ROB GARAGIOLA FOR CONGRESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Andrew Platt, 301-775-4397

Federal Election Commission (FEC) records reveal that just one week before the watershed 2010 general election that put Republicans in control of the US House of Representatives, John Delaney, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District, gave the legal maximum contribution to extreme Tea Party Maryland Republican Andy Harris in his successful effort to oust then-Democratic Congressman Frank Kratovil.

“It’s incredibly disappointing that John Delaney would donate thousands of dollars to a Tea Party candidate trying to bring down one our Democratic Members of the Maryland delegation,” said Rob Garagiola. “Frank Kratovil has stood up for Maryland’s middle class and working families. A financial contribution to Republican Andy Harris is an act against our Democratic Party, and it’s a sign that Delaney isn’t a real Democrat. This is something Mitt Romney would do,” concluded Garagiola.

Kim Kratovil, Frank’s wife, said, "Although Democrats don’t agree on every issue, they do share a common set of beliefs and principals that guide them in their decision making. Andy Harris represents the extreme right of the Republican party and shares few if any of those Democratic beliefs. Certainly people have the right to support Andy Harris, but the fact that someone running for Congress as a Democrat would max out to him the week before an election is cause for question as to whether he shares the beliefs of the democrats or those of Andy Harris.”

“John Delaney is the elephant in the room,” said Sean Rankin, campaign manager for Garagiola for Congress. “With each day he looks more like Mitt Romney. Like Romney, Delaney is hiding his tax returns and refusing to fully disclose his personal finances, has a Republican operative as his senior consultant on his campaign, has openly attacked labor unions and collective bargaining rights, suggesting Maryland should become right-to-work, and here he is financially supporting Tea Party candidates in the State of Maryland. One day a loan shark, the next day an elephant, but never a real Democrat. Democrats across Maryland should question every claim that Delaney makes,” Rankin concluded.

Click here to see a video highlighting John Delaney’s support of Maryland Tea Party Congressman Andy Harris and here for a link to the FEC report. John Delaney’s contribution is on page 52 – just under the Club for Growth donation.

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