District 1 candidates duel over tax pledge

The 1st district congressional campaign of Charlie Summers has squared off against fellow GOP candidate Dean Scontras over alleged misstatements regarding their candidate’s affirmation of the Americans for Tax Reform pledge.

According to a statement from Summer’s campaign chairs, an e-mail sent from the Scontras campaign address stated, "Dean is the only candidate in the race who has signed the Taxpayer's Protection Pledge, promising to oppose all tax increases once he is elected to Congress."

Summers campaign officials rebutted saying that their candidate signed the pledge not once, but twice, and has proven his pledge not to raise taxes.

"These misstatements by the Scontras campaign are disappointing and disturbing," said Phil Harriman, Summers campaign chairman. "Charlie has advocated for lower taxes and tax reform since his days as a State Senator. In fact Charlie has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge for this campaign, as he did when he ran in 2004."