Lancasteronline.com: Capital Punmanship:

Lesson #1: Don’t pull a Bob Roggio.

In the race over in neighboring Chester and Berks counties, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach sent out this new release Monday:

Hmmmm....You know, regardless of our individual political party affiliation, we have a soft spot for Congressman Jim Gerlach. He is always there for us, and we appreciate that.

Recently, on a swing by this area on one of his few days out of Washington D.C. of late, he was going to come on by to say hello and check out Joe Rufo's fabulous new restaurant J.R. Monaghan's - yep, that's the kind of Congressman he is - he actually visits and cares about the people in his district ...... Jim cares about Ardmore still....But anyway, a day or so before he was swinging by to check out this part of the 6th district, one of our members got a call telling us that the Congressman was with his mom and she was sick, so he'd catch us all his next time in town.

Well that was fine with us, family is what it is all about. A few days pass and we notice when reading the fine print of the recent votes in Congress in the newspapers that Jim Gerlach was absent. So we did a little noodling and Googling and found this sad, sad news:

HELEN GERLACH PASSES AWAY AT 79

The Clarion News Obituaries

Helen L. Gerlach

Employee for state Sen. Mary Jo White

CLARION – Helen L. Gerlach, 79, of ...Clarion, died Wednesday, May 14, 2008 , in Clarion Hospital following a short illness.

Born September 21, 1928 , in Ellwood City , she was the daughter of the late James and Eva Moyer Fitzgerald.

Mrs. Gerlach was married to Jack Allen Gerlach and he preceded her in death in 1960.

Mrs. Gerlach worked in the office of state Sen. Mary Jo White from 1998 to the present.

She was a member of the Clarion Rotary Club, and was a United Way board member and Community Action board member. She was a 12-year member and past president of the Ellwood City School Board.

Mrs. Gerlach was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Clarion.

Mrs. Gerlach is survived by one son, Congressman Jim Gerlach...

We are truly sorry about Congressman Gerlach's loss, and we were truly distressed to read about the recent actions of his competition, Bob Roggio - Bob Roggio is the new Lois Murphy to run against Jim this season...he should apologize, not just send his condolences on Congressman Gerlach's loss, shouldn't he? We were hoping for a different kind of Congressional race for the 6th district for once, but are merely getting more of the same campaign bus as last time with a different driver at the wheel?

Tony Phyrillas: Monday, May 19, 2008
Bob Roggio owes Jim Gerlach an apology

Imagine seeing this headline in your local paper, "Congressman who misses vote to attend mother's funeral criticized by opponent"

Regardless of your party affiliation, you'd probably shake your head.

I'm going to give Democrat Bog Roggio the benefit of the doubt here and assume that he was not aware of the circumstances before issuing a press release criticizing U.S. Rep Jim Gerlach, R-6th Dist., for missing a House vote last week. Nobody could be that callous.

From the Roggio release: "It is a shame that Jim Gerlach doesn't show up and work to find solutions to the problems that plague district residents day after day. We need a Representative who addresses the rising cost of gas, not a Representative who has taken over 90 thousand dollars in campaign contributions from Big Oil. While our Veterans struggle to find ways to pay for college, Jim Gerlach doesn't show up to vote. As Americans grapple with the very real possibility that the price of gas will top $4 per gallon this summer, Jim Gerlach sits out. As people deal with these everyday problems and hope for real solutions, the last thing we need are leaders who skip work."

Turns out that Rep. Gerlach's mother, Helen, died last Wednesday and the Congressman returned home to be with his family and attend the funeral. (My condolences to Rep. Jim Gerlach and his family for their loss.)....Mr. Roggio owes Rep. Gerlach an apology. He needs to make a personal apology to Gerlach and his campaign needs to issue a public apology as well.

And...

mcall.com: Roggio hits Gerlach below the belt

Posted by Josh Drobnyk at 1:58:50 PM on May 19, 2008 Bob Roggio, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, might have wanted to do a little reporting before blasting the 6th District Republican for missing votes in the House last week. If he did, he would have discovered that Gerlach's mother died Wednesday and he was out the rest of the week, grieving.

Instead, Roggio sent out this tirade Monday afternoon:

“It is a shame that Jim Gerlach doesn’t show up and work to find solutions to the problems that plague district residents day after day,” Roggio said in a statement....Gerlach's mother, Helen Gerlach, died Wednesday morning in Clarion at age 79. She pretty much worked up until the day she died, having served as an assistant to state Sen. Mary Jo White.

Say you are sorry, Bob. And send a donation to whatever charity the Gerlach family is choosing to honor Mrs. Gerlach in perpetuity.