Frank E. Bovalino – 6/2/06

This page was last updated on June 13, 2006.

Santorum’s hypocrisy; Frank E. Bovalino; Beaver County Times; June 2, 2006.

“Coincidentally,” a Times editorial entitled “Where’s Rick?” appeared in the print edition the same day as this letter. The editorial differed little from this letter. It did not appear on the Times website, however.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum has a problem with where he and his family live.

“He owns an expensive home in an upscale Washington, D.C., suburb and claims to spend most of his time there with his wife and children.

“Santorum and his wife also own a property in Penn Hills. He claims that property as his legal residence in order to vote in Allegheny County. He also claims to reside there.”

[RWC] Mr. Bovalino contradicts himself within two paragraphs. He writes that Mr. Santorum “claims to spend most of his time there [Virginia] with his wife and children” in one paragraph and then writes “He [Mr. Santorum] also claims to reside there [Penn Hills]” in the next.

“The problem is by all accounts except the senator’s, neither he nor his family live in the Penn Hills home. Media accounts indicate the modest Penn Hills dwelling has served primarily as a rental property for the Santorums when it hasn’t been vacant.

“Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a major issue. Many members of Congress have residences near the capital in order to maintain their family lives and fulfill their elected duties. There’s nothing wrong with that, as far as I am concerned.

“One notable former member of Congress who did this was Doug Walgren. In 1990, Walgren was challenged for re-election by Santorum. Walgren’s suburban Washington home was a centerpiece of Santorum’s successful election upset.”

[RWC] I find it hard to believe Mr. Walgren’s residency was a significant factor in Mr. Santorum’s win. If it was, Mr. Walgren ran a lame campaign and/or voters in his district were pretty stupid to fall for this bogus issue.

“Santorum can’t have it both ways. If it wasn’t OK for Walgren to live in the D.C. suburbs as a member of Congress, it isn’t OK for you now.

“Of course, if he admitted he doesn’t live in Penn Hills, he would be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in tuition payments paid by Penn Hills and Pennsylvania taxpayers to a Pennsylvania cyber charter school to educate his children from the comfort of their Virginia home.”

[RWC] Go to this critique for more of my comments on this.

“Does hypocrite ring a bell?”

[RWC] There’s no question Mr. Santorum dug this hole himself 16 years ago. It was a bogus issue in 1990 and it’s a bogus issue now.