For Immediate Release


May 4, 2010

Gerlach Attacks on Pike Are Smokescreen to Hide Wall Street Connections and Favoritism
 
Ardmore, PA - In a press release today, Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach distorted a Pike for Congress mailer, while playing fast and loose with his own record. This is Doug Pike's response:

"I don't 'hate' Jim Gerlach, but he needs to be held accountable for his votes in Washington to bail out the big banks and to oppose reform legislation to clean up Wall Street.  Congressman Gerlach can distort my mailing as much as he wants, but the issue remains that he took $1.7 million from Wall Street and financial interests and then voted in their interest, instead of ours."

Congressman Jim Gerlach has taken over $1.7 million from the interests that are regulated by a committee that he sits on: the House Financial Services Committee. That's 52 times more than Doug Pike has received from individuals who work in those sectors.  In the House, Gerlach voted against reforming Wall Street in December 2009. (HR 4173, Roll Call 968, 12/11/2009)

And Gerlach’s memory is short when it comes to his decades as a career politician. Pike said:

"Jim Gerlach is the last person who should be talking about carpetbagging.  After Jim lost a race for the State House of Representatives in 1986 in his native Lawrence County on the border with Ohio, he was so enthralled with the prospect of being a career politician that he moved across the state 300 miles so he could run in a more Republican district in Chester County."

Doug Pike served on the Editorial Board of The Philadelphia Inquirer for 14 years, providing insight and analysis on a broad range of public policy for southeast Pennsylvania. He also served as President of a hospital for 10 years. Previously, Pike served as a Special Assistant and Speechwriter for U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas. In 1971, Pike graduated with honors from Princeton University. He resides in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County.

Contact: 610-896-2162, drew@pikeforcongress.com

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