Hawkins says workers need raise and vacation
Syracuse Post-Standard
Mike McAndrew
October 30th, 2008
Sweetland lambastes Maffei tactics
Democrat's campaign says Republican foe is desperate in final days of the race
Republican congressional candidate Dale Sweetland assailed the character of his Democratic opponent Dan Maffei on Wednesday in his sharpest attack in the 25th District campaign.
Maffei - who has raised five times more in donations than Sweetland - has demonstrated a "pattern for strong-arming, bullying and ethically questionable tactics," Sweetland charged.
He accused Maffei of bullying Syracuse University into barring professor Jeff Stonecash from using university resources to conduct polls for political candidates; of trying to prevent third-party candidate Howie Hawkins from getting on the ballot and tried to block Hawkins from participating in debates; of accepting $300,000 in campaign contributions arranged by Rep. Charles Rangel, who is under investigation for ethics violations; and of declining to be interviewed by reporters unless a campaign staffer is present.
"He's a candidate for elected office. What will he be like if he's elected?" Sweetland asked .
Maffei's campaign responded that Sweetland's desperation is showing with six days left before Election Day.
"This kind of character assassination is typical for a career politician like Dale Sweetland who knows he is losing, knows he is behind in the polls," said Michael Whyland, Maffei's campaign manager.
A Maffei campaign volunteer unsuccessfully tried to knock Hawkins off the ballot. But Whyland said Maffei's campaign never tried to block Hawkins from the debates.
Whyland said the Maffei campaign has not received $300,000 from Rangel.
Rangel's political action committee, his campaign committee and a Rangel-organized fundraiser generated nearly $79,000 in donations to Maffei's campaign, according to Maffei's financial reports.
In other campaign news:
Hawkins proposed Wednesday that the federal minimum wage be boosted from its current rate of $6.55 per hour to $10 per hour this year and to $15 per hour within five years. He said 45 million Americans are paid less than $10 per hour, which is below the poverty level for a family of three.
Hawkins also proposed that Congress require businesses to give workers four weeks of paid vacation per year.
Increasing the minimum wage would stimulate the economy better than the failed trickle-down policies of tax breaks for the wealthy and for corporations, Hawkins said.
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