Comments on: Kuhl Wants Massa Apology http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2008/09/17/kuhl-wants-massa-apology/ Insights and tidbits from the state Capitol Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:54:45 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robert Harding http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2008/09/17/kuhl-wants-massa-apology/comment-page-1/#comment-1915 Robert Harding Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:43:23 +0000 http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2008/09/17/kuhl-wants-massa-apology/#comment-1915 Mr. Kuhl sounds awfully angry that people have the audacity to expect him to leave Washington and come home to debate the issues that affect the voters he is supposed to represent. How can Mr. Kuhl represent the voters if he is not in the district discussing the issues that they care about? In truth, expecting Mr. Kuhl to come home and have a public debate is not such an outrageous concept. Congressman Murphy has managed to schedule 8 debates. Congresswoman Boyda has managed to schedule 5 debates. Last cycle Kuhl himself managed to schedule 10 debates with Eric Massa. So, what has changed? The people of the 29th district are just as important this year as they were last cycle, and the issues --- energy costs, health care, the war in Iraq --- are more important now than ever. Thankfully, Rochester has a great airport, and is just a short hour and fifteen minute flight from DC - so Kuhl could both vote and debate. It’s all a matter of his priorities. It seems clear that the people of his district just aren’t that important to Mr. Kuhl. Instead, based on his votes --- which protect corporations rather than middle class families --- Mr. Kuhl’s allegiance resides with those who mingle in the halls of Washington as opposed to those who live in the 29th district. Maybe the Congressman is afraid to stand before people here at home and explain why - just yesterday - he voted against a comprehensive Energy Plan to lower gas prices – after he spent weeks calling for just such a plan. The people of the 29th district don’t have time for silly political games. Kuhl’s voting record is the truth he cannot hide from. But Kuhl continues to try to distract the public with attacks on Eric Massa over monies donated from Congressman Rangel. This is just more of Kuhl’s silly political games. There is a fundamental difference between Congressman Rangel and the Democrats and Kuhl and the Republicans: open government. Here are the facts: Congressman Rangel has called for an Ethics Investigation to clear his name.· Kuhl, on the other hand, took $20k from Congressman Tom Delay –· Kuhl then voted to kill the congressional investigation into Tom Delay and lobbyist Jack Abramoff.· The result of the investigation Kuhl voted against after taking $20,000 from Delay? Lobbyist Jack Abramoff is in jail and Tom Delay was indicted by a grand jury for money laundering.· And, Kuhl has yet to return the $20,000.· It appears as if hypocrisy is alive and well in the Kuhl Congressional office. The people of Western New York just don’t have time for these political games from Congressman Kuhl; they deserve better --- they deserve a real representative who is willing to discuss the issues and vote with their interests in mind. By refusing to debate, one can only conclude that Representative Kuhl is more interested in sipping cocktails with lobbyists at his DC fundraiser on Monday than he is in talking to regular folks back home about real issues. That's a shame. Eric Massa has announced "I'll still be there on Monday if people have questions for me.” Mr. Kuhl sounds awfully angry that people have the audacity to expect him to leave Washington and come home to debate the issues that affect the voters he is supposed to represent. How can Mr. Kuhl represent the voters if he is not in the district discussing the issues that they care about?

In truth, expecting Mr. Kuhl to come home and have a public debate is not such an outrageous concept.

Congressman Murphy has managed to schedule 8 debates. Congresswoman Boyda has managed to schedule 5 debates. Last cycle Kuhl himself managed to schedule 10 debates with Eric Massa. So, what has changed? The people of the 29th district are just as important this year as they were last cycle, and the issues—- energy costs, health care, the war in Iraq—- are more important now than ever.

Thankfully, Rochester has a great airport, and is just a short hour and fifteen minute flight from DC – so Kuhl could both vote and debate.

It’s all a matter of his priorities.

It seems clear that the people of his district just aren’t that important to Mr. Kuhl. Instead, based on his votes—- which protect corporations rather than middle class families—- Mr. Kuhl’s allegiance resides with those who mingle in the halls of Washington as opposed to those who live in the 29th district.

Maybe the Congressman is afraid to stand before people here at home and explain why – just yesterday – he voted against a comprehensive Energy Plan to lower gas prices – after he spent weeks calling for just such a plan.

The people of the 29th district don’t have time for silly political games. Kuhl’s voting record is the truth he cannot hide from.

But Kuhl continues to try to distract the public with attacks on Eric Massa over monies donated from Congressman Rangel. This is just more of Kuhl’s silly political games. There is a fundamental difference between Congressman Rangel and the Democrats and Kuhl and the Republicans: open government. Here are the facts:

Congressman Rangel has called for an Ethics Investigation to clear his name.·
Kuhl, on the other hand, took $20k from Congressman Tom Delay –·
Kuhl then voted to kill the congressional investigation into Tom Delay and lobbyist Jack Abramoff.·
The result of the investigation Kuhl voted against after taking $20,000 from Delay? Lobbyist Jack Abramoff is in jail and Tom Delay was indicted by a grand jury for money laundering.·
And, Kuhl has yet to return the $20,000.·

It appears as if hypocrisy is alive and well in the Kuhl Congressional office. The people of Western New York just don’t have time for these political games from Congressman Kuhl; they deserve better—- they deserve a real representative who is willing to discuss the issues and vote with their interests in mind.

By refusing to debate, one can only conclude that Representative Kuhl is more interested in sipping cocktails with lobbyists at his DC fundraiser on Monday than he is in talking to regular folks back home about real issues.

That’s a shame. Eric Massa has announced “I’ll still be there on Monday if people have questions for me.”

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