| Corning, NY: Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-Hammondsport) held a "non-political" meeting on the price of gas at Corning's City Hall this morning. Kuhl began with a brief statement about the rising costs of gas and how that affects everything down to the effect on local emergency services. Kuhl said "The rising cost of energy is creating havoc in a variety of areas." He then called on Speaker Pelosi to bring the energy agenda to the floor. Kuhl then announced a 3-component energy plan comprised of drilling, conservation (which he said was a "very strong" component) and alternative energy.
Kuhl also mentioned repealing "Section 5, which prevents the government from purchasing alternative energy," to use his words. Kuhl then called on Pelosi to bring Congress back to vote on this issue. Said Kuhl "Now is the time for action."
After taking questions from the mainstream media, two others tried to ask Rep. Kuhl questions but he refused to answer them, saying that "We'll take your questions later." When I tried to ask the question anyway ("Why this sudden urgency to act now when in 2005 you voted against HR 6 which would have increased fuel efficiency standards, and in February 2008 you voted against the Green Energy Bill?") his campaign manager, Justin Stokes, said "This is a non-political event."
Somehow I fail to see how this staged event (camera crews and newspapers were invited) is "non-political" when Kuhl himself calls on Speaker Pelosi to bring the Congress back, making it seem like this is what has been stalling real progress in energy alternatives all these years.
Nevermind that Kuhl voted against increasing taxes on energy companies in 2007 with HR 2776, and the fact that Kuhl voted against revoking oil and gas tax breaks for oil companies in 2006 and 2007 with HR 4297.
Kuhl then went onto say "I'm as disappointed as you are to find ourselves in this position (speaking to a fellow city councilman who questioned his practices in Congress). The government should have done something thirty years ago." Kuhl then referred to the solution as a 3-legged stool, indicating that the stool, like the 3-part plan, won't work unless all three parts are used. Kuhl then reiterated that the press conference was not going to be a political issue.
Democratic challenger Eric Massa was in attendance and approached Kuhl afterwards in the lobby, cameras rolling on them both. Massa challenged Kuhl to debate him and Kuhl ultimately said "We will debate...I expect an invitation." Massa then said that he had given him an invitation and Kuhl left the area to go have a private meeting with Tom Reed, the Republican Mayor of Corning, who had also attended the meeting.
Massa said afterwards "I am looking for an agreement to hold public debates. He doesn't want to do that. He walks away, he gets angry and that's what is wrong with Washington." Massa also said that "You don't need to call a political press conference to realize that people are hurting."
Massa's campaign released the following after the presser:
After the press conference dissipated, Massa hand delivered a letter to Rep. Kuhl, again requesting that he agree to debate at Corning Community College within the next 2 weeks:
Kuhl stated: "We will debate ... we have said publicly, we will continue to say publicly, when we can arrange our schedule we will meet for these."
Dan Kane, City Councilman for the 1st Ward stated: "I don't understand why Randy Kuhl refuses to answer the public. He said this wasn't a political event today, but his only staffer there was his campaign manager. Randy Kuhl has stopped his town hall meetings, won't take questions from the public, and refuses to respond to invitations to debate the issues of the day. He has stated that Congress is on vacation, but he still refuses to debate Eric Massa in public, even when the local media and prominent local educational institutions invite him. I'm also confused about why he was here. We all know we're hurting, but he's here campaigning in front of the cameras. How does that help families in Corning? It's a shame, but that's Washington as usual."
Video on WETMTV.com of the Massa invitation to Kuhl is here.
Here is Channel 18's take on the story.
UPDATE: Later Kuhl told the local media:
"That's not the way I was raised," said Kuhl of Massa's behavior. "Unfortunately, there are people who didn't have the luxury of having wonderful parents like I did who taught about parental respect."
I'm confused by this statement. How is challenging your opponent to a debate in public evidence of being raised incorrectly? What does that have to do with parental respect? |
