Republican Congressional Candidate John Katko once again doubled down on his repeated attacks against Rep. Dan Maffei’s wife for her career and health care decisions. At a televised debate Monday, Katko attacked Abby Maffei for having a career that requires her to do work in Washington, D.C. and for her personal health care decisions, after she recently had her first child at a Washington hospital.
Katko attacked Abby Maffei earlier this year stating, “…his wife lives and works in Washington, D.C. That’s where her job is… He just had his first child in Sibley Hospital, which I congratulate him on. But the fact of the matter is the child was born there.”
Even after Rep. Maffei publicly called on Katko to exclude his wife’s career and health care decisions from the campaign, Katko still doubled down again last night saying, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
DCCC Executive Director Kelly Ward said, “As a mother, I can’t believe John Katko would attack a woman for her career and personal health care decisions for his own political gain. The last thing we need is another Republican member of Congress who believes women and their careers should take a back seat to men. The fact that John Katko would attack a hard working mom for having a career and making her own health care decisions for herself and her child is just more proof of how he doesn’t share the same values at Central New Yorkers.”
BACKGROUND:
Maffei Called on Katko to Keep his Wife’s Career and Health Care Decisions Out of the Campaign. In August 2014, Maffei held a press conference to call on Katko to leave his wife and daughter out of the campaign for New York’s 24th Congressional District. [Post-Standard, 8/20/14]
Katko Doubled Down on his Attacks on Abby Maffei’s Career and Health Care Decisions. In October 2014, Katko argued in a televised debate that the birth place of Maffei’s daughter was within the bounds of the debate, saying “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.” [Politico, 10/28/14]