From the Citizens Voice’s Roger Dupuis II (link swiped from Repoz and Baseball Think Factory)
Just as Lackawanna County™s Republican leadership is pledging to take politics out of baseball, Democratic critics are accusing the GOP commissioners of again using the team for their own political gain.
Sound-bites of top New York Yankees officials, praising Commissioners Robert C. Cordaro and A.J. Munchak, are incorporated in new television campaign ads for the incumbent majority leaders.
Featured in the commercials are Yankees general manager Brian Cashman (above), chief operating officer Lonn Trost and general partner Steve Swindal.
œHe™s one of the big reasons why we™re here, I know that, Cashman said of Cordaro when asked about the ads. œOther than that, I can™t speak to it.
œIf you™re asking me, ˜Does he deserve credit for helping deliver the Yankees to this area?,™ he does.
The New York Yankees™ press office did not respond to a request inquiring about the organization™s position on the ads.
Cordaro said the clips were taped during a December press conference when the Yanks came to town to unveil the local team™s new name and logo.
œWe recorded history, the commissioner chairman said, adding that the Yankees™ statements œwere made in public, for public consumption.
Asked to weigh in on the 30-second commercials, incumbent Democratic Commissioner Mike Washo said he thought use of the Yankees™ leaders was œinappropriate.”