Not that it’s been all smooth sailing for Niki Tsongas.
This morning (Friday), the Democratic candidate moved quickly to distance herself from comments supporter Chet Atkins made to the Associated Press implying that Republican Jim Ogonowski’s stand on immigration was motivated by racism and would not have been supported by his brother, John, who was the pilot of one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
Here’s was Tsongas had to say via a press release:
I strongly disagree with what Chet Atkins said and did and his comments are not reflective of my views. I’m the one running for Congress and he does not speak for me.
This morning I spoke to Jim Ogonowski and I reached out to Peg Ogonowski. Their family has suffered a terrible loss and that should be respected.
This goes against the tone of politics I’ve established on my campaign.
But later came this from the Ogonowski camp:
CHELMSFORD, MA – Congressional candidate Jim Ogonowski, surrounded by his family at the farm where he grew up, demanded that Niki Tsongas immediately denounce the personal attacks on him and his family made by one of her team members. “Opponents owe my family and our community an apology,” said Ogonowski. “I know that the professional politicians believe in the win at all cost style of campaigning, but personal insults of this kind – particularly those made against a candidate’s family – should be off limits.”
Today’s press conference was held in the wake of comments made by former Congressman and Tsongas Campaign supporter Chet Atkins on Thursday. Atkins told the AP that Ogonowski was “tarnishing the legacy of [Jim’s] late brother, John, with a stance against illegal immigration that borders on racist.”
“Niki Tsongas needs to make it clear to the people of this district that she will not stand by in silence as one of her most prominent supporters stoops to this kind of gutter politics,” said Ogonowski.
In response to these baseless allegations, Peg Ogonowski, the widow of Jim’s brother John, who was killed while piloting American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001, called Atkins’ remarks, “a new low in politics.” She said, “I don’t recall whether John ever even spoke to that man. Regardless, how dare they pretend to know John better than his own family does. This is politics at its worst. When you don’t agree with them they attack you and call you names. When you don’t just say ‘just open up the borders for illegal immigrants’ they call you a racist. Our family is very supportive of legal immigration and in John’s name have the New Farm Families Fund to promote it.”
Jim’s oldest sister Dolores also expressed her shock at the attack. “To put words in the mouth of my late brother John is, to me, the lowest form of negative campaigning. And while they may have forgotten this, my family and I have not: half the terrorists that killed my brother had broken our nation’s immigration laws to get here. My family has worked for years to help legal immigrants realize the American dream.”
The Atkins comments surfaced as new polling shows Tsongas and Ogonowski in a tight race. The Tsongas campaign has been on the defensive for the last week attempting to explain away Niki Tsongas’ radical position in favor of amnesty and taxpayer benefits for illegals. “I know that the Tsongas campaign has been feeling the heat from the voters over her out-of-touch position on illegal immigration,” said Dustin Olson, Campaign Manager for Ogonowski.
Former Congressman Atkins, who made the comments, is listed on the Niki Tsongas Campaign website as a top “endorsement”. Atkins has also given the maximum allowable contribution to the Tsongas campaign - $2,300.
“It is clear that the Tsongas campaign is desperate. They expected this to be a coronation and instead they have ended up with a real race. Jim’s message about change is resonating. This campaign should be about ideas and vision. Jim has been clear about where he stands on issues of importance to voters – for reform in Washington, for not giving amnesty to illegals, for reducing runaway federal spending, for eliminating fraud and waste, for keeping taxes low, and for securing our borders,” concluded Olson. “Niki Tsongas and her professional politician friends should forego the smears, distortions, and personal attacks and let voters make the decision about whose values and vision for the future they want representing them in Washington.”
