General. After months, the jury deadlocked - meaning the city as defendant would win the case. But instead of accepting a hung jury - and forcing Karoly to settle or start his lawsuit over again - Callahan inexplicably allowed a split-verdict "poll" vote of the jurors. The city lost the vote, 10-2. That's right; John Callahan snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

At the time, Democratic City Council President Mike Schweder called Callahan's action "the most stupid decision anyone in my lifetime has made."  Callahan then met with Karoly to negotiate a settlement, and in the end Bethlehem taxpayers had to pay $7.89 million plus other costs.

What were Callahan's excuses? ''Our defense team confidently believed we were looking at a favorable verdict,'' Callahan told the Morning Call at the time.1 Of course, the city's "defense team" primarily consisted of the city's former insurance company, which only stood to lose $500,000 regardless of the final outcome, with city taxpayers on the hook for anything over that amount. During the six-plus months of the Hirko trial, Callahan was a City Councilman, mayor-elect and ultimately mayor. Yet as far as anyone can tell, he did not even once bother to stop in and observe the proceedings of the Hirko trial at Allentown's Federal Courthouse for himself.

Despite this lack of first-hand knowledge, and despite Karoly's reputation as an aggressive attorney, John Callahan felt that he and his solicitor were "perfectly capable of holding our own with John Karoly."

And after all was said and done, Callahan proposed a bond issue to pay for the settlement - conveniently, with the largest payments coming AFTER his time as mayor would be long over, and adding $800,000 more in costs to the taxpayers.

Charlie Dent touted by U.S. Chamber as the jobs candidate in the Fifteenth District

Congressman Charlie Dent has accepted the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than three million job-creating businesses and organization of every size, sector and region.

The Chamber's endorsement states, "We believe [Congressman's Dent's] election to the U.S. House will produce sustained economic growth and help create more jobs."

"I am honored to receive the Chamber's endorsement because it reflects my long-standing efforts to foster an environment where employers create sustainable jobs," Congressman Dent said. "And right now, the Washington establishment is pushing an agenda that will stifle economic growth and job creation - an unsustainable health care entitlement that will impose mandates and new taxes on small businesses and innovators; an undemocratic 'card-check' bill to deny secret ballots to workers in union elections; and a national energy tax called 'cap and trade' that will cause business and family energy bills to skyrocket. This agenda of more taxes, more spending, more regulation, and more government comes at the expense of private-sector job growth. You cannot be for workers and jobs if you are against employers.

"This year I face an opponent who is on board with these failed, job-destroying policies, and who is supported by Nancy Pelosi and other Washington insiders who are pushing them. My opponent likes to take credit for jobs created by others, but jobs aren't created by politicians. Jobs are created by the business members of the Chamber of Commerce and other pro-growth organizations. That's why I appreciate their support. And I will continue to fight for common-sense polices that will support investment and innovation and put Americans back to work."

Congressman Dent has also been recipient of the Chamber's "Spirit of Enterprise Award" for his pro-job voting record in three consecutive sessions of Congress.

Sands Bethlehem celebrates first year
- where's the property tax cut, Mayor Callahan?

This weekend, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem celebrates its first year in business. Millions of Pennsylvania dollars have poured into the casino. Meanwhile, the taxpayers of Bethlehem are still waiting for the payout promised them by John Callahan.

In 2005, Mayor John Callahan said in defense of the pending casino at BethWorks that it "would be an enormous economic boost to the city... I would immediately be able to lower taxes and not have to raise them for a time." ¹

However when it came time to deliver, Callahan reneged. He opposed a Council vote that would have directly returned a portion of the Sands' host fees to the taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. He called this effort "irresponsible" - proving yet again his firm belief that HE knows how to spend people's money better than they do.

Instead, Callahan spent the $7 million host fee - even though that represented more than 10 percent of the city's 2009 budget, Callahan managed to increase spending by a record 12 percent for 2010. He even had to take $300,000 in un-budgeted casino money in 2009 (without Council approval, against city ordinance) to cover basic city expenses during the year. Callahan now says it will be five years before property tax cuts are possible - one year after his mayoral term expires. In other words, keeping Callahan's promises will be the problem of the next Administration.

"John Callahan says he'd represent us in Washington the same way he's managed Bethlehem," said Shawn Millan, campaign manager of Charlie Dent for Congress. "Apparently that means breaking his promises and spending the people's money before he even gets it."

While taxpayers wait for their property tax cut, John Callahan has already reaped a windfall in the form of thousands of dollars in contributions from casino gambling interests - including $5,000 from Sands Corporation's PAC just one week before it became illegal for Callahan to accept it.

¹ "Callahan says $10 million slots levy will allow him to lower taxes," The Morning Call, Apr 21, 2005

Hey Callahan - What Do You Think About VAT?
Tax-happy Mayor needs to weigh in on likely plan to pay for health care

With President Obama admitting that he might consider a European-style value-added tax (VAT) to pay for his federalized health care system, and the Congressional Budget Office acknowledging that more money will be needed to pay for the entitlement, Congressman Charlie Dent has reiterated his firm stance against a regressive national sales tax.

"Imposing a VAT on the American people would disproportionately hit working families and seniors, raising the cost of virtually all economic activity in America and crushing any economic recovery," Congressman Dent said. "It would be a path to more and more government spending, instead of fiscal responsibility."

A VAT is levied at each stage of production, on the value that is added by each firm that contributes to the good or service. It would raise the price of almost every consumer product, at a time when Americans are already struggling to make ends meet.

VAT has been widely adopted by European nations to pay for entitlements like national health care, and is routinely cited as encouraging public spending at the cost of private job creation. For example, Denmark enacted a 9 percent VAT in 1962, but today Denmark's VAT has surged to 25 percent.

So where does John Callahan stand on a VAT?

Voters of the Fifteenth District have every reason to believe he'd be all for it, given his record of increasing taxes and raising government spending every year. Since Callahan finally decided to support the Reid-Pelosi health care bill, where does he stand on what many experts say will be necessary to pay for it?

Callahan lobbied to raise emergency services taxes five-fold on working Pennsylvanians, and in his own city he even imposed the tax on city residents who are ALREADY taxed for those services.

Callahan is now leading the charge to raise Pennsylvania's sales tax by 17% to help redistribute money to some city governments so they have more money to spend. Instead of promoting fiscal restraint, Callahan proposes a hidden tax on every purchase made in Pennsylvania to help bail out his budgets.¹

"John Callahan has long believed that government bureaucrats and politicians like himself are best entrusted with your money," Congressmen Dent said. "And the evidence is clear that Callahan is wrong. Finding new ways to tax working Americans so government can spend more is not fiscal responsibility."

"Because of his strong support for a sales tax increase, voters have a right to know where John Callahan stands on a national sales tax that would send more of their money to Washington," Congressman Dent said. "The people I represent know I will continue to fight for lower taxes, allowing the American people, innovators and small businesses to make the decisions that will lead us to sustainable recovery."

¹ Jeff Hawkes, "Mayors Must Go to Town to Save Cities," Intelligencer Journal, April 10, 2009

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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.

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