Candidates in the 24th Congressional District come out swinging.
Republican Richard Hanna claimed that U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, received contributions from an indicted lobbyist. Washington -- What appeared to be the first big political gaffe of Central New York's election season has quickly turned ugly, with one congressional candidate calling the other an outright liar.
It all began Wednesday when Republican challenger Richard Hanna in the 24th Congressional District erroneously declared in a press release, "Arcuri Contributor Indicted."
Hanna claimed that U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, accepted $17,500 in campaign contributions since 2006 from Paul Magliocchetti, founder of the now-defunct PMA Group lobbying firm.
Magliocchetti was indicted earlier this month in Alexandria, Va., on charges of making illegal campaign contributions.
The problem for Hanna was that Magliocchetti made no donations to Arcuri. Neither did his firm, his employees nor the firm's political action committee, a point on which both sides now agree.
When asked for an explanation, Hanna spokeswoman Renee Gamela said she had made an error, and meant to say the money had come from companies, including Lockheed Martin and Goodrich, that were former clients of PMA. The lobbying firm specialized in defense appropriations.
Gamela acknowledged the indictment never mentions Arcuri, nor suggests that those companies -- which have plant sites in the 24th District -- were steered to Arcuri by PMA.
Arcuri's campaign responded Thursday to Hanna with an e-mail titled: "RICHARD HANNA LIES TO THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA."
Carolyn Ehrlich, Arcuri's campaign manager, said Hanna's accusations were "shocking." She added, "I know candidates are known to stretch the truth from time to time, but never an outright lie."
When told of the Hanna campaign's explanation, Ehrlich said, "The companies we are talking about are companies that employ thousands of people in this district. It's pretty bizarre to suggest that contributions from them resulted from a gentleman (Magliocchetti) the congressman never had a relationship with."
Mark Weiner's Washington Notebook appears Sunday in The Post-Standard. He can be reached at mweiner@syracuse.com or 571-970-3751.