Flourtown, PA – Yesterday, Independent Michael Bloomberg — the widely-praised former New York City Mayor — endorsed Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania State Treasurer Joe Torsella for “resolving a $1.25 billion deficit and helped steer Philadelphia to a nationally-acclaimed fiscal turnaround” when Torsella served as Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia under Ed Rendell. Bloomberg also touted Torsella’s history of finding bipartisan, common-sense solutions including when “he led the fight for transparency and accountability at the UN” as Ambassador for Management and Reform and Torsella’s “leadership role at the National Constitution Center” which Torsella founded in 1998 led from near-bankruptcy to a national treasure.
On the same day, Republican State Treasurer nominee, Otto Voit, donned a “Make America Great Again” hat and stood next to Donald Trump at the Trump rally in Mechanicsburg. Voit was the first statewide Republican candidate to endorse Donald Trump back in May and stood beside him yesterday on a day in which veteran groups and Republican leaders such as Senator John McCain and Republicans in Pennsylvania criticized Trump for his attacks on the parents of Army Captain Humayon Khan.
“While Joe Torsella is being lauded by the nation’s highest-profile independent for building non-partisan solutions for fiscal problems, Otto Voit is doubling down on his support for Donald Trump’s divisiveness and hate speech,” said Jocelyn Steinberg, spokesperson for Joe Torsella. “Instead of fighting for Pennsylvania taxpayers, Otto Voit wants to protect politically connected middlemen to help big Wall Street get state government contracts in exchange for millions of dollars in fees. It makes sense that Voit is standing with Donald Trump, they both have resorted to bizarre campaign tactics.”
In May, Voit was recorded opposing Torsella’s proposal to ban placement agents. To a business group, Voit spoke out in support of allowing politically connected middlemen to help big Wall Street banks get state government contracts in exchange for millions of dollars in fees.
Background
Voit Was The First Statewide Pennsylvania Candidate To Endorse Donald Trump. According to WFMZ, “A Berks County man hoping to become Pennsylvania’s next treasurer is also hoping Donald Trump becomes the next president. Otto Voit announced Tuesday that he is backing the Republican’s presumptive nominee in the race for the White House. Voit, a Muhlenberg Township resident, said he is the first statewide GOP candidate to endorse Trump. ‘He has proven time and again that he has the resolve and courage to do the things others do not have the stomach to undertake or even say,’ Voit said. [WFMZ, 5/24/16]