Weldon, Under Investigation, Is Now the Underdog in Pa. 7

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Curt Weldon — already facing a difficult re-election contest in the state’s politically competitive, if not slightly Democratic, 7th District — must now grapple with the political fallout from a federal investigation into whether he improperly steered federal contracts to a lobbying business that his daughter co-owns.

Though Weldon has strongly denied the allegations, which he attributes to political motivations, the flurry of negative publicity has prompted CQPolitics.com is changing its rating on the Pennsylvania 7 race to Leans Democratic from No Clear Favorite.

That change from the tossup category means CQPolitics.com now views Weldon as at least a slight underdog to Democratic challenger Joe Sestak, a retired Navy vice admiral who was already running a vigorous campaign to deny Weldon an 11th House term in a district just outside Philadelphia.

The added difficulty for Weldon is that the suggestion of a possible scandal comes at a time when most of the voting public already has a dim view of the Republican-controlled Congress, and when public corruption has emerged as an issue in the national campaign for control of the House.

Late Friday, a story published by McClatchy Newspapers reported that the Justice Department was investigating whether Weldon used his office to steer business to his daughter’s firm. On Monday, the FBI raided the homes of Weldon’s daughter Karen and of Charles Sexton, a friend and political ally of the congressman, as well as their firm’s office.

The Los Angeles Times first reported on this matter in 2004, and Weldon said at the time that he provided documents rebutting the allegations to the House Ethics Committee, which did not resolve the matter before the 108th Congress adjourned.

Weldon, in an interview over the weekend with a columnist for the University of Pennsylvania student newspaper, the Daily Pennsylvanian, described the timing of the accusations as a “gross abuse of the American electoral process.”

In the interview, Weldon points to Melanie Sloan — a former Democratic congressional aide who now heads the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) — as the source of the allegations. Sloan in April 2004 wrote a letter to the Justice Department asking it to investigate the allegations.

Weldon’s campaign issued a statement Monday in which the congressman said, “I look forward to providing law enforcement personnel with any and all documents and information that they may seek to review. I will cooperate 100 percent with the inquiry.”

Weldon added that he was “extremely disappointed that we are discussing this topic three weeks before an election that could determine control of Congress. The timing of this situation is deeply concerning.”

The ratings shift comes on the heels of CQPolitics.com on Friday moving the race to No Clear Favorite. That change was unrelated to the allegations that resurfaced Friday — and was implemented mainly because of the strength of Sestak’s campaign.

Sestak’s fundraising through Sept. 30, as reported to the Federal Election Commission, was impressive: $1.2 million in the past three months and $2.3 million overall. That matches the overall 2005-06 receipts for Weldon, who reported raising $894,000 in the third quarter.

Moreover, Weldon trailed in remaining cash on hand, with $1.1 million left to spend to $1.6 million for Sestak.

Weldon, who previously served as a county councilman and local mayor, told the Daily Pennsylvanian, “Joe Sestak would have no chance in my district without national support.” Weldon also staked a claim to cross-party appeal, touting support he has received from both labor unions and chambers of commerce.

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