Nov. 25, 2008 – 3:54 a.m.
Congressman Kanjorski’s Not-So-Candid Camera
By Richard L. Connor, CQ Guest Columnist

Well, there’s still hope for Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski , newly re-elected to a 13th House term after a contest in which, it is reported, his campaign paid a cameraman to snoop on his Republican opponent, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.

Even though Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano appears to have locked up the appointment to head the Department of Homeland Security in Barack Obama’s administration, there’s always the CIA — or maybe Kanjorski could convince the president-elect to put him in charge of domestic espionage.

Domestic spying? The notion is no more bizarre than Kanjorski’s recent campaign behavior in Pennsylvania’s 11th District. Strike that. It’s just the latest wackiness in his long career representing residents of the coal region of northeast Pennsylvania.

Controversy does not follow Kanjorski. He leads it. He has constantly walked the ethical tightrope of questionable decisions and has faced political danger more often than the late motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel stared down death.

The latest stunt Kanjorski is accused of pulling is short on daring and high on comedy. Faced with the toughest fight of his career after serving 24 years in Congress, Kanjorski’s campaign hired Joe Van Wie of Agapic Films in Scranton, Pa., to dog his Republican challenger. Van Wie was reported to have been paid $10,000 to follow Barletta and film his every move. He even attended private fundraising events held for Barletta.

First, though, he signed up as a volunteer for the Barletta campaign and he wore a “Barletta for Congressâ€