Rep. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania’s 11th District might have offended the people he was trying to help while speaking about the financial regulation bill during a committee meeting Wednesday.

The Democrat defended the federal safety net by stating that those who have received government aid during the recession are not “defective” or “minorities.”

“We’re giving relief to people that I deal with in my office every day now, unfortunately. But because of the longevity of this recession, these are people — and they’re not minorities, and they’re not defective and they’re not all the things you’d like to insinuate that these programs are about — these are average, good American people,” Kanjorski said.

WATCH THE COMMENTS

Kanjorski’s office responded Thursday afternoon in a statement:

Congressman Kanjorski is tired of people, and too often Republicans, criticizing solid and needed government programs that are meant to help Americans who face tough economic times, often beyond their control, as too many people are experiencing right now. In his impassioned plea for conferees to adopt Pennsylvania’s model program to help homeowners facing foreclosure to stay in their homes, the Congressman was stating that many people insinuate that those who benefit from government programs are those not looking for jobs, but that those suggestions are wildly inaccurate.

As Congressman Kanjorski stated, these programs are meant to help people and families throughout the country who are unable to afford basic necessities, including those in the Congressman’s district in Northeastern Pennsylvania who he hears from every day. Anyone trying to politicize this issue clearly doesn’t get it. Congressman Kanjorski is fighting for all Americans who are struggling. Any statement saying otherwise is grossly misinformed. The full video clip, rather than an edited version, speaks for itself and doesn’t take the Congressman’s remarks out of context.

Click on the link to view the full, unedited clip: http://www.criticalmention.com/vg/congressmankanjorski/2010-06-24_cspan2_0110.wmv