Toomey: Why is Joe Sestak the Only PA Dem to Support Trying KSM in PA?

From the Toomey for Senate campaign:

U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey called on Rep. Joe Sestak to join nearly all other Pennsylvania Democrats in the state in opposing trying 9/11-mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Pennsylvania.

Yesterday, Governor Ed Rendell came out strongly in favor of the same position Mr. Toomey has been urging for weeks – trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a military tribunal.

Rendell: "Let him plead guilty before a military tribunal in Gitmo. I just don't think you're going to find a jurisdiction that's going to feel any differently than Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York?" (Politico, 02/01/10)

Gov. Rendell joins a host of Pennsylvania Democrats and Republicans who have quickly and adamantly rejected the idea of trying Mohammed in Pennsylvania. These include, Democratic Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato; Democratic Senator Bob Casey; Democratic Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl; Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire (PA-04), Democratic Johnstown Mayor Tom Trigona; former Republican U.S. attorney for Western Pennsylvania Mary Beth Buchanan; former Republican U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan; and Republican Representative Bill Shuster (PA-09).

But Joe Sestak told WPVI ABC News he is "open to the possibility" and he will "accept it" if the trial is moved from New York City to Pennsylvania. He is also adamantly in favor of holding Mohammed's trial in a civilian court, where we will be forced to grant the terrorist generous rights that may compromise our national security interests.

"On a host of issues, Joe Sestak has staked out positions far outside the mainstream of Pennsylvanians," said Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik. "Now, with his insistence on trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a civilian trial — even in Pennsylvania — he has truly outdone himself. His willingness to expose Pennsylvania to the risks and costs of such a trial puts him to the left of nearly every major Democratic official in the state. It is clear that Joe Sestak is too extreme for Pennsylvania."