As part of a statewide effort to educate about candidates and their positions on issues important to Catholic voters, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) sent a questionnaire to candidates for state attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer to give them the opportunity to make their positions known on key issues. The answers they provided are listed here for educational purposes only; the PCC does not endorse candidates for political office.
For more information and a statewide voters guide visit:
http://www.pacatholic.org/faith-politics/know-the-positions-of-pennsylvania-statewide-candidates/
ATTORNEY GENERAL: David Freed (R) | Kathleen Kane (D), Patrick Murphy (D), Don Bailey (D)
AUDITOR GENERAL: Frank Pinto (R), John Maher (R) | Eugene DePasquale (D)
TREASURER: Diana Irey Vaughan (R) | Robert McCord (D)
What is your position on legislation that would provide direct grants to parents to choose the schools that they believe are best suited for their children, including nonpublic schools?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support*
*Proven voting record!
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support*
*Funding should follow students to the schools chosen by their parents. I believe that a student focus will improve education in PA by creating competition and driving schools, both public and private, to improve in order to attract and retain students.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Do you support or oppose embryonic stem cell research?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Oppose
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Oppose
MAHER (R) Oppose
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Oppose*
*Research that harms or destroys human embryos is unethical and immoral. Promising alternatives exist and can be pursued.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
What is your position on amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to define marriage as the union between one man and one woman?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support*
*Marriage between one man and one woman is not only the natural basis for the family but the foundation of society. I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage from alternative agendas.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Which statement reflects your position most accurately?
a. I do not oppose legalized abortion.
b. I oppose legalized abortion in all circumstances.
c. I oppose legalized abortion, except when the life of the mother is in danger.
d. I oppose legalized abortion, except when the life of the mother is in danger or the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) d.
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Did Not Indicate
MAHER (R) c.
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) b.*
*I believe that our laws should respect and protect the humanity of unborn children.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Do you support or oppose legislation that would add state restrictions to existing federal prohibitions concerning the hiring of undocumented immigrants or the provision of healthcare or government services to the undocumented?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Did Not Indicate*
* These are two separate questions.
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support*
*We have a responsibility to the taxpayers we serve to ensure that both the laws of our nation and the Commonwealth are enforced and that those participating in government programs and services are eligible.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
What is your position on the death penalty?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support*
*As a District Attorney and career prosecutor, I believe the death penalty is appropriate.
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support*
*PA law clearly defines death penalty criteria and provides for the necessary safeguards to protect the rights of individuals. It is both a necessary and appropriate penalty for society’s most heinous crimes.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
What is your position on restoring state funding to the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) which provides low-interest loans to homeowners facing possible foreclosure through no fault of their own?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Did Not Indicate*
*While HEMAP has been successful since its inception in 1983, PA’s current fiscal realities require leaders to make tough funding decisions in order to balance the budget. Funding for discretionary programs, like HEMAP, should be evaluated during each budget process.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
What is your position on legislation requiring employers to provide employee benefits to which they are morally opposed, for example, mandating coverage for contraceptives or benefits to same-sex partners of employees?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Oppose
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Oppose
MAHER (R) Oppose
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Oppose*
*I believe that it is unjust and contrary to the First Amendment to mandate that private employers, especially religious organizations, provide benefits to which they are morally opposed.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Which statement reflects your position most accurately?
a. Religious childcare and pre-kindergarten providers should be subject to government review of educational content.
b. Religious childcare and pre-kindergarten providers should follow state standards for health and safety of children, but be free to determine their own educational content based on the teachings of their faith tradition.
c. Religious childcare and pre-k providers should be free from government regulation.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) b.
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) b.
MAHER (R) b.
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) b.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Do you support or oppose legislation that would restrict taxpayer funding of abortion in Pennsylvania’s health insurance exchange created by the federal health care reform law?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
What is your position on legislation that forces health care providers to provide, pay for or refer for services contrary to their conscience for moral or religious reasons?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Oppose
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Oppose
MAHER (R) Oppose
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Oppose
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
Do you support or oppose increased funding for Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) where the state budget includes an increase in public school funding?
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FREED (R) Support
KANE (D) Did Not Respond
MURPHY (D) Did Not Respond
BAILEY (D) Did Not Respond
AUDITOR GENERAL
PINTO (R) Support
MAHER (R) Support
DEPASQUALE (D) Did Not Respond
TREASURER
IREY VAUGHAN (R) Support*
*EITC is an extremely successful and important tool in improving education in PA and providing educational choice for middle- and low-income families.
MCCORD (D) Did Not Respond
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