By Kevin Zwick
Staff Reporter
Capitolwire
PHILADELPHIA (May 8): York businessman Tom Wolf was again on the defensive Thursday amid attacks from two of his Democratic competitors in one of the last scheduled debates of the primary election.
The candidates rehashed much of the past few weeks of what has quickly become a grueling Democratic primary contest.
Wolf has maintained his front-runner status, despite a constant barrage of attacks from U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz and State Treasurer Rob McCord. Katie McGinty, a former DEP Secretary and Clinton White House advisor, avoided attacking on fellow Democrats but kept up the attacks on Gov. Tom Corbett.
Wolf was again questioned about his much-relied upon business experience and personal relationships – two areas that have been targeted in recent attack ads by Schwartz and McCord.
“We need to know, the voters need to know,” Schwartz said, “who is he really? what does he really bring?”
“I know it’s a tough story to believe,” Wolf said, before rattling off his background, including a stint in the Peace Corps and academia, serving as Revenue Secretary and running two businesses. “I’ve done these things … it is a very compelling story and it is true.”
Schwartz blamed Wolf for the loss of hundreds of jobs at his namesake home-building products company, The Wolf Organization, saying a $60 million buyout for Wolf and his two cousins sunk the company into debt. Wolf and his two cousins sold the company in 2006 and each received $20 million as part of a buyout deal. Wolf was not in charge of the company when the layoffs occurred and he said the economy – especially housing and manufacturing industries – tanked at that time during the recession.
“I went back voluntarily,” Wolf said. “And I did not have to go back and I did and I saved those jobs. As for the people who lost their jobs when I wasn’t there, there was a huge recession in the United States and it hit the residential building products … the unemployment rate went up by a shocking amount throughout the United States.”
Wolf’s relationship with former York City Mayor Charlie Robertson, the subject of a controversial McCord ad, also was discussed. Wolf chaired Robertson’s re-election campaign in 2001, decades after York City race riots when Robertson was a police officer who admittedly yelled “white power!” and was accused of supplying ammunition to white rioters who killed a black woman. Robertson was acquitted of the murder charge. Wolf said the relationship was “professional.”
“I was instrumental in getting Mayor Robertson to withdraw from the race,” Wolf said.
McCord has been hammering the issue in public forums and in television ads, which has drawn a rebuke from former Gov. Ed Rendell and other Democrats, as well as black clergy and political supporters of Wolf who called the ad “disgraceful.” McCord said he doesn’t think Wolf is a racist and that his ad isn’t about racism but leadership. He said a quiet approach does not always work.
“I’ve taken a lot of heat from party bosses, I’ve earned my reputation as somebody who can’t be bossed and can’t be bought… this isn’t just about going about quietly achieving a result. Sometimes we have to stand up very publicly, and what we say in public matters,” McCord said, comparing the issue with the recent ousting of L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling. “It’s something I’m proud to have done.”
Schwartz said public officials “have to be out-front” on issues of racism and discrimination. Wolf said he was proud of how the City of York has confronted it’s past history of racial issues, noting the city recently elected a black mayor, who is a Wolf supporter.
With less than two weeks until the primary, southeast Democratic voters will get a few more chances to see their four choices in action. Thursday’s debate at WPVI-TV studios, sponsored by the station, League of Women Voters and Univision, will air Saturday at 5 p.m. and again Sunday at 1 p.m. Another debate is scheduled for Monday at Drexel University.
The primary is May 20.
