Just today Cong. Joe Sestak opened a Pittsburgh campaign office and announced that it will be run by a former Bush Administration VA official.
Sestak has continually attacked Sen. Specter on veterans issues. While missing the point on those attacks, it's indeed odd that Sestak would hire onto his campaign a person who made policy for several years at the Veterans Affairs Department under Pres. Bush. That official, former Naval officer Pamela Iovino, was described by the VA as "head of VA's congressional and legislative affairs offices, serving as principal advisor to [Sec. Anthony] Principi on legislative matters." (Dec. 3, 2004 VA press release, 'Iovino Sworn in to Lead VA Congressional Affairs.').
"This is strange even for Joe Sestak," said Specter campaign manager Christopher Nicholas. "In the same press release touting his hiring of a former Bush Administration official, Sestak criticizes the Bush Administration. Sestak's trying to have it both ways.
"And it was Joe Sestak himself who said on national TV last fall that 'Every military officer is a Democrat, they just don't all know it,'" said Nicholas.
For more on Sen. Specter's work on behalf of his fellow veterans click here.
Comments