Hazelton Mayor Maintains Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

As the Hazelton mayor pursues his political ambitions, he hooks up with a local restaurant owner who wants his customers to only speak English at his restaurant. Michael Rubinkam reports for the Associated Press:

Mayor Lou Barletta, whose bid to unseat a 12-term congressman is based largely on his reputation as an anti-illegal immigration crusader, is trying to keep his signature issue alive even as voters turn their attention to the troubled economy and sky-high gas prices.

The three-term Republican mayor on Tuesday announced his latest effort to rid Hazleton of illegal immigrants. Even so, he conceded that immigration may have been eclipsed as an issue in his campaign to oust Democratic Rep. Paul Kanjorski in a blue-collar, heavily Democratic district in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“Mainly gas and energy and the economy has been what’s on the minds of most people,” Barletta said.

Nevertheless, Barletta is still trying to keep voters focused on illegal immigration. And Democrats indicated how seriously they are taking Barletta’s challenge Tuesday by airing the first television commercial by either party in the general election battle for Congress.

Barletta has campaigned with Joey Vento, the owner of Philadelphia’s famed Geno’s Steaks who posted a sign in the window asking customers to speak English. Click here for the full story.

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