Paul Kanjorski Pleads For Civility After Calling For Rick Scott To Be Shot

Former Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-Penn.) on Monday joined a chorus of voices calling for more civilized political discussion in the aftermath of the weekend's devastating shootings in Arizona. Unlike many of those appeals, however, Kanjorski's appears somewhat tainted by a past that shows him to be part of the problem that he is now seeking to rectify.

In an op-ed in The New York Times, Kanjorski uses his own experience of working through the infamous attack on the House by Puerto Rican nationalists in 1954 to argue that "all Americans" need to take it upon themselves to defuse tensions:

We all lose an element of freedom when security considerations distance public officials from the people. Therefore, it is incumbent on all Americans to create an atmosphere of civility and respect in which political discourse can flow freely, without fear of violent confrontation.

While certainly a valid plea, a brief look back at this piece on Kanjorski from The Scranton Times-Tribune in October -- which reportedly followed a period of self-induced seclusion that the then-incumbent and spontaneous congressman had brought upon himself to avoid controversy -- shows that he had produced some extreme violent rhetoric of his own:

"That [Republican candidate Rick Scott] down there that's running for governor of Florida," Mr. Kanjorski said. "Instead of running for governor of Florida, they ought to have him and shoot him. Put him against the wall and shoot him. He stole billions of dollars from the United States government and he's running for governor of Florida. He's a millionaire and a billionaire. He's no hero. He's a damn crook. It's just we don't prosecute big crooks."

Rick Scott was indeed one of the key focal points of an investigation into medicare fraud charges filed against healthcare company Columbia/HCA, though no charges against him were ever produced. Scott is now Governor of Florida.

Comments

[Lisa Spurgeon Bullock]

07:52 PM on 01/13/2011

When he made his statement pleading for more civility he should have then apologized for what he said in the past.

[FreedToChoose]

07:11 PM on 01/13/2011

Yes, Martha, political bicycles pedal backwards.

[Hardyman1966]

12:35 PM on 01/13/2011

It's amazing what passes for an adult these days.

[ehjay]

10:02 PM on 01/12/2011

They ought to have him and shoot him. Put him against the wall and shoot him. He stole billions of dollars from the United States government and he's running for governor of Florida.

Most people will miss the nuance in this statement. He is saying that the government should execute the Governor for his crime. He is not suggesting anything else. Many world governments do exactly that to officials that steal. That is the point Kanjorski is making.

[Michael Little]

11:55 PM on 01/12/2011

Cool. Just like the cross-hairs then. Thanks

[1logicalthinker]

01:01 AM on 01/13/2011

I don't claim to be an expert on language, but it doesn't sound like "nuance" to me.

[CPAwADD]

09:23 PM on 01/12/2011

He was out of line for saying what he said. I'd never heard of him before, so I do not regard him as very prominent.

[bigdaddyvike]

09:08 PM on 01/12/2011

Geez, are all the HP moderators on break tonight? What's the point of posting with 600 comments ahead of me?

[Sarah Owens]

09:26 PM on 01/12/2011

maybe its not about having it both ways, you don't think that the issues lately have caused some, not all, but some, folks to take a good look at themselves and change a few things? lets all be supportive! :) We can't heal if we don't support.

[roads]

06:30 PM on 01/13/2011

Exactly. Maybe he took a look at himself and realized he had to change. That's something you won't see from Palin, Beck, Rush. Though I'd love for them to prove me wrong.

[PunKinPai]

09:28 PM on 01/12/2011

No, they're just poring over the minutiae on other boards, making sure nothing liberal gets through.

[Cabo600]

07:16 PM on 01/12/2011

Kanjorski jumps on the bandwagon.

[tbrnotb]

07:07 PM on 01/12/2011

Can't have it both ways, old man. You should know better. Time to retire into the background!

[JHancock]

06:56 PM on 01/12/2011

For the crimes Scott committed he deserves a penalty. Thieves like him are the reason we have the most expensive healthcare in the world yet rank low on every quality list.

[indyclem]

07:36 PM on 01/12/2011

that explains why people across the world come here for treatment

[Icantbelieveher]

07:57 PM on 01/12/2011

Florida has no idea what it's done to its residents!  Republican states have the highest rate of poverty, and the widest income gap of all the states.  Now Florida is in the running in the race to the bottom!

[OldBro70]

04:01 PM on 01/13/2011

Please don't remind us Floridians, about the perils that we face with Rick Scott and the Republicans in charge of Florida state government.

[Bude]

06:51 PM on 01/12/2011

Ain't gonna happen.

[Broderick Crawford]

06:32 PM on 01/12/2011

Hypocrite Paul Kanjorsky weighs in. Laughable...

[Numskll]

06:27 PM on 01/12/2011

I'm glad he is out of office. He should apologize for what he said. Scott is still a crook though. That much is true.

[Rollin my eyes]

06:25 PM on 01/12/2011

Rick Scott should be tried first ...

[giono]

06:20 PM on 01/12/2011

While I cannot abide Rick Scott -- I just want him out of office.....Florida has enough troubles.

[Jahli]

06:18 PM on 01/12/2011

What the heck is going on with all these upstanding conservatives? Have they all lost their minds?