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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The gauntlet has dropped in the 8th Congressional District race.
				On Friday, Republican challenger Jim Bognet issued a news release that charged incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright favors defunding police departments &mdash; even specifically saying it applied to the Wilkes-Barre City department.
				&ldquo;Matt Cartwright showed his true liberal colors,&rdquo; the Bognet release stated. &ldquo;When asked if &lsquo;we should quit wasting money&rsquo; on Wilkes-Barre police and &lsquo;move that money around&rsquo; to causes, Cartwright answered unequivocally &lsquo;absolutely yes.&rsquo;&rdquo;
				Cartwright for Congress Communications Director Matt Slavoski responded.
				&ldquo;This is a lie spun by a Washington Republican dark money group,&rdquo; Slavoski said. &ldquo;The Congressman made clear during the discussion that he does not support defunding the police.&rdquo;
				Slavoski went on to quote Cartwright: &ldquo;There have been voices calling for defunding and disbanding police forces; I personally do not agree with that.&rsquo;&rdquo;
				Slavoski said Cartwright supports sensible police reforms and investments in education, training and other community services.
				Bognet for Congress released the following comment in response to Cartwright.
				&ldquo;Matt Cartwright&rsquo;s proposal to defund law enforcement is a radical and dangerous idea, and shows once again that he would rather cater to the latest leftist fad than represent the interests of Northeast Pennsylvania,&rdquo; said Bognet for Congress spokesman Charles Russel.
				Slavoski said that in the video clip Bognet links to in his press release, the words &ldquo;defund&rdquo; or &ldquo;Wilkes-Barre&rdquo; don&rsquo;t come up at all.
				One thing is for sure, the race in the 8th Congressional District promises to be a battle through November.

8th Congressional District race already heating up