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Casey asks to address Pennsylvania pastors network

The Associated Press
| Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:00 a.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) - If Republican Sen. Rick Santorum is going to address pastors at a political training session, Bob Casey said he should be allowed to, too. State Treasurer Casey, the leading Democrat fighting to unseat Santorum, wrote a letter Friday to an organizer involved with the Pennsylvania Pastors Network asking that he be allowed to address the group at its get-out-the-vote training sessions. "I am sure you are interested in clearly showing that the Pennsylvania Pastors Network does not endorse candidates," Casey said. "I would greatly appreciate being allowed a few minutes to share my values and priorities." Santorum's campaign spokeswoman said this week Santorum addressed the group in a prerecorded video, but said it was part of his official duties and not part of his campaign. Colin Hanna, one of the group's organizers, said Friday that Casey would be invited to speak at a future training session in a prerecorded greeting in his capacity as state treasurer. However, he said Casey would be asked to talk about the Pennsylvania Marriage Amendment, which Santorum discussed at a March 6 session, he said. That amendment would amend the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The Internal Revenue Service prohibits political campaign activity, for or against any candidate, by organizations such as churches that have tax-exempt status. Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued a statement this week telling Pennsylvania religious leaders to be wary of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network. It argues the effort is a push to re-elect Santorum. Hanna denied his group was involved in such an effort.


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