Taylor’s staff changes story on missing trade vote

[G_j]

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050730/NEWS01/50730003/1001

Taylor’s staff changes story on missing trade vote
Republican: Voting problem occurred

By Julie Ball
STAFF WRITER
published: July 30, 2005 6:00 am

ASHEVILLE — Congressman Charles Taylor’s press secretary said Friday that she gave incorrect information to media about Taylor’s vote on the controversial Central American Free Trade Agreement.

The trade bill passed the U.S. House on Thursday by a two-vote margin. In a press release later that day, Taylor said an electronic voting problem prevented his vote against the measure from registering. Taylor’s press secretary, Deborah Potter, said Thursday that Taylor was not on the floor and that he voted near the end of the 15-minute voting period, which was extended to 63 minutes. She said Taylor cast his vote from a terminal outside the House chambers.

But Potter said Friday that Taylor was on the floor of the U.S. House for the vote and cast his vote within the allotted time period for voting.

“When he voted, it was near the end of the original vote (the first 15 minutes),” she said. “He didn’t know. No one knew it was going to be extended. It was near the end of the original vote.”

..more..

[greekspeak]

1. Did Taylor think NOBODY could figure this out?

He votes, probably in front of a number of other representatives, and then his office lies about it? How much more public can one get? I guess in the long run it would have been the word of those 216 other cafta whores against the 215 sensible representatives. Seeing who is in charge of the 216, I think we all know how this might have come out. Thankfully Taylor's office cleared it up.

[wishlist]

2. Still doesn't explain mystery of why his alleged no vote didn't register

Last I heard about this on Thursday night's news, he would not be interviewed on camera by WLOS TV. Sounds fishy to me that his no vote did not register, in light of the arm twisting that went on to get Repubs who had said they opposed CAFTA to vote yes and one Repub who claims she was going to vote no but couldn't get there in time to vote..

Democratic challenger Heath Shuler has been on TV making the most of Taylor's flub. I am glad this incident is getting lots of publicity so people realize Taylor is either incompetent, inconsistent or a liar or a combination.

[Justice]

3. Either Lying or Incompetent - Either Way Should Be Out

what a ridiculous story.

[Laughing Mirror]

4. All kinds of hanky panky going on the other night on the Hill

Then there was a second Member, Jo Ann Davis from Virginia, who claims she got stuck on her way back from the Boy Scout jamboree. Now, the hitch on that one is the Boy Scout jamboree event she was going to got canceled at 5:00, and this vote was at 11:30, and basically you could go by yak between where it was and the Capitol and still be here for the vote, if you intended to be there. Both of those members had agreed to vote no.

More fun details from Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch in interview with Amy Goodman:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/07/29/1420251

[meganmonkey]

6. Yep - Even just listening to the C-Span audio

that night things didn't seem right. What a f*cking mess.

And democracy? What a f*cking sham.

x(

[Laughing Mirror]

7. Best democracy money can buy

That's our government for you.

[wishlist]

5. Here is link to another DU thread in GD about Taylor's alleged vote

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4225051

[goclark]

8. Does Diebold control the voting system in Congress ? nt

[struggle4progress]

9. He's just too cowardly to take an honest stand. eom

[G_j]

11. "Chainsaw" Charlie Taylor is a corrupt RWingnut

too bad the DOJ won't question him on his criminal banking shenanigans.

[wli]

10. now there's even electoral fraud in the House of Representatives

There really is no hope.

[Cocoa]

12. how stupid are the people in Taylor's district?

will they buy this ridiculous, complicated, deliberate lie?

[G_j]

15. well somehow he keeps getting reelected

in the face of sleazy, shady bank deals and one of the most miserable environmental records out there. It's shameful and just plain embarrassing.

[struggle4progress]

13. kick

[Judi Lynn]

14. Maybe he wanted credit for voting against CAFTA, without adding

to the Democratic side's total. Looks like Democrats have been on his case recently!

Democrats ask House to probe Rep. Charles Taylor
Submitted by Schorr Johnson on Thu, 07/07/2005 - 10:43pm.
by Angie Newsome, Asheville Citizen-Times, 7/7/2005

LAKE JUNALUSKA — North Carolina’s top Democratic Party leader called Wednesday for an investigation of U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, the Brevard Republican who represents one of six U.S. districts targeted by Democratic groups for ethics concerns.

At a Western North Carolina Democratic gathering at Lake Junaluska, Jerry Meek distributed copies of the letter he sent to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Standards of Official Conduct — known as the House ethics committee — asking for an inquiry into Taylor’s banking activities in the United States and in Russia. Taylor owns both the Asheville-based Blue Ridge Savings Bank and the Ivanovo, Russia-based Bank of Ivanovo.

“We’ve had just about enough of Charles Taylor’s ethical lapses, his catering to special interests and his pandering to wealthy cronies,” Meek said.

Meek’s letter topped national and statewide Democrats’ efforts Wednesday to influence certain voters.
(snip/...)

http://www.ncdp.org/node/529

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope the same Democrats who were working on this early in July will get right back after him with a vengeance.



Taylor

Campaign ad targets Rep. Charles Taylor
Submitted by Schorr Johnson on Thu, 07/07/2005 - 9:46pm.
By Joel Burgess and Corey Reiss

NYT Regional Newspapers

Hendersonville Times-News 7/7/2005

Local Democrats are hoping to use a national campaign against six Republican congressmen to tip the balance in the 11th District.
This week the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running ads in newspapers located in the districts of six representatives, hoping to make ethics a national issue.

One of those congressmen is Charles Taylor, who represents 15 western counties, including Henderson, Transylvania and Polk.

On Wednesday, the Times-News published an ad paid for by the DCCC, entitled, "What happened to Charles Taylor," accusing the Brevard Republican of putting his interests before those of constituents.
(snip/...)

http://www.ncdp.org/node/530