Campaign Ad Controversy in Pennsylvania
Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) has dropped a campaign ad attacking Scranton’s mayor and Democratic congressional candidate, Paige Cognetti. In the ad, he claims that Cognetti and her supporters are “full of baloney.”
In a video shared on X by Axios reporter Andrew Solender, Bresnahan pointed out that he “voted to ban congressional stock trading,” contrasting that with Cognetti’s past work at Goldman Sachs and on Wall Street.
Bresnahan remarked, “Paige Cognetti and her allies are full of baloney, spending millions to paint me as something I am not. I voted to ban congressional stock trading, and I don’t trade my own stocks. Paige worked for Goldman Sachs and Wall Street.”
This video emerges amidst Cognetti’s campaign claims that Bresnahan has engaged in “600 trades” this year, according to a report from the New York Times.
“This year he’s already made 600 trades,” Cognetti mentioned in a September promo, highlighting what she sees as dubious trading activities. She noted he “sold Chinese stocks the week of a tariff” and “bought missile stocks before a war.”
Democrats are focusing on Bresnahan’s financial dealings, alleging he gained from a data center development by trading relevant stocks. However, Bresnahan’s campaign has countered these claims, labeling Cognetti’s accusations as false.
It may be especially pertinent in this district, given that Democrats are highlighting how Bresnahan profited from his stock trades. Recent polls indicate a slim lead for Cognetti. She isn’t the only one promoting stock trading issues among Congress members this election cycle.
As a wealthy former CEO of an electrical contracting firm, Bresnahan has stated that he depends on a financial advisor for stock decisions and is often unaware of transactions until after they happen.
His campaign has also said that Cognetti’s portrayals of his trades are “lies,” defending his genuine efforts to prohibit congressional stock trading.
In his ad, Bresnahan further criticized Cognetti for raising taxes and cutting benefits, claiming she has intentions of disarming the police. “She raised taxes, cut benefits, fired teachers, and wants to disarm the police,” he said. “She’s lying, and she knows it. But, lying to Northeastern Pennsylvania is what Paige and her money machine do best.”
The claims regarding her tax policies and teacher layoffs trace back to a Townhall report revealing that while on the Scranton School Board, Cognetti voted for a budget that led to the dismissal of 89 teachers and increased taxes on families, resulting in a $4 million deficit.
At a press conference in August with House Speaker Mike Johnson, Bresnahan mentioned that Cognetti denied disarming the police. However, he argued that this didn’t negate her administration’s actions, which included slashing the police firearms and ammunition budget significantly, and that a City Council added a separate line item to address the issue.
Bresnahan contended that while Cognetti said she didn’t disarm the police, her actions of cutting the budget from $43,500 to $20,000 in 2021 reflected otherwise, particularly after engaging with anti-police groups. He noted that she did not sign off on the 2021 budget.
Cognetti has received pushback not just from Bresnahan but also from local city council members and constituents, with some expressing that she has been absent while campaigning for Congress. “We got a mayor who’s not here,” remarked Scranton resident Rik Little. “The mayor should be here every week.”
One council member, Sean McAndrew, made comments in July during a meeting about a financial deal that implied Cognetti’s focus is elsewhere, stating that “the only thing I know about the mayor’s five-year outlook is she doesn’t plan to be here. She plans to be in Congress.”
