“A half-hour before they were supposed to be in Hazleton, Sheila Menz, Senator Clinton’s economic development aide, told Campaign Manager Vince Galko they were unable to attend the meeting they arranged,” said Shawn Kelly, campaign spokesman. “What happened? Why did they set the meeting then cancel it?”

The mayor was asked to reschedule his afternoon for the meeting with Senator Clinton’s team.

Galko received the call as the Clinton team was driving to Hazleton. No explanation was offered, and no date for a future meeting was presented.

“I’ve extended an invitation to all three presidential candidates to come to Hazleton and learn about issues that are important to voters here,” Barletta said. “I certainly hope partisan politics and campaigning did not come into play here. One of the major problems in Washington today is the way partisanship affects government. I have a reputation of reaching across the aisle to solve problems affecting our citizens. I had hoped today’s meeting would be a good step to crossing that divide again. We’re anxiously awaiting an explanation as to why the meeting was abruptly cancelled.”

The mayor was set to meet with the following members of Senator Clinton’s economic team:

·   Sheila Menz, Economic Development Aide to Senator Clinton and former spokeswoman for Sen. Joseph Lieberman;

·  Eva Haasett, former Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for the City of Buffalo;

·  Ed Abounder, an organized labor official from Rome, New York.

Following their meeting, Mayor Barletta and Senator Clinton’s team were to walk to Luzerne Medical, Inc., 92 Wyoming Ave., Hazleton. The owner of the business, Teresa Jacketti, is publicly supporting both Senator Clinton and Mayor Barletta in their elections this year. She displays both candidates’ signs in her store window.

“My invitation to the candidates or their campaigns is still on the table. I would be happy to meet with representatives from Senator McCain’s, Senator Clinton’s or Senator Obama’s campaigns, or even Congressman Ron Paul’s campaign,” Barletta said.