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First Posted: 2/27/2008

BILL O ’ BOYLE
[email protected]
Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke’s favorable comments about Republican congressional candidate has the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee calling for a repudiation of the “endorsement.”

But Barletta said he wasn’t aware of Duke’s position and made it clear he did not seek and would not accept an endorsement from Duke.
Barletta, the mayor of Hazleton, said the DCCC press release on Duke is another indication the national Democratic Party is concerned about its candidate – U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski – and not willing to discuss the real issues facing the 11th Congressional District and the country.
Barletta is unopposed for the Republican nomination this spring in the race for Kanjorski’s seat. Kanjorski, a 12-term Democrat from Nanticoke, is the lone candidate on his party’s ballot.
“I certainly don’t follow Mr. Duke’s beliefs,” Barletta said. “This is America and anyone can endorse anybody they want. The DCCC doesn’t want to talk about the issues. Instead, they are focused on sending out press releases trying to smear me.”
Ed Mitchell, spokesman for Kanjorski, declined comment and suggested contacting the DCCC.
In its release, the DCCC said Duke gave “a glowing endorsement” of Barletta.
“It’s been two weeks since this endorsement, and Lou Barletta has yet to repudiate David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan,” said Jennifer Crider, DCCC communications director.
This statement appears on the Web site DavidDuke.com: “Getting tough patriots like Lou Barletta elected is absolutely key to staving off four years of sustained attack on our interests. While European Americans United has no connection with Lou, and he would probably disagree with many of our positions, we like him and hope he wins.”
A spokeswoman at The Duke Report said Duke is in Austria and unavailable for comment.
Carrie James, the DCCC’s northeast regional press secretary, said there is no doubt that Duke has endorsed Barletta.
“Lou Barletta may expect us to believe that David Duke’s endorsement of his candidacy is just another ‘clerical error.’ Whether it’s his seemingly illegal $65,000 loan or David Duke’s endorsement, Lou Barletta has a disturbing pattern of refusing to take responsibility for his actions,” James said.
The DCCC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging Barletta’s 2002 congressional campaign received an “illegal” $65,000 loan from a Harrisburg bank. Barletta said it is not a campaign loan and said he secured a personal loan from the bank to pay off campaign debt.
The DCCC contends Barletta has listed the loan on his campaign financial reports for six years and has not paid back the loan. Barletta said he has been paying off the loan with a line of credit. He said the reports may have listed the loan erroneously and if a mistake was made, he will correct it.
The FEC has yet to comment on the DCCC allegations.
THE 11th District
•The 11th Congressional District includes parts of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties and all of Monroe, Columbia and Carbon counties.
•The district extends east to the New Jersey border, west past Bloomsburg, south past Shamokin and north to Blakely.
•In Luzerne County, it includes Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston and Nanticoke and most municipalities on the east side of the Susquehanna River.

Bill O’Boyle, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 829-7218.