Susan Wild Breaks Promise to Wage Positive Race

Six Democrats are seeking the Democratic nomination to Pennsylvania's newly created 6th Congressional District. It had been a positive race. That changed yesterday when people opened their mailboxes to see a nasty flyer from insurance defense lawyer Susan Wild, attacking John Morganelli. She stood by John's side as he has announced several times that he supports the DREAM Act to protect the children of illegal immigrants. But she nevertheless falsely stated that he wants them all deported. She also misrepresented John's position on abortion (he is personally opposed, but has no intention of upsetting existing law) and dishonestly claims that John "routinely praises Donald Trump's extreme policies," including a Muslim ban. She's obviously behind, so she's distorting his record. That's to be expected. But she has done something far worse than go dark. She has broken her word to John.

Back in late December or early January, Wild asked to see Morganelli. They both discussed the race and commiserated with each other over how hard it is to raise money. Susan had another reason to see John. She wanted to know if he was going to wage a negative campaign. He told her that he'd run a clean campaign if she did. She told John several times that she was sure that candidate Greg Edwards would get nasty, but she wanted John to agree that, at least between the two of them, John would wage a positive campaign. John agreed and they shook on it. Before leaving, they shook on it again.

John kept his word and stayed positive. He even issued orders to his campaign manager, Rich Wilkins, to keep the gloves on. The only person he has attacked is Donald Trump.

He has no authority to tell me what to do, but I've really tried hard to avoid attacking the other candidates. I have actually defended Susan when some folks have tried to tie her to the corruption in Allentown, where she was Fed Ed's Solicitor. I am disappointed and saddened that Wild, a fellow attorney, has cheapened herself by breaking her word to John. It says a lot about her lack of character.

Greg Edwards, Roger Ruggles, Rick Daugherty and David Clark could all decide to go negative and I would just smile. They made no promise to run a clean campaign. Amazingly, they have all have been positive so far. The only one who has become negative is the one candidate who promised she would stay positive.

Does this mean that you should expect a torrent of attack mailers aimed at Wild? I doubt it. John is ahead and he is smart. He is the only Democratic candidate that people in the Lehigh Valley actually know, and they have a very positive view of him. His views might be too conservative for some Democrats, and they can vote for another Democrat because there is a smorgasbord of them running.

I will say this. When he was in private practice and again as DA, John has always stood for the little guy. He represented people who were victims of greedy bosses and businesses that stepped all over them. As a prosecutor, John has stood up for the victims of crime. He is the man who faces parents when their sons or daughters are killed. He has charged employers who pay slave wages to illegals, knowing they could never report what is happening. Susan Wild, who is attempting to brand herself as a "progressive," is a corporate defense lawyer who has spent her career on the side of insurance companies, corporations, and drug companies and against working people. She even defended those who have violated people's civil rights. So to those of you who think Wild cares about the little guy and is "progressive," think again. Her record tells a much different story.