Dems blast Trump policies, 'chaos' ahead of president's Westmoreland County rally

Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli on Thursday issued a scathing rebuke of President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity.

“To put it simply, Donald Trump is simply not up for this job. Pennsylvanians have suffered at the hands of a weak and incompetent president. People are sick and tired of the constant crisis, the chaos, the lying and circus of the White House,” Cerilli said. “People understand we need change now, and the United States of America simply cannot afford another four years of a Trump presidency.”

Her comments came during a news conference in which the two-term Democrat, along with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker, stumped for former Vice President Joe Biden. The trio blasted the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy, which they said has bled jobs under Trump’s administration.

Cerilli, of Unity, noted that Trump’s visit to her hometown comes as Republicans strengthen the party’s political might in Westmoreland County, which four years ago helped the president narrowly carry Pennsylvania. Trump won the county by a 2-to-1 margin in 2016.

She criticized the president’s economic policy as one that raised taxes in Pennsylvania and resulted in record job losses.

“It’s not surprising that we are in an historic recession, and it’s even less surprising that Trump’s solution only really helps out his wealthy friends,” Cerilli said.

Casey blasted the president’s campaign as one that offered no plans for economic recovery or a response to the pandemic.

“He will not produce a plan. He will not talk much about these challenges because what he wants to do is distract, to get back to his usual approach to governing, which is pretty simple and I’ve summed it up on four words…: Fear, smear, demonize and divide,” Casey said.

Biden’s campaign released a statement accusing Trump of neglecting Pennsylvania and worsening the state’s economic outlook.

“President Trump’s mishandling of the economy and the coronavirus pandemic has caused millions of people across the commonwealth to file for unemployment since March, has led to a staggering unemployment rate of 13.5% in Westmoreland County and caused nearly 8,000 Pennsylvanians to lose their lives from the virus,” Biden said in the statement. “But, even before this crisis began, President Trump’s reckless economic policies and tariff wars shipped jobs overseas and lined the pockets of CEOs, while leaving Western Pennsylvania workers and families behind.”