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Friday, September 05, 2008

Charlie Dent: Minimum Wage Rubber Stamp

Congressional wannabe Sam Bennett has sure kept me busy this week. On Monday, her office slammed Congressman Charlie Dent for going to Washington, apparently for a secret meeting with Evil Big Oil. But for some reason, instead of being in D.C., Dent was actually in Northampton on Wednesday night to attend a candidates' night that Bennett missed.

Maybe Big Oil gave him the night off.

After her Monday news release, Bennett conducted a Wednesday news conference with the MSM as well as two indie bloggers. Now, her office has just issued another news release.

This time, Dent is slammed because some people who give him money are pretty rich. "The $13 million-a-year CEO of Air Products, John P. Jones, and $5 million-a-year CEO of PPL, James H. Miller, each give Congressman Charles Dent thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman and former CEO of Mack Trucks, Paul Vickner, which will cut hundreds of Lehigh Valley jobs, will still cut checks of thousands of dollars to Charles Dent."

After noting all the rich guys and, oh yeah, Big Oil, we are told that "Dent repreatedly [sic] votes against the interests of workers and for the benefit of ultra rich executives and Washington lobbyists whose money Dent refuses to return."

The news release goes on to claim that Dent votes against things like the minimum wage (Vote #319, HR 5672, 6/27/06). Bennett stands for working families while Charlie stands for gazillionaires and, oh yeah, Big Oil.

There's just one problem with Bennett's press release - the same one as with her Monday missive.

They're both wrong.

Shawn Millan, Congressman Dent's campaign guru, points out that Charlie actually voted for three of four bills that would raise the minimum wage. "He’s a minimum wage raising rubberstamp," quips Millan.

Dent voted for the Bill (Public law 110-28) finally enacted as well as the Fair Minimum Wage Law of 2007. He also voted for an increase in 2006. In fact, he is one of thirty Republicans who, on July 26, 2006, sent a letter to their leader opposing a resolution to adjourn until the minimum wage issue was brought to a vote.

Sink me, but it sounds like Dent actually supported the minimum wage increase.

Don't tell Big Oil.

Photo Credit: Austin Chronicle
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2008 at 8:12 PM

    Another factual error: "The $13 million-a-year CEO of Air Products, John P. Jones..." is actually the former CEO of Air Products. John McGlade has been the CEO since Oct. 1, 2007, and he replaced John Jones as the Chairman on April 1, 2008. (I'm not sure if John McGlade also contributes to Charlie Dent's campaign, but it wouldn't surprise me--Charlie is pretty popular in these parts.)

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