NY-26: Jon Powers Omits War Kids Relief From Campaign Literature
by Matt at Aug 31st, 2008
Jon Powers and his supporters pretend as though the issue of War Kids Relief and the large salary Jon Powers gave himself through War Kids Relief is an over and done with issue.
But, clearly someone knows that remaining unanswered questions are only going to hurt Jon Powers’ campaing: Jon Powers.
The Buffalo News is reporting that Jon Powers has removed War Kids Relief from his campaign literature.
His opponents have pounded congressional candidate Jon Powers over the charity he ran to benefit Iraq’s children.
They say that, for the most part, it flopped yet still rewarded Powers with a salary.
Powers now has mailed his first campaign piece to voters. He tells them about his background, serving in Iraq as an Army officer and teaching public school in Clarence.
But there’s no mention of the charity, War Kids Relief.
In the campaign’s early days, his charity was mentioned often. But Democratic challengers Jack Davis and Alice Kryzan may have found the Achilles heel.
They’re kicking it at will, and probably will continue to do so until the three-way party primary vote on Sept. 9.
I did find it interesting that Alice Kryzan even chimed in on this:
“It was the prominent aspect of his biography when he first started running for Congress,” said Kryzan campaign manager Anne Wadsorth. “And now that some questions have been raised concerning the charity and Jon Powers’ role in it, he has eliminated any reference to it as he talks about his experience.”
Davis’ campaign manager, Luke Vaughn, had noticed the same absence in a Powers television ad — “perhaps because he has now realized that touting his failure is a bad strategy,” Vaughn said.
The Powers campaign finds the criticism laughable.
“There was no purposeful reason not to include it,” responded campaign manager John Gerken, who mentioned that the Powers Web site still offers a section about War Kids Relief.
That’s right. The website does still include a section on War Kids Relief. But, taking it down would have a more significant admission of guilt than omitting from campaign literature. Still, I believe that only a fraction of voters in the district actually peruse campaign websites. Political junkies and activists are the main forces of any campaign’s online army. Campaign website are largely a portal for grassroots activity.
Jon Powers has made War Kids Relief one of the key parts of his resume. It is something he can’t really afford to take out of it — if he thinks everything was all above board — considering how little experience he has.