Democratic U.S. Rep. John Tierney and his Republican challenger Richard Tisei butted heads on health care, gun control and the controversy surrounding the illegal gambling business operated by Tierney's brothers-in-law in a feisty televised debate on Oct. 18.
Tisei called for a congressional investigation into the gambling controversy and criticized Tierney's handling of the matter. “You’ve known for 2 years that the money that came into your household was from an illegal source. Why haven’t you given up the money or turned it back over?” he said.
Tierney responded that a judge said he wasn't involved and called Tisei "shameful" for television ads raising the controversy involving his wife Patrice Tierney.
He aimed to paint Tisei as a strong conservative, saying, “He has said the Tea Party’s a godsend. He said that he supports the Paul Ryan budget on that basis. He said that he would put the same leadership in there that is in there now. And they are the people who have voted against woman’s rights, against equal rights, against the middle class, for voucherizing Medicare, for disallowing women to have the right to have their own control over their health care. They would defund Planned Parenthood. They would defund Title 10. It’s just — one thing after another.”
Tisei said he opposes President Obama's health care law, which Tierney supports. The two also split on taxes with Tierney saying Tisei would hold tax cuts for the majority of Americans hostage to cuts for the wealthy.
The two found some agreement: both support reauthorization of a federal assault weapons ban.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Watch on NECN: The candidates spar over Tierney's family and more.
