Pat Go Bye-Bye

McHenry Supports "Enron Loophole"

2008-08-04T09:19:00.000-05:00

Today Congressman Patrick McHenry voted against providing Western North Carolina families with relief from high gas prices. Congressman McHenry voted against H.R. 6604, the Commodity Market Transparency and Accountability Act, which would crack down on excessive energy speculation that artificially drives up the cost of a barrel of oil.

Congressman McHenry, who has received $58,000 in campaign contributions from the energy industry, blocked a bill that would close the "Enron Loophole" that allows energy futures trading to avoid oversight by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The bill that Congressman McHenry voted against, which 61 Republicans supported, would also strengthen enforcement to prevent energy markets from being manipulated and to prosecute fraud.

"Instead of voting for a bipartisan plan to give Western North Carolina families a break at the pump, Congressman McHenry supported energy speculators," said Johnson. "In Congress, I will always take the side of our working families, not Big Oil and Wall Street."

McHenry Helps the Predatory Lending Industry Kick Out Families

2008-07-24T12:14:00.003-05:00

Daniel Johnson, candidate for North Carolina's 10th Congressional District, rebuked Congressman Patrick McHenry's vote against a comprehensive, bipartisan response to the current mortgage crisis. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act (HR 3221) passed with support from Republicans and Democrats alike.

"While the subprime crisis arose due to the actions of irresponsible lenders and irresponsible borrowers, failure to act to stabilize the housing market affects all homeowners and drags down the entire economy," said Johnson.

McHenry, who has accepted campaign contributions from predatory lenders like Countrywide, voted against tightening mortgage disclosure requirements to make mortgage loan terms more understandable to aspiring homeowners.

"For most Western North Carolina families their most important asset is their home," said Johnson, "We need a leader in Washington who represents homeowners, not subprime lenders."

Congressman McHenry voted against providing families using the standard deduction an additional $1,000 deduction for property taxes, which would grant 30 million taxpayers approximately $15 billion in tax benefits.

The legislation that McHenry opposed also encourages homeownership among our nation's veterans by increasing the VA home loan limit and by allowing military personnel returning from deployment three to nine months before a lender can begin foreclosure proceedings.

Congressman McHenry, who sits on the Financial Services committee, was in position to take action before problems in the mortgage industry rose to a crisis level. His failure to fulfill his duties both before and after this crisis arose has damaged the pocketbooks of all American families.

Pat loans his own campaign $175,000

2008-07-23T15:59:00.000-05:00

By Paul Teague, Local News Editor
http://newstopic.net

Incumbent 10th District U.S. Representative Patrick McHenry has loaned his campaign committee $175,000, according to a Federal Election Commission fund-raising report. Both McHenry, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Daniel Johnson submitted their required financing data to the FEC for the second quarter of 2008 this past week.

The report shows that McHenry, a Cherryville resident and Gaston County native who is seeking his third two-year term in Washington, made the loan on June 30, the final day of the reporting period that began April 17. The note carries an interest rate of 6 percent and is payable on demand.

McHenry also has an existing loan for $90,500 with First National Bank in Shelby that was made during his first campaign for congress is 2004.

While the Johnson camp views the loan as a sign of financial weakness for the congressman, the McHenry campaign said the personal cash injection does not mean he is having difficulty with his re-election operation and sought to deflect questions back to the race itself.

"Patrick is raising the money it takes to keep fighting for Western North Carolina," McHenry for Congress Campaign Manager Rebecca Yount said. "His opponent's campaign is being well funded by liberal special-interest groups, but we will have the resources to win in November."

Yount characterized McHenry's loan as a "personal investment in his fight for good jobs and lower gas prices."

But the Johnson campaign believes the loan is evidence that McHenry is vulnerable.

"This shows (McHenry) may not be confident he can get the support that he needs from the district," Johnson for Congress Campaign Manager Lauren Moore said, adding that she is surprised McHenry is having to tap personal resources several months before the Nov. 4 general election.

The overall report shows that McHenry raised $145,665 in the quarter, including $101,665 from individuals and $44,000 from political action committees (PACs). Johnson, a Hickory native and former Wake County prosecutor, took in $124,729, with $106,345 coming from individual donations and $17,500 from PACs.

Faced with a primary challenger for the first time since being elected in 2004, McHenry's campaign spent $235,176 in the last quarter. Johnson, seeking to become the first Democrat to represent Caldwell County in Washington since 1962, spent $68,963. As of June 30, McHenry had $410,742 cash on hand and $265,500 in debts from the two loans. Johnson reported $218,504 in the bank and no outstanding debt.

Regarding Johnson's fund-raising, Moore said, "I think it shows that we are competitive and that we have the support to be able to stay competitive with a two-term incumbent who is well-financed by the banking and insurance lobbies."

Johnson said the report is indicative of "the strong coalition we are building here in the 10th District. People in our community are joining with us because they are ready to end partisan bickering and want leaders who will work hard to find real solutions to the serious problems facing Western North Carolina families."

For the financing cycle that began in 2007, McHenry has raised more than $1 million and spent $915,780. According to FEC report, 43 percent of McHenry's money has come from individuals, while 42 percent has been from PACs. Bank of America's PAC gave McHenry's campaign $4,000 in the second quarter, while recent BofA acquisition Countrywide Financial – a casualty of the national mortgage crisis – kicked in $3,000. The largest PAC donation for McHenry this period was $5,000 from the National Automotive Dealers Association's Dealers Election Action Committee.

Johnson has raised $341,942 overall and spent $123,438. Individual donations have accounted for nearly 92 percent of his campaign funds. In the second quarter, Johnson received $7,000 overall from New York Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel's campaign and his National Leadership PAC, while North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler gave $1,000 from his 3rd and Long PAC. Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer gave $5,000 through his Committee for a Livable Future PAC, with N.C. Reps. Bob Etheridge and Mel Watt donating $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

Though favored to win another term in the traditionally Republican district, there have been indications that McHenry is engaged in a tougher fight than his previous general election campaigns.

A district poll last month showed McHenry 11 points ahead of Johnson, though he had lower support than fellow Republicans John McCain and Pat McCrory in their campaigns for president and governor, respectively. And two weeks ago, the Cook Political Report – a non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections – moved the 10th District seat from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican."

The campaigns will report third quarter fund-raising totals October 15.

Patrick McHenry and Big Oil

2008-07-23T13:57:00.001-05:00

Chairman Chris Van Hollen announced today that the DCCC is launching the “Independence from Big Oil” campaign and will run radio ads against Representatives Robin Hayes (NC-08) and Patrick McHenry (NC-10), who both have stood with George Bush and Big Oil while North Carolina’s middle class families are being squeezed by the highest gas prices in history. The radio ads were recorded by a comedian impersonating President Bush.

“We will be going district-by-district to hold House Republicans accountable for helping President Bush give tax breaks to profitable Big Oil companies and doing nothing to help hardworking middle class Americans who are paying more than $4.00 per gallon at the pump,” said Chairman Chris Van Hollen. “This Independence Day, the American people deserve to be liberated from the Big Oil policies of President Bush and the rubber stamp House Republicans.”

Van Hollen highlighted that the radio ads were recorded by a Bush impersonator, “President Bush's Big Oil energy policies delivered high gas prices to the American people, so who better to deliver our message than someone who sounds just like him?

In addition to the “Independence from Big Oil” radio ads, the DCCC will be doing web videos and e-mails in targeted districts. The radio ads will begin airing during drive time the week of June 30th. The initial ad buy is for one week. The ads will run in 13 districts across America, including 2 districts in North Carolina.

Listen to the ad running in Patrick McHenry's district:

Vote for Wesley Clark to "work" for Daniel

2008-05-28T17:32:00.003-05:00

From DemocratsWork

General Clark is reporting for duty and you get to choose the mission. Cast your vote to send General Clark to one lucky Congressional District to do a Democrats Work community service project. Voting is easy as 1-2-3:

Go there and click on the flag to the left within North Carolina.

Johnson outpolls McHenry on election day

2008-05-28T17:20:00.002-05:00

Yup. Just this month, more more 10th District voters chose Daniel Johnson than incumbent Pat.

With only 60 percent of Democrats choosing him, Johnson received 41,076 votes. With more than 67 percent of 10th District Republicans backing McHenry, he still only got 34,457 votes. That's not looking so good, come fall, Patty-boy.

According to the NC state BOE website, there are 411,425 registered voters in NC-10. 147, 701 are registered Democratics, 178,085 are registered Republican and 85,639 are unafiliated.

McHenry's pitbull Linda Daves plays the fool

2008-05-22T17:07:00.002-05:00

NCGOP Chair Linda Daves tried to attack Daniel Johnson this week. This is the Democratic response, according to the Hickory Daily Record:

Republican Patrick McHenry: To Seem Rather than To Be
RALEIGH -- Once again, Linda Daves and the North Carolina Republican Party make laughingstocks out of themselves with false accusations.

Their letter to Democratic Congressional Candidate Daniel Johnson asking him to apologize for attending a fundraiser is riddled with inaccuracies.

Mr. Johnson is not a trial lawyer. He is a highly-decorated Navy veteran with a solid track record prosecuting criminal cases.

If it is anyone who should apologize to the people of the 10th Congressional district, it is Republican Patrick McHenry.

McHenry attends ribbon-cuttings and town hall meetings in the district and then votes against his constituents when he goes back to Washington.

During a time when many North Carolinians face losing their home, McHenry accepted $62,925 from the real estate industry and $39,500 from commercial banks during this election cycle.

While most hard-working families find saving for retirement difficult, McHenry got $34,250 from the securities and investment industry, according to OpenSecrets.org, a campaign finance watchdog.

No amount of ribbon cuttings and grin-and-grip photo ops will disguise the fact that McHenry is a part of the double-dealing, backroom, swampy culture most voters associate with the “Republican brand”.

As respected conservative columnist Peggy Noonan recently noted, today’s Republicans aren’t thinkers. They are marketers. Linda Daves’ current attempt to package Daniel Johnson, a respected naval hero, as a creature of Washington is politics at its most despicable.

Western North Carolinians deserve more than name-calling and lies. They deserve a Congressman who embodies our state’s motto,esse quam vidire, “to be rather than to seem”.

And that Congressman is Daniel Johnson.

Here's Daniel Johnson's response:

Daniel Johnson is proud to be supported by members of North Carolina's Congressional Delegation and by people at the local and national level, who know that Daniel will work with Republicans and Democrats alike to bring down gas prices, make healthcare more affordable and accessible, and protect military men and women on the battlefield and when they come home.

The North Carolina Republican Party should be asking Congressman McHenry who he works for: Western North Carolina's families or Washington's special interests? Time and time again Congressman McHenry has shown he will vote for special interests and against the interests of his district.

It's no wonder -- Fifty-two percent of Congressman McHenry's campaign funds came from Political Action Committees so far this cycle. His top contributors include banks and insurance companies. Over his career, Congressman McHenry has raised more from PACs than from any other source, including individuals. McHenry has received $1.5 million from PACs since first being elected to Congress.

Daniel Johnson will fight for new, high-paying jobs, good schools, and a strong national defense. Congressman McHenry wastes the voters' time with name-calling instead of offering real solutions to the serious problems facing the 10th District.

McHenry seeks to end in-vitro fertilization

2008-05-16T15:38:00.003-05:00

He's a co-sponsor of HR 4157. Otherwise sanctimoniously known as the "Sanctity of Human Life Act." From That's My Congress:

H.R. 4157 . . . might more accurately be entitled the Zygote Political Enfranchisement Act or the Anti-Fertility Act. The legislation has been written by Congressman Broun in order to define a human egg created in the United States from the moment of fertilization, through its development into a fetus ready to be born, as a complete person with full legal rights and constitutional protections equal to that of any other American citizen.

From the bill:

“the life of each human being begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, irrespective of sex, health, function or disability, defect, stage of biological development, or condition of dependency, at which time every human being shall have all the legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood.”

. . .

“The term ‘fertilization’ means the process of a human spermatozoan penetrating the cell membrane of a human oocyte to create a human zygote, a one-celled human embryo, which is a new unique human being.”

That's My Congress argues:

. . . according to Representative Broun, all fertilization requires is for a sperm to break through the cell membrane of a human oocyte (egg). Even if the sperm’s genetic material fails to unite with the egg’s, Paul Broun’s law counts the result as a human being with full constitutional rights to equal protection under the law.

The expense of going through full fertility procedures even with fertilized eggs that could never be successfully implanted in a woman’s womb would make in vitro fertilization unattainable for all but the most wealthy American couples. Even for those couples, however, the practical cost could be too much to bear.

. . .

That makes H.R. 4157, in effect, a bill to ban in vitro fertilization.

What do you think?

Now it's up to you, Daniel Johnson

2008-05-08T14:04:00.004-05:00

Lance Sigmon got creamed by sleazy Pat McHenry 67 to 32 Tuesday. BUT did anyone notice he almost beat our little man in the most populous county in the district?

Patrick McHenry (REP) 50.94% 7,038
Lance Sigmon (REP) 49.06% 6,778

And while Lance Sigmon might not help out the Democrats come November, it doesn't look like he'll be behind lil Pat either. From GoBlueRidge net:

“I’m not going to help them [Democrats] either, I’m just not going to endorse him [Patrick McHenry].

McHenry has already started throwing mud at our guy. This is from his website:

But Nancy Pelosi's chosen recruit, a trial lawyer from Raleigh, already has his pockets stuffed with cash from Washington liberals, and we know there will be more to come.

That didn't work next door in the eleventh in 06 but who knows, Pat, a lack of imagination never stopped you before, eh?

Here's Johnson's response:

"This is an untrue personal attack, and exactly the kind of politics that we in the 10th District are sick and tired of," said Johnson, "I am proud of my record serving the state of North Carolina as a prosecutor and standing up for the victims of violent crimes. I was encouraged to run by leaders from our community, and I look forward to serving my friends and neighbors in Washington."

The politics of division and the politics of fear are exactly what are keeping Congress from finding real solutions to the serious problems facing our community and our nation. The Johnson campaign looks forward to a campaign about the issues affecting our families in the 10th District--the rising cost of gasoline and healthcare, the need for new, high-paying jobs, and the care of our military men and women.

And talking about cash, Johnson had raised $217,062 and had $166,188 unspent by the mid-April reporting date. McHenry raised $871,846 during the same period. He spent $679,844 and had $325,663 in cash.

Go throw some money at Daniel, folks!

McHenry and Pittenger?

2008-05-07T19:34:00.002-05:00

From Greg Flynn at BlueNC?

How does Patrick McHenry manage to stand tall financially? His personal accumulation of assets through property deals has been a wonder. I’ve always been curious how a paper entry on a form turns into a cash windfall later. Now it seems he has a business partner in Republican State Senator and Lt Governor candidate Robert Pittenger, Lord of the LLC land deals, to help him along.

In Patrick McHenry’s financial disclosure forms filed 5/15/2007 for 2006 there was a new entry for a purchase: Locust-Highway 200 LLC (Real estate/ raw land) a “.00294%” share valued at $15-50,000. The date of the transaction was 2/2/2006. The NC Secretary of States records indicate that the LLC was formed just two days earlier 1/31/2006. The documents show that William R Culp Jr was the registered agent and Christopher E Hannum was the organizer. An annual report filed with the NC Secretary of State 3/7/2007 shows the registered agent and managing member to be Robert Pittenger.

A deed recorded 3/15/2006 in Cabarrus County, Book 6606, Page 86, shows that Locust-Highway 200 LLC purchased a 90.851% share of a parcel of land described as 379.551 acres, Highway 200, Locust. The date is more than a month after McHenry claims he acquired his interest. The stamp tax of $12,759 puts the sale price at around $6,379,500. McHenry’s share of 0.00294% comes to $188 which makes his claim of a $15-50,000 acquisition seem odd. It is possible that he made a mistake on his disclosure form and meant to state either .00294 or 0.294% but the share is very specific.

A listing on Pittenger’s website, which has since been removed, states that the land was annexed and rezoned by the City of Locust in neighboring Stanly County. The rezoning allows 2.4 lots per acre for a total of 960 lots. The other owners of the property besides Locust-Highway 200 LLC are listed in deeds as Paul A Stroup III (3.2675%) and College Street LLC (5.8815%). Annexation and rezoning is apparently a specialty of Pittenger in adding value to land. This development, just northwest of Locust, will be yet another bedroom community for Charlotte, adding to transportation needs in neighboring counties.

Since McHenry’s recorded investment in the LLC, Robert Pittenger and his wife have made $9,000 in contributions to McHenry’s campaign. One contribution of $1,000 was made 3/10/2006 just a few days before the deed was recorded. In the current election cycle Pittenger has maxed out his contribution for both the primary and general having given a total of $4,600 in Nov/Dec 2007. His wife is up to $2,400 for the current cycle.

I still haven’t put my finger on it. I have been suspicious when undocumented personal loans to a campaign get paid off as with McHenry but it’s not unusual for campaigns. To me it’s an untraceable way to siphon off money for personal use. Making property deals with campaign contributors is not unusual for McHenry but this deal is odd. It is less transparent than a deed transfer.

When the “consideration” for a transaction is unknown the asset value can be anything you or your partners claim it to be. The acquisition cost can be and sale cost are malleable. Without an audit there is no way to know how much was actually invested by a partner, how much value is arbitrarily added to the investment or if values are manipulated to avoid capital gains tax.

In this case, McHenry’s participation seems to be inconsequential to the LLC though it seems very important to Robert Pittenger. In this case McHenry could cash out big without ever having invested a penny of his own money.

McHenry Imploding

2008-05-05T15:51:00.002-05:00

Looks like the pressure of the primary is getting Pat down. According to Thoreau, over at BlueNC, Pat doesn't like the turn of the tide. Apparently, former-Congressman, Cass Ballenger, saw the light and decided to endorse Sigmon. Pat did not like it and is trying to convince everybody that it is all made up by the Sigmon campaign (even though there is a robocall with Cass Ballenger).

It must be very stressful in the McHenry camp!!

McHenry cavorts with . . . friends

2008-05-01T16:33:00.014-05:00

[Here's BlogActive's Mike Rogers' take on the story.]

Jackie Sullens writes the newsletter for the Gaston County Republican Women, according to their website. And she openly lives with another woman.

And, gee, look . . . here she is having a gay old time with the now-rapidly homophobic future Congressman.

I let you decide if Pat McHenry is as anti-gay as he pretends to be in the "Sanctity of Marrriage" section of his website.

Cross-posted at BlueNC and Scrutiny Hooligans.

Statesville Landmark disses Pat

2008-05-01T13:36:00.003-05:00

And endorses Sigmon!

Republican voters in the 10th District, which includes a big chunk of South Iredell, should thank McHenry for his service in Congress and then force him to get a real job. They can do just that by voting for Sigmon.

McHenry's legal threat backfires

2008-04-28T20:03:00.007-05:00

Stupid Pat. He originally skated through his "two-bit" scandal with mostly favorable local coverage (or no coverage at all!)

But the dull-witted one just couldn't be happy having avoided almost every local paper covering that he 1) called a Green Zone military guard "two-bit," 2) then posted an unauthorized video showing where insurgent bombs had fallen, after which 3) insurgents (who may or may not be connected to the insurgents in item 2) scored a direct hit exactly where McHenry showed them on the video. That direct hit killed two, including a colonel, and injured 17.

So, not only did Pat's legal threats intimidate Republican opponent Lance Sigmon not at all, but they also led to a reiteration district-wide of McHenry's "Iraq-two-bit-comment-video-post-and-subsequent-deadly-bombing" debacle.

According to the Hickory Daily Record:

Last week, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall of Georgia said there is no way McHenry’s video aided the enemy. Marshall was on the trip with McHenry.

Williams’ letter states the troop locations assertion is false and the video did not cause the death of two Americans. Williams letter said several issues on the video are false and aimed at “smearing Representative McHenry’s reputation.”

Sigmon said the ad did not make that assertion, only that the deaths occurred after the airing of the video on McHenry’s Web site. Shortly after placing the video on his Web site, McHenry took it down. After removing the video, members of McHenry’s staff contacted the U.S. Defense Department and were told it would be best not to post the video again.

Providing the location and damage of enemy fire is not allowed, according to military officials.

Pretty funny that he's relying on some obscure Georgia rep no one has heard of to defend him. Gee, I wonder why there's no one from the military who can assure us that he did no harm? Vet's Voice, a website for Iraq War veterans, has some opinions on that.

Here's the letter that prove McHenry's lawyers have little understanding of the nature of libel, slander and public figures.

And, just for a laugh, check out McHenry Rocks. Too bad Blogger is free or we could prove this is not a McHenry fan but a McHenry employee. They'd have to report the payment. But, get real. It's blatantly obvious that the only fans McHenry has are people he's paying or people he lives with!

Sigmon better than McHenry, Barely...

2008-04-27T20:13:00.002-05:00

So Pat finally agreed to debate Sigmon. Sigmon still gets points for not violating national security, but his answers in the debate held in Lincoln County make me question if this is an "out of the frying pan, into the fire" situation. You can see the answers to the debates in this Shelby Star article. I am especially concerned with Sigmon's answers about fighting universal health care. The article did not mention if he has another solution to the problem. I guess it is clear the only real answer is to vote for Daniel Johnson in November.

McHenry's PAC Paid for Lay's Defense

2008-04-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

According to Roll Call, a subscription-only Capitol Hill daily, Patrick McHenry used PAC funds intended for to pay for the the legal defense of Michael Aaron Lay, his former staffer and roomie convicted of voter fraud while living and working for him.

According to Wikipedia,

In the US, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect or defeat government officials or to promote or defeat legislation.

So, voter fraud is political action organized to elect government officials. So, it's all okay, right?

Here's a link.

Thanks, Boss. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) recently gave Michael Aaron Lay $10,000 to beat back voter fraud charges brought while the former campaign aide worked for the now-Member.

According to recent Federal Election Commission filings, McHenry gave Lay $5,000 out of his political action committee, More Conservatives PAC, in two payments during February and March.

The contributions were labeled “legal expense donation[s].” McHenry had given Lay another $10,000 in July 2007.

Last August Lay got a bizarre "deferrred prosecution" deal for the voter fraud charges. If he pays some fines, does some community service and stays out of trouble, prosecutor Locke Bell said he'd dismiss the charges, leaving the Tennessee Law School student free to pursue the bar.

No wonder Lay was smiling at his last court appearance. It all worked out pretty well for him, don't you think? He breaks the law, gets to walk, and doesn't even have to pay for his own lawyer. And Pat's pretty happy I'm sure. Remember, he needed every extra vote. That election was the one he won by only 86 votes.

Boy o boy, Pat. Things are getting uglier and uglier for you these days. I wonder what else are you hiding.

Desperately Stupid Pat Threatens Lawsuit Over Sigmon Ad

2008-04-22T14:56:00.002-05:00

Could this guy be any more boneheaded? Great thinking, dunder-wonder. Give the traditional press something to write about just when the story had died. Remind them of your calling a Green Zone guard "two-bit" and then putting up a banned Green Zone video which may have lead to two deaths, including that of a colonel.

Oh, and yes, make sure even more people pay attention to the ad that calls for you to serve your ten years in prison!

This is from the CharO, historically your most supportive rag:

The controversy began last month when McHenry, a two-term lawmaker, returned from his first trip to Iraq.

In a speech to local Republicans, he said he'd tried to get into a gym near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad but was turned away by a "two-bit security guard." Then, he posted a video of himself in the Green Zone talking about how close enemy rocket attacks had come while he was there.

McHenry voluntarily pulled the video after a veterans group criticized him for giving away intelligence that it said could have aided terrorist groups to strike more accurately.

Sigmon last week called for an investigation into whether McHenry endangered Americans' lives by detailing the success of enemy attacks

Way to go, Patty!!!

Winston-Salem Journal

Raleigh N&O

VetsVoice

Sigmon Calls for Congressional Investigation

2008-04-18T16:34:00.004-05:00

Good idea, Lance. Why hasn't any Democratic congressman thought of it? It's not like McHenry holds the purse strings like NC-11's Charles Taylor used to.

Hey Democrats, what's your excuse? Get off your duffs and go after this anti-patriot.

For a Laugh (even though the subject's not all that funny)

2008-04-17T16:58:00.001-05:00

From Jesus' General himself. I've cut and pasted more than I should have. You'll have to go right to the post to read the priceless comments.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The impotence of being almost earnest
Rep. Patrick McHenry
Founder, Rep. McHenry's Hostel for Strapping Young Republican Lads

Dear Rep. McHenry,

It surprises me that so few people understand just how important you are. After all, you are a Congressman. That's important. You're also the go-to-guy for strapping, young, Republican lads who need a bed for the night. That's important. You've been tied to a multiple-murder investigation involving homosexual prostitutes and organized crime figures. That's important too. So why don't people see you that way?

I know it's not your fault. You've tried very hard to publicize your importance. In just the last few weeks alone, you bragged to an audience at a Republican dinner that you had berated a security guard in Iraq. And then there's that video you put up on your website--the one in which you proved your importance my broadcasting all the secret operational military information you had.

But, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working. If anything, it's backfired. Your own local newspapers are calling for your head.

We need to turn that around. Below, you'll find my suggestions for other ways to make yourself seem important.

Gp to the post to read his excellent suggestions (and for links to the very real and not-so-funny sources. I recommend the one about Lindsey Graham for the not-easily -offended.

Straw Poll results from Newton Conover

2008-04-13T19:34:00.003-05:00

micandacam has promised to report on the event. But for now here are the results from scharrison at BlueNC

Presidential Race
Candidate % of Votes
Obama 54
Clinton 43
Edwards 3
Biden Single write-in vote

US Senate Race
Candidate % of Votes
Neal 53
Hagan 47

Commissioner of Labor
Candidate % of Votes
Anderson 57
Donnan 37
Richardson 6

State Auditor
Candidate % of Votes
Wood 63
Atkins 37

Insurance Commissioner
Candidate % of Votes
Goodwin 87
Smith 13

Gubernatorial Race
Candidate % of Votes
Perdue 53
Moore 47

Lt. Governor Race
Candidate % of Votes
Smathers 38
Besse 27
Dalton 24
Dellenger 10

State Treasurer
Candidate % of Votes
Cowell 48
Weisel 38
Young 14

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Candidate % of Votes
Atkinson 90
Davis 10

McHenry Endangers Troops, Then Blames Them

2008-04-09T23:39:00.011-05:00

Earlier this week, McHenry posted a video that violated Green Zone military security in Iraq and may have led to several deaths, including that of a colonel.

Now, according to the Charlotte Observer, he's blaming the Pentagon for not briefing him. But the Pentagon is contradicting him.

A Pentagon spokesman said he didn't know what McHenry was told in Iraq, "but we routinely brief our operational rules to our visitors in Iraq and Afghanistan."

"We do not as a matter of policy discuss attacks in a way that would provide the enemy any better understanding of the effectiveness of their attacks," said Lt. Col. Todd Vician.

VoteVets has called on congress to censure him for endangering troops
And Brandon Friedman, vice president of Vote Vets has suggestedMcHenry resign and enlist:

And frankly, at this point, members of the military are tired of covering for these chickenhawk wannabe-heroes who go around looking for glory the easy way. We're tired of them starting wars they can't finish and we're disgusted with their enthusiasm to use a military which they don't understand in the slightest.

To be quite honest, it's only because McHenry is a Congressman that the Pentagon and MNF-Iraq spokesmen were so lenient with him.

If Patrick McHenry wants to tell war stories so badly, he should resign his Congressional seat and go enlist. He's only 32. That way, he could get some training--so that next time he's in a combat zone trying to be a tough guy, he won't be such a bumbling, self-promotional fool about it.

Again here are the initial remarks about his visit to Baghdad that started McHenry's downward spiral:

And so in the morning, I got up early — not that I make this a great habit — but I went to the gym because I just couldn’t sleep and everything else. Well, sure enough, the guard wouldn’t let me in. Said I didn’t have the correct credentials. It’s 5:00 in the morning. I haven’t had sleep. I was not very happy with this two-bit security guard. So you know, I said, “I want to see your supervisor.”

Support Daniel Johnson.

Write a letter to the editor using the links on the upper left.

McHenry Violates Green Zone Military Security

2008-04-08T22:21:00.008-05:00

I can't say it any better than this headline at Alternet: "GOP Rep Reveals Details of Green Zone Attack; Did he Get U.S. Soldiers Killed?"

From Vet Voice, (an website by American veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan):

In an effort to bolster his own national security credentials in the midst of "Sniper-gate," Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) gave away intelligence information last week that could have aided Shi'ite militias and/or other terrorist organizations in targeting the Green Zone. Only two days after McHenry promoted a video of himself in the Green Zone describing in detail the effectiveness of the rocket attacks on Easter Sunday, the area was hit with a barrage that killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded 17 others. It was the deadliest attack on the Green Zone so far this year.

The backstory: McHenry spoke at a Lincoln County event of how he was turned away from the Iraq Green Zone gym. He went on to describe an attack during his visit. Here's the video of him calling the military sentry "two-bit," and going on to describe a rocket attack while he was in the Green Zone.

The campaign of Republican opponent Lance Sigmon contested Pat's version of events, quoting a Pentagon spokesman who said, according to the Sigmon website:

the facts were somewhat different, emphasizing that there were no fatalities from that rocket attack.

As the mainstream media picked up the two stories, McHenry defended himself using a video posted at his official Congressional website. According to Thoreau at BlueNC:

The video shows McHenry right after the blast in front of an unnamed structure, describing the events of the blast- including some key information about not only what in the Green Zone was hit, but explaining his current position as smoke rose behind him.

From Vet Voice:

In a post earlier this morning, I detailed how 32-year-old Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) had not only violated OPSEC procedures while in Iraq, but also endangered American troops located in the Green Zone. McHenry--a fervent war supporter who has never served in the military--was apparently content to promote his Baghdad adventures at the expense of U.S. troops on his Congressional website, during public appearances, and on YouTube.

He did this until he got called out today.

Once the video started appearing on sites like VetVoice, The Huffington Post, and AlterNet, McHenry's office immediately removed the video from both YouTube and his website, leaving the sites above with dead links. It's unclear as to whether McHenry had the video pulled out of a sense of new-found responsibility to America's Armed Forces, or whether he just thinks he can sweep the fact under the rug that he got caught trying to burnish his own foreign policy credentials at the expense of troops serving in combat. Calls to his office requesting information on the reason were not answered, as none were attempted until after close of business this afternoon.

Vet Voice's Brandon Friedman (whose post was picked up at Alternet) tries to give McHenry the benefit of the doubt, that perhaps his mistakes are honest and caused by ignorance, not malice. But even people who don't know McHenry's pathetic, hypocritical history are having trouble making excuses.

I'd like to think that Congressman McHenry realized what he did wrong and that he feels genuine remorse. However, if that were the case, I would have expected an apology to have been issued in conjunction with the removal of the video--though none was. That leads me to believe that McHenry pulled the video because he's more worried about the damage this could do to him politically--not because he's concerned about how his actions could affect the troops or their families.

Here's more from Thoreau at BlueNC

The irony? Patrick McHenry has previously bashed ABC news and other groups for giving out key information online... just as he just did. In fact, he was quoted as saying the following:

In a carefully worded request, seven House GOP lawmakers led by Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., asked the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to "look into the releasing of sensitive information and its impact on the security of our nation, the performance of our government agencies, and the viability of our diplomatic relationships overseas."

Since the video is rightfully no longer available here's Huffington Post's transcript:

McHENRY: Good morning. You see, right over my back here (points), there was a rocket attack this morning. According to our folks here, there were eleven rockets, uh, one hit just over my head, another hit a parking lot, and another hit the gym. Well, interestingly enough, I wasn't able to get into the gym this morning because I didn't have an ID that was appropriate. And so I was escorted back to the room and just a few minutes later, that's when the rocket attacks occurred. So, uh, small wonders. . .what a small blessing. . .a big blessing on Easter Sunday morning. So, thanks so much.

But will the people of North Carolina's 10th district boot this loser? As a DFA staffer wrote: For Republicans the Rules Don't Apply.

Support Daniel Johnson. Write a letter to the editor. 10th District press is failing to cover this story adequately. (See list of newspaper LTE links in left column.)

McHenry's lies, pandering, disrespect for military hit mainstream media

2008-04-07T14:48:00.007-05:00

Here's the MSNBC video

Daily Kos

Think Progress

BlueNC

PoliGazette

Feel free to add your own!

Wanna "weekend retreat" with McHorny?

2008-04-04T11:29:00.003-05:00

Got $9200? You'll be part of Congressman Patrick McHenry's "Congressional Circle." Your benefits include "Private Washington, DC retreat" with Pat, including "meals and a reception." And what else????

It also gets you a"two complimentary tickets to all campaign events" and the "Annual McHenry Christmas Party," "free subscription" to an exciting campaign newsletter called the McHenry Campaign Insider (a fiction writer wouldn't make this stuff up), a commemorative pin," and (not last and not least) a semiannual conference call "update."

And supposedly campaign contributions don't buy access.

(Click on graphics and keep clicking for larger versions.)

What I want to know is what will it cost to get me a weekend with DUI staffer Brett Keeter and how many diamonds does he rate.

Cross posted at BlueNC and ScruHoo.

McHenry "stacking the district" with incompetent allies?

2008-04-03T13:01:00.004-05:00

That's what news@norman is saying:

McHenry has been stacking the district with his puppets for several years in a power-grabbing machine-building scheme that is alienating many in the party, including a number of folks in East Lincoln who are now leaning towards McHenry’s opponent, Lance Sigmon.

He has more to say about insider Republicans:

While the primary campaign is beginning to heat up, Mitchem, Funderburk and McConnell reportedly had their pictures made with the Pillsbury Doughboy (aka McHenry) at a recent county GOP function.

That makes it appear to me as though the young, abrasive congressman is giving them the wink-wink in the GOP primary against more intelligent, thoughtful and community-minded candidates.

McHenry calls green zone soldier guard "two-bit"

2008-04-01T20:41:00.005-05:00

Can't make this stuff up.

And, apparently, his story about a nearby rocket attack doesn't jive with the official military either. From Sigmon for Congress:

However, official U.S. Embassy spokesman Philip T. Reeker said the facts were somewhat different, emphasizing that there were no fatalities from that rocket attack.

[Ed note: it was a guard and not an American military soldier so I've corrected the headline.]

Clinton Keeps it Clean

2008-03-28T21:07:00.006-05:00

Today, I spent my afternoon with Bill Clinton. You might know that the former President was in Gastonia at the Highland School of Technology giving a speech supporting his wife, Hillary, in her bid for President. What you may not know is that the speech was of the highest caliber and made up for a lot of the tarnishing of the man’s legacy due to his campaigning of late.

I have always been an ardent supporter of President Clinton, and in recent years a strong Edwards supporter. It was only when forced to really look at the policy differences between Hillary and Obama that I could make a choice on who to support in the upcoming primary. My basis for choice had nothing to do with personality or popularity. I thought that Hillary’s plans were more detailed, well-organized and aligned with my own issues.

However, I have been disappointed in both sides of the debate in the manner they have conducted themselves.

President Clinton made a huge step toward making me a happy and satisfied Hillary supporter. His speech in Gastonia focused on the issues. He did draw some distinctions in regards to Hillary and Obama, but nothing could be considered negative. His speech contained details about why the economy is in the shape it is in and how we can salvage it. It also detailed Hillary’s plans for making this country an even better place to live. Highlights below:

Environment: President Clinton spoke about creating a new economy by training workers to make our buildings greener. He said the best thing about that would be that none of the jobs could be outsourced!! He spoke for a long time about bio-fuels (not the inefficient corn kind, but many other ideas), and investing in creating hybrids that can get 100 mpg. He also talked about real investment in wind-energy technology.

Healthcare: President Clinton explained the details of Hillary’s plan. He talked about the importance of 100% coverage and how that translates into costs.
War: He talked about the responsible withdrawal from Iraq, the use of diplomacy vs. force, and the continuing cost and obligation to our veterans.

Economy: President Clinton explained why we feel like we have been in a recession even though by economists standards we have not. The average income of US Households has gone done instead of up over the last decade. During the Clinton administration the opposite was true. Because of trickle down economics the top part of the economy has kept us from the true definition of recession but the average family has felt it anyway. President Clinton talked of Hillary’s plan to focus on the middle class instead of giving money to the rich.

Trade: This was the most interesting point to me. President Clinton said that the trade regulations in the country are enforced 1/5 of the amount they were under his administration. The key is in the reason: We now have a $9 Trillion national debt. Our biggest trade partners are China, Japan, S. Korea, and oil countries such as, Saudi Arabia. The biggest owners of our national debt are China, Japan, S. Korea, and oil countries such as, Saudi Arabia.

The entire speech was classic Clinton. It reminded me that he is still the smartest person I have ever met in real life, and that issues and answers can be just as intriguing as personal attacks. Thanks, Bill.

Things Look Bad for Pat

2008-03-27T08:30:00.003-05:00

Things aren't going so well these days for the 10th's Pat McHenry, aka Patty McHorny (for those of us who like to get in some image framing with our news).

This started as a quick and easy short post but as the list grew and grew, I decided to present it in three parts. Starting with:

The Little Things

Yellow Brick Redux gave Patrick McHenry the Laziest Politician Award Gold for "Feeding at the Public Trough while accomplishing nothing." They noted that in the 110th Congress, Pat proposed one "feel-good" bill, four "bills that did something" and 6 amendments to bills. The poorest record for the entire NC state delegation to Congress.

Even Republicans like news@norman like Democratic opponent Daniel Johnson better.

Old time Lincoln Republican leader Jonas Harvey Jr. endorsed his primary opponent Lance Sigmon.

And last, but certainly not least, poor Pat lost 49 - 11 to Lance Sigmon Catwaba straw poll

Next in our series "Things Look Bad for Pat"

Part II: The National Situation for Republicans

"Photo Op" McHenry avoids debate with Iraq trip

2008-03-25T19:47:00.004-05:00

I guess it's a good excuse to avoid debating a respected conservative opponent. And I suppose for security, he wasn't "allowed" to say where he'd be. But Democrat congressional candidate Daniel Johnson hit the nail on the head about Pat McHenry's recent publicity stunt to be seen with non-district troops in Iraq. From the Statesville Record & Landmark:

Hickory attorney Daniel Johnson, a Democratic candidate for McHenry’s seat, is not sure trips like this are necessary.

“I think a lot of politicians like to have their pictures taken with the soldiers in Iraq,” Johnson said.

Of course, Johnson, a decorated former Naval officer would know all about that . . .

“Iraq is one front on the war on terror,” he said. “And the question becomes, ‘Do we have enough troops and forces to deal with the other fronts?’ ”

Johnson said he believes the Taliban has been able to “re-establish a foothold” in Afghanistan.

“And al-Qaida, the people responsible for 9/11, are still out there,” he said.

Johnson said trips like the one made by McHenry are valuable only if “new” information can be gathered.

“But my concern is that too many politicians are going over there for the photo ops,” he said.

And why didn't McHenry go to Afghanistan? Not enough publicity boom for the risk? Those troops and those citizens have been virtually forgotten by both legislators and the press.

No word on the trip's cost to taxpayers, of course.

McHenry and Foxx regularly vote against children

2008-03-22T00:03:00.002-05:00

According to the Statesville Record & Landmark:

[Iredell] county’s two members of the U.S. House of Representatives are among the least apt to vote for legislation favoring the youngsters.

Reps. Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry both scored 10 percent on matters deemed by the Children’s Defense Fund Action Council to be those that most affect the lives of children in the United States.

. . .

Only 37 House members scored 10 percent or lower.

“Whether members of Congress are liberal, conservative or moderate; Democrat, Republican or independent, children need all of them to vote, lobby, speak for and protect them,” CDFAC President Marian Wright Edelman said in a released statement.

Nice.

Bring Them Home

2008-03-20T00:33:00.002-05:00

From Linda Osbon, Hickory, NC:

Despite rain showers and gusty winds Wednesday night, citizens from Hickory, Taylorsville, Lincolnton, and Morganton gathered on Union Square in Hickory to mark the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war. The candle light vigil was one of hundreds held across the nation by MoveOn members and allies in the progressive movement.

The group gathered to honor the fallen and call upon leaders to end the war and set new priorities for our nation. Participants listened to stories from veterans and military families and how they have been impacted personally. Stories from some of the many people that have paid the true cost of this war in human life and precious resources.

Close to 4,000 American soldiers have died. Many more have been seriously injured. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed or forced out of their homes. On top of all that, people here at home – far from the front lines in Iraq -- are suffering due to a slowing economy and we don't have the resources to help them because we're wasting billions in Iraq.

It’s time to bring our troops home and invest in clean energy, affordable health care, access to education, and jobs.

It's time for new priorities, and a new page in American foreign policy.

McHenry leaves US to avoid debating Lance?

2008-03-19T11:59:00.005-05:00

According to PGBB commenter joyfulrunner (with thanks):

A friend of mine called his office to find out where he was that was so important that he could not attend - he was told that McHenry was "out of the country". Maybe he should stay out!!

Okay, maybe he had already planned the junket before the debate was scheduled. No wonder they were so touchy about it. Obviously, they don't want people to know. Is it because he's traveling abroad on your dime? Or because of where he's going in particular.

One would guess it's not Iraq since NC Congressmen went there just last month. Of course, if that is the destination, it would explain the secrecy (for security one would suppose).

And we know veterans pretty much despise him these days. But if it isn't Iraq, what could it be that would require such coyness? Public records will give it away, McHenry folks. Can't keep it secret forever . . . . and why do you want to?

Anyone else make the call? I'd love to hear if they're telling different things to different people. Or, if they think they can keep his travel secret, especially if we're paying for it (as is the case for most Congressional foreign travel)

Here's his contact info on your representative in Congress:

Washington, D.C. Office:
Phone: (202) 225-2576
Fax: (202) 225-0316

Hickory Office:
Phone: (828) 327-6100
Fax: (828) 327-8311

Pat refuses to attend debate

2008-03-18T11:29:00.005-05:00

Hickory Record's Andrew Mackie wrote: "McHenry spokesperson said he couldn’t attend due to a non-disclosed scheduling conflict."

I guess it isn't the funeral or he would've said so.

Anyone want to find out where he is going to be hanging out?

If you use the EMAIL ME option on the upper left and ask for confidentiality I guarantee it.

Pat , fellow Rs gag abused credit consumers

2008-03-16T23:31:00.013-05:00

Last week, Consumer Credit Subcommittee Republicans, including Patty McHenry, effectively silenced consumers who flew to DC to testify on abusive industry practices. Golly gee, do you think they thought the testimony might be too emotionally painful for their banking donor buddies?

But, in their efforts to keep these stories out of the press and away from the tender eyes and ears of the weak-bellied banking industry, House Republicans kinda blew it. No wonder none of 'em are returning reporter's phone calls.

It was at a hearing for the Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights, proposed by Finance Committee Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) and Consumer Credit Subcommittee Chair Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY). Yeah, a bill of rights for consumers. Scary stuff. Just imagine not having your credit card rate unjustifiably hiked from 9 to 30 percent right after you make a big purchase.

Sure, I know you can't imagine being treated that fairly. And neither can the banks. They are certainly not going to give up the right to jack up your rates for no reason. So, in their fear and weakness, they took some of the money they made off of you and spent it on Republicans in Congress. They probably are pretty pissed at the bad publicity they were paying the Republicans to stifle. But at least the networks have no footage (to run for one night and forget). Yet.

Last week, Republican tactics (of trying to force witnesses to sign waivers making their personal financial particulars public) worked like a charm, at least inside the Capitol. Not one consumer said a word. And the bankers got to speak all they wanted. As well, they didn't have to back up anything they said with facts or waivers or anything so gaglifying.

According to academic witness Elizabeth Warren:

The card issuers were there in full force--complete with an army of lobbyists to pack the audience . . . While the reps from Cap One, Chase and Bank of America went on for hours about their customer friendly policies and how much value they provided free to consumers, the people who had different stories were never allowed to utter a single word.

US PIRG's Ed Mierzwinski wrote:

I've been in Washington seventeen years, and I've never seen anything like this, nor have I ever seen a committee request similar detailed information or waivers from a bank witness. It certainly would be helpful if Congress had more detail about banks -- profits from bank fees, distribution of bank fees across customer base, internal marketing strategies, copies of all consumer phone calls and letters complaining to the bank -- to help it do its business. I cannot even remember the last time I saw a footnote in testimony from an industry witness, let alone significant supporting documentation.

Elizabeth Warren's concluded, in her TPM Cafe post titled "Let Consumers Speak" that Credit Card companies should be forced to release all their data as well:

Surely it wouldn't be fair for the credit card companies to make factual assertions that no one could challenge because no one else had any access to their underlying data. If the new rule is that everyone has to release everything so others can challenge it, when the card issuers want to testify as to "facts," shouldn't they have to back up their claims by showing us the numbers?

So let's contact Patrick McHenry's office and let him know that we support the idea of documentation and waivers and are so thrilled he didn't sully our airwaves with those awful stories from individual citizens. After all, bankers never get a chance to have their side of the story expressed in public. I'm glad they've found people who care about them.

And Pat should keep up all his good work defending bankers who have no other voice. Like last week, when he defended Countrywide and Payday predatory lenders. We know we can trust that Pat McHenry will save us from having to listen to whiny abused customers. We know he will support weak and frightened industry professionals so that they will feel loved as they testify to the trials and tribulations of having to figure out how to make money off people who are quickly becoming broken and bankrupted citizens of a 3rd world debtor nation. By the time the year is over we'll pretty much have no more money to be stolen by either the credit card companies, Payday loan sharks or subprime lenders. So, it's all good.

Also, I think we should encourage McHenry to continue using the slimy underhanded partisan tricks he was taught by Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and Lee Atwater. After all, a year ago, people thought the 10th was unwinnable. Now, a Democrat is practically out-fundraising an incumbent Congressman with close ties to the sitting President and the former Majority Leader Tom Delay. Thanks, Pat. Keep up the good work.

Here's more on the story:

MoJo Blog summation:

At the outset of the hearing before a subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee, Maloney explained that "there have been fairness concerns raised about having consumers testify this morning without a waiver that allowed their credit-card issuers to respond publicly." Translation: The credit card companies wanted the consumer witnesses to make their financial records public so the banks could "rebut" their complaints, i.e., trash them in the press.It's not unusual for Congress to ask hearing witnesses to sign privacy waivers. When Sen. Carl Levin held a hearing on credit card abuses in the Senate last year, witnesses also signed privacy waivers, but they were designed to allow only the Senate staff to access some of their financial information so they could verify it in advance of the hearing. It was basically for the Senate's own due diligence.

But the waivers that Weatherspoon and the others were asked to sign were far broader, and they were foisted on the witnesses only hours before the hearing. Some of the witnesses didn't get them in advance at all. The credit-card executives, of course, weren’t asked to sign any waivers at all that might allow Congress to actually verify the claims they were making

Mike Lillis reported Sunday from the Washington Independent:

What made these waivers unique was just how vague they were. For Susan Wones, the Denver woman who was prepared to testify about her tough experiences with her Chase card, the entire waiver read:
I hereby authorize Chase Credit Card Services to publicly discuss my Chase credit card account(s) in connection with the March 13, 2008 and April, 2008 credit card hearings by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.
The use of waivers is rare, if not unheard of, in the Financial Services Committee, but other committees do employ them in situations when privacy is a concern (commonly when a hearing is investigative in nature or involves victims.) Compare the Financial Services waiver language to that used by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) during a recent investigative hearing involving credit card users.
I hereby authorize Chase to give all bills, correspondence and other records with respect to XXXXXXXX’s credit card account(s) to U.S. Senate staff, and to discuss such accounts with U.S. Senate staff, in connection with the credit card investigation by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Wones said that when she tried to negotiate with GOP aides about tailoring her waiver language to the hearing, one aide got "belligerent." Another witness, Steven Autry, said he was ignored when he made a similar request:

I asked the person I spoke with if they could re-word the language to be a little more restrictive, and I never heard back. And there was no interest there. But I would have signed a waiver, had it been reasonable and limited to the scope of this conversation they were trying to have today.

From ABC news, here are four of the five witnesses gagged by committee Republicans:

Christy Mylar Smith and her husband paid their Citibank card bill on time for years -- but when they paid late twice in one year, their interest rate increased from 12.9 percent to 31.4 percent overnight.

Steven Strachan has a FICO score in the high 700s, has always paid on time, has never gone over the limit, yet Chase increased his rate from 10.99 percent to 24.99 percent.

Steve Autry accepted a fixed rate for life of 9.9 percent from Capital One. Now Capital One tells him that the cost of business and rising interest rates will cause his rates to increase, even though he has been a customer in good standing for many years.

Marvin Weatherspoon took advantage of a low introductory rate from Bank of America, but because he was a few days late in paying one month, his interest rate has been increased from 4.25 percent to almost 25 percent. Only $108 of his $347 monthly payment goes to the principal. He has tried to work with the bank, but felt "he had no voice."

Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit

Rep. Judy Biggert (IL), Ranking Member
Rep. Tom Price (GA)
Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH)
Rep. Michael N. Castle (DE)
Rep. Peter King (NY)
Rep. Edward R. Royce (CA)
Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (OH)
Rep. Walter B. Jones (NC)
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
Rep. Tom Feeney (FL)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (TX)
Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ)
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (FL)
Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (SC)
Rep. Jim Gerlach (PA)
Rep. Stevan Pearce (NM)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (TX)
Rep. Geoff Davis (KY)
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (NC)
Rep. John Campbell (CA)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA)
Rep. Dean Heller (NV)

Patrick McHenry contact info:

Washington, D.C. Office:
224 Cannon House Office Building 224 CHOB
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20515-3310
Phone: (202) 225-2576
Fax: (202) 225-0316

Hickory Office:
87 4th St. NW, Ste. A
Hickory, North Carolina 28603
Phone: (828) 327-6100
Fax: (828) 327-8311

Crossposted at Scrutiny Hooligans and BlueNC

Support Democrat Daniel Johnson for US Congress, NC-10

March on McHenry Monday, vigil Wednesday

2008-03-16T10:17:00.003-05:00

Two rallies are being held this holy week in most likely vain attempts to influence Pat. On Monday, it's for worker's rights, fair trade, immigration. On Wednesday, and people will gather to honor those who've died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of course, Pat won't change his stances because what his constituents think is irrelevant to him (unless he needs to know so he can manipulate you). But each time someone does something newsworthy and it doesn't get covered appropriately in the local print media, the prejudice of the press becomes more obvious. Each time the events are covered, perhaps people will realize what an completely incompetent and self-serving "representative" is using their district to promote Bush and Cheney's self-serving corporations-count-more-than-people agenda. Either way, we learn more about who we are as citizens.

MONDAY:

From CharO religion news:

The Carolina Interfaith Taskforce on Central America, CITCA, is holding a statewide journey for Holy Week. The walk begins at 2 p.m. Monday at the Galaxy grocery store at the intersection of 33rd Street S.W. and First Avenue S.W. in Longview. Marchers will walk three miles to Rep. Patrick McHenry's office at 87 Fourth St. N.W., Hickory.

A dinner and program on faith community response to immigration realities will be 5-7 p.m. at Morning Star First Baptist Church, 126 Fourth Ave. S.W., Hickory, followed by a worship service.

The march is the 21st annual CITCA statewide Holy Week Pilgrimage and begins in Asheville. Participants walk from Palm Sunday through Good Friday with farm workers and others to connect Jesus' suffering and death with the struggles of workers and immigrants, praying for changes in working conditions and policies that cause poverty.

This year, walkers are walking for fair trade, reducing poverty, creating living-wage jobs and just working conditions, changing immigration policies, and changing trade policies.

WEDNESDAY:

Press Event Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:00PM

Hickory Residents Gather to Mark 5 Years of Devastating War

MoveOn Members in Hickory urge Congress: "Invest in America, Not Endless War in Iraq"

Candlelight vigil in front of World War I Cannon on Union Square in Downtown Hickory

[HICKORY] – Residents of Hickory and surrounding communities will hold a candlelight vigil Wednesday to mark the end of the 5th year that the US has been mired in the devastating war in Iraq. The event will honor the sacrifice of American soldiers killed in Iraq and participants will read personal accounts written by veterans and members of military families affected by the war.

In the past five years, our nation has lost nearly 4,000 American soldiers with over 30,000 wounded. Between 100,00 - 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians have died with over 4,000,000 displaced. Our country has spent almost $1,000,000,000,000. With no political progress in sight and a sinking economy, American voters are questioning the priorities of leaders who squander billions of dollars in Iraq while leaving basic needs at home unmet.

"It is time to end the war in Iraq and set new priorities for America" said Linda Osbon, a MoveOn.org Political Action member. "We urge Senators Dole and Burr along with Congressman McHenry to pass legislation to begin redeploying American troops out of Iraq this year and start investing to help folks who are hurting at home."

People will gather at candlelight vigils holding signs that say "Invest In America, Not Endless War In Iraq" and "Keep 'em safe, Bring 'em home."

Vigil details:

Who: Residents of Hickory and surrounding communities, MoveoN members
Where: World War I Cannon on Union Square Downtown Hickory
When: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Why: To honor the sacrifices of American soldiers killed in Iraq

Pat fights FOR predatory lenders and AGAINST credit unions

2008-03-12T13:10:00.013-05:00

Greg Flynn at BlueNC and Daily Kos did the research we expect of all journalists covering McHenry and has uncovered and delineated a sordid story.

I highly encourage you to follow the link for many more details but I'll give you more than a few tidbits here:

Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has written Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), Chairman of the House Financial Services, seeking a hearing on the issue of individuals and organizations allegedly using non-profits to manipulate real estate and other markets.
As an example of this possible manipulation, McHenry used the Center for Responsible Lending, an affiliate of the Durham, North Carolina based Self Help Credit Union.
The basis of McHenry's complaint is a bogus report February 21st by the Consumer Rights League a front group for the predatory lending industry whose sole purpose appears to be attacking the Self Help Credit Union and, in particular, the affiliated Center for Responsible Lending (with, no mere coincidence, the same acronym, CRL) calling it a "predatory charity".
McHenry has long been an enemy of the Self Help Credit Union, the Center for Responsible Lending and founder Martin Eakes. According to a Credit Union Times article March 14, 2007 McHenry was quoted giving an address at America's Community Bankers' Government Affairs Conference:
McHenry said he feels there is no need for predatory lending legislation because "the marketplace will sort these things out best."
In 2005 McHenry was a co-sponsor of the weak-kneed HR 1295 "Responsible Lending Act" in opposition to HR 1182 "Prohibit Predatory Lending Act" sponsored by Brad Miller.

HR 1295 is filled with loopholes including far less protection against prepayment penalties, and limited protection for those without "high cost" loans (loans with reasonable interest rates and less than 5% upfront fees), encouraging more "creative" means of tacking on fees. Most significantly, HR 1295 preempts effective state laws.
McHenry was also a primary sponsor of a 2005 bill, HR 3206 "Credit Union Charter Choice" designed to make it easier for credit union conversion to banks at the expense of members and for the greater benefit of directors.
The self-styled Coalition for CU Charter Options has fought NCUA efforts to regulate conversions for at least five years and is represented in its suit by long-time thrift lobbyist Jim Butera . . . [who] also represents the American Bankers Association, and he helped craft the proposal to ease credit union conversions to thrifts, which failed in the last Congress.
McHenry's "failed bill" is at the heart of his success in Congress. In the now infamous Washington Monthly article about McHenry, "Getting Ahead in the GOP: Rep. Patrick McHenry and the art of defending the indefensible." Benjamin Wallace-Wells writes:

One of the first bills authored by McHenry, whose district has 172,000 credit union members, would make it much harder for government to regulate or block the conversion of credit unions into banks, a process that tends to benefit the credit union's directors (who get to cash in stock options and can sometimes make millions) and hurt the union's members, who can no longer borrow and save at the same generous terms.

McHenry's credit union bill, a high priority for the banking lobby, has received strong backing from DeLay. The Republican leadership awarded McHenry a seat on the House Financial Services Committee upon his arrival in Washington. "Most people would say it's the most plum assignment you can get," one conservative lobbyist told me, "because you can leverage it to do so much in fundraising." But first you have to prove yourself. Asking McHenry to author a bill that undermines the interest of half his constituents is the political equivalent of demanding a young Mafia enforcer kill his cousin as a test of loyalty.

McHenry's latest attack on the Center of Responsible Lending come on the heels of his fawning over sub-prime lender Countrywide. His toadying obsequiousness to the credit union converters and the predatory lending industry . . . is despicable.

Again, props to Greg Flynn. Go to the Daily Kos version and comment if you can. We need more journalists like him.

Pat's DUI staffer Keeter runs Gaston GOP convention

2008-03-10T23:00:00.004-05:00

It seems Republican Congressional candidate Lance Sigmon can go fuck himself, at least as far as Gaston County Republicans are concerned.

What else was the GOP thinking to have the deputy district director for one candidate run a convention that is allegedly for the entire party:

Here are a few 'graphs from the Gaston Gazette coverage:

Four Republican candidates for governor - Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, state Sen. Fred Smith, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and Salisbury attorney Bill Graham - spoke first during Saturday's breakfast and then quickly departed for the Mecklenburg County GOP Convention in Charlotte.

. . .

Convention Chairman Brett Keeter said the attendance Saturday was better than past conventions of the Gaston GOP and that's a good sign during a heated presidential race.

Writer Daniel Jackson needs to talk to his sports staff about how not to drink the subject's koolaid when covering the news. Brett Keeter has been in their own paper for several months for getting suspended as McHorny's Deputy District Director for his September DUI arrest and February guilty plea.

Not only is it weird to write Brett Keeter's name as if his DUI wasn't fairly recent news, it's completely illegitimate reporting not to mention Keeter is a high-level (and well-paid) McHenry staffer (or staffer on suspension).

I've never heard of county conventions being run by either campaign or district staff of a Congressman, particularly the year of a contested election. 11th District Congressman Heath Shuler's District staffer Randy Flack had to step down from running for Buncombe County Democratic Party Chair because of the potential conflict of interest.

It looks like Pat McHorny doesn't care too much about conflicts of interest, potential or otherwise. He must have too much to hide.

Is Hickory's Andrew Mackie prejudiced for McHenry?

2008-03-10T22:42:00.005-05:00

From Thoreau at Blue NC:

It has recently come to my attention that not only is our beloved Hickory Daily Record as politically twisted as a tornado, but it's being led around on a leash by Andrew Mackie, a man who leaves more good Op Ed columns on the cutting room floor than nighties in the Playboy Mansion. Who said the press was neutral?

Allow me to explain. We all know how hard it is to get good articles in the paper here in this primarily Republican state- hell, let's face it, we've done better branching out online (God bless BlueNC). But sometimes, to reach those of us without the internet or those intelligent enough not to use it, we have to resort to the good old gray and black paper, a tool of advertisement and information ever since the good old days.

However, unlike the good old days, one cannot expect fairness in journalism any longer, a prime example of this being the Hickory Daily Record. This paper has not only favored our "favorite" (failure of a) Congressman Patrick McHenry, but it has done so with not only two front page mentions with his pudgy face on the front, but also has "accidentally" misplaced many, many anti-McHenry Op Ed columns that attempt to knock editor Andrew Mackie off his Pro-McHenry track.

How do I know? I know plenty of people who have tried sending in articles, only to watch Andrew Mackie destroy them like an angry professor with a red pen. Thanks to Andrew Mackie, the Democratic candidate Daniel Johnson are never present in the paper, rather replaced with glowing (that's us old-folk speak for "ass kissing") commentaries on Patrick McHenry.

Then we have poor Lance Sigmon. One would think that Lance would have an advantage (being a Republican in a Republican district helps), but he's getting even worse treatment because he dares insult McHenry. While Andrew Mackie has done some rudimentary commentary on Lance (including posting him on his ever exciting blog no-one reads), he still apparently continues to shaft the legitimate Op Eds he gets, unless, of course, they involve the words "McHenry" and "amazing", presumably in one sentence, unless in the context of "McHenry is an amazing failure of a Congressman". Apparently, Mackie has even misquoted Lance, or done some sort of horsing around with his statements (including making some comment about "properly covering the debate"). What debate? You got me. Apparently, Mackie wrote about it sometime.

Translation? Go out and send Andrew Mackie an anti-McHenry Op Ed. And hey, if you don't want to write one, I will for you and you can insert your name like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Andrew Mackie, you better play fair or else when the Primaries are over and this Republican fight is over, us Dems will be on your case. And an angry Democrat can be a scary thing.

I'd like to hear from those of you who read this paper regularly. What do you think?

McHorny defends his predatory banking buddies

2008-03-09T12:50:00.002-05:00

From Jerimee at BlueNC:

I have trouble talking about this in any terms other than a string of profanities. Durham's own Center for Responsible Lending has been reporting on the damage wrought by predatory lendors for at least a decade.

Republicans have vigorously defended the predatory lending industry. Even now, with the human cost illustrated by the 40,000 North Carolina families who have had their homes stolen by dishonest financial advisers, Republicans refuse to turn against their friends on the radically dishonest fringe of the banking industry.

During yesterday's hearing on CEO compensation, NC's own Patrick McHenry asked Countrywide executives, "Isn't it true that you love kittens?" and "Didn't Mother Theresa publically state that she considered you men to be personal role models?" Go to cspan to watch the hearing: CSPAN.

Obviously all the banks, and most elected officials, share some blame for this. Some are culpable by protesting too weakly, some by ignoring predatory lending, others by participating, and some by inventing and aggressively promoting it. McHenry looks toward those most personally and directly responsible and suggests we all give them a round of applause.

For what it is worth, Bank of America has at times stood up to oppose predatory lending practices. When we had a Republican majority, and all the sketchy ass banks wanted to push through radical legislation that would have made even easier for them to rip off America, BoA refused to sign up and reigned in the pillagers.

10th deemed a race to watch

2008-03-06T11:11:00.004-05:00

Congressional Quarterly still calls our district "safe republican" but Election Inspection includes it in a list of "House races to watch:"

In the 10th District, Daniel Johnson has been a complete surprise. A Navy veteran and attorney, Johnson has raised more money than any challenger in this dsitrct in recent memory. While this district is heavily Republican territory, underfunded Democratic opponents hav consistenly gotten around 37% of the vote. Republican Patrick McHenry holds this seat and will be tough to defeat, but opportunities like this one can not be passed up in years like this.

And someone named John M. Setzler Jr. is obviously worried about the primary. He says Republicans don't have a reason to vote because the presidential candidate is already determined. But then (as he opines about how long it takes to change registration), he shows a photo of McHorny . . . and no mention of Lance but why else post the comments with the gigantic photo?

McHenry and money: what's he trying to hide?

2008-03-03T22:28:00.002-05:00

Thoreau at BlueNC raises some good points:

It seems like Patrick McHenry has the stereotypical edge here in the 10th District- having claimed $140,000 earned in the last quarter (according to the Charlotte Observer). In fact, he's got a huge campaign fund, which he intends to use to blast his competitors off the map... or so we'd think. Unfortunately, due to his backwards view on finance, nepotism, and the money required to hide his illegal/immoral actions, McHenry may as well have no money at all.

Patrick McHenry is a man with many things to hide- be it his blatant homosexuality (which there is apparently photographic evidence of in some Dem. hands, though apparently they're hiding it... which should NOT be happening when he has so much of his term left), his misuse of finance (such as potential abuse when he was with the College Republicans), and basic problems all over the board. The man is a walking talking slew of secrets and coverups, which allows him to operate... though very nervously.

So where is this huge amount of money from places like Time Warner, Lowes, and Wells Fargo going? Here are a few reasons why you WON'T be seeing it going to traditional campaigns:

- Patrick McHenry hires his sister as a Campaign Treasurer for $1,200 a month. To the best of our knowledge, he does nothing.
- Patrick McHenry may be bribing some Democrats to keep a certain collection of pictures secret.
- Patrick McHenry seems to be spending an inordinate amount of money (over $25,000) on retaining lawyers (Wiley Rein, LLC) for his campaign, who, quite ironically, specialize in "Election Law and Government Ethics"- and this is right after more news comes out about the elections (in which he won) being rigged. Hmm...
- McHenry also sends an amazing amount of kick-back to the NRCC (over $70,000), a lot of which is rumored to be ensuring that McHenry stays on their good side... and keeps their mouths shut. This group is rumored to possess more McHenry info. In comparison, he only "gifted" $2,000 to the NCGOP.
- McHenry has even spent his cash on one of his big supporters, the "Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree", which (to the best of my recollection) is one of the places that promotes his help in this district (which has never come). Fact: He spent over $4,000 there. I wonder.
- Despite McHenry Real Estate being... well, fake, McHenry still seems to get a LOT of money (over $40,000) from that realm- when he doesn't even own a house he lives in, and, according to the rumor mill, lives with his new female staffer or his lover Brett Keeter, Mr. DWI (you know, the guy who wants to work in government but refuses to obey the most basic of laws).

Thoreau got this information from OpenSecrets.

He concludes:

Congress is in control of our purse strings, and if we want to give them that control, we have to see how they handle what they give them. And if this election is any indicator, the last man we need touching any of our money is Patrick T. McHenry.

Rove loves McHorny

2008-03-03T11:54:00.000-05:00

From an article about Karl Rove's appearance at Pitt:

Rove said he remembers what it was like to go to hear political figures speak. In high school in Utah, he said, had a teacher who took his class to see Ronald Reagan, Nelson Rockefeller, Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace.

"The Democrats do not have a hold on shaping young people," he said. "There are plenty of inspiring Republicans across the country holding congressional seats that are making a difference with shaping the youth." He cites Reps. Adam Putnam of Florida and Patrick McHenry of North Carolina as examples of men barely in their 30s talking to young people about the values of conservatism.

Gag. I guess he talks about "conservatism." He just doesn't vote or act conservatively.

Johnson on education reform

2008-03-02T20:08:00.003-05:00

Shamelessly lifted from Andrew Mackie's column:

HICKORY, NC: Daniel Johnson, a candidate for Congress in North Carolina’s 10th District, will participate in “Read Across America Day” by reading to schoolchildren on Monday, March 3 at 9:00am at Sweetwater Elementary School in Hickory.

“As the son of a teacher and a graduate of the Hickory public schools, I understand the crucial role public education plays in our communities,” Johnson said. “’Read Across America’ is an innovative, creative way to invite community leaders to become involved in our public schools.”

In Congress, Johnson pledges to be an advocate for education. Johnson will work with Republicans and Democrats to reform “No Child Left Behind” so that the law contains the adequate funding and useful standards that struggling schools need to improve. Johnson contends that teachers need to receive compensation worthy of their honorable profession, and that more young people need to be recruited, trained, and encouraged to teach.

“Math and science must be a major focus in our schools,” said Johnson. “We must ensure that North Carolina’s young people enter the job market ready to compete in the global economy.”

Johnson will promote partnerships between our public schools and our business community to find practical solutions that give children every advantage. And Johnson will fight to make vocational school, community college, and four-year colleges affordable and accessible for every student that qualifies.

Johnson will be reading to “Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?” by Dr. Seuss to Mrs. Rachel Graham’s 5th grade class. Founded eleven years ago, the National Education Association’s “Read Across America Day” has grown into a nationwide literacy initiative that involves 45 million people each year.

Patty's friends admit to stirring up terror fears to win elections

2008-02-27T16:00:00.004-05:00

Thanks to the NCDP's Jerimee Richir, we now know what McHorny and his friends plan for the next decade or two: using fear of terrorism like Reagan used communism.

For all the details read Jerimee's review of the Civitas luncheon discussion with McHorny's close ally and Dole strategist Tom Fetzer.

Here's the lowlight:

Fetzer: This isn't like what we did with Reagan. Since we don't have anti-communism to unite the Republican party anymore we'll have to find new issues to agitate our political base.

An audience member then suggested, why don't we just replace fear of communism with fear of terrorism?

Fetzer: Yes, that's the plan.

On health care:

Hawke moved to the next slide which illustrated the point that many North Carolinians don't think that the government should pay for everything for everybody. Apparently not satisified with that simple point, Hawke volunteered that he personally didn't think that he should have to pay any taxes at all.

Martin started to talk but Fetzer interupted: Voters don't understand health care, they aren't intelligent enough to understand it, and that helps the Democrats.

Keep up your alliance, Patty, with these bozos. And start thinking of what you can do for income once you're political career is in the toilet. Oh, that's right. You're a realtor. And you've made a million bucks on real estate since you got elected to Congress (without even a phone number for your so-called realty bidness). So I guess you'll land on your feet in November when Daniel Johnson beats your sorry ass.

news@norman blasts McHenry

2008-02-27T15:00:00.001-05:00

No writer named. Ken Fortenberry's photo and name accompany the piece:

McHenry Seems To Blow With The Political Wind

sycophant
SIK-uh-fuhnt\, noun:
1. A person who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence; a parasite; a toady.
2. One who seeks to gain through the powerful and influential.

suck-up
suk'up' noun: Informal
A person who flatters or defers to others obsequiously; a sycophant.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry gives new meaning to the words sycophant and suck-up and it's long past time for the media in the 10th Congressional District to quit giving him a free pass.

Ever since he was elected (and I use the term loosely) by the slimmest of margins in a sham election in 2004, McHenry has been oohing and aahing his way all over Washington to gain influence and build his resume, presumably to replace U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole when she decides to retire.

So far, about the only people McHenry has impressed are those who want something from him, those who have gotten something from him or those he wants something from.

It's time for the charade to end.

I've talked to a number of Republicans in recent weeks who are giving more than a second glance to his GOP opponent, Newton attorney Lance Sigmon.

What Sigmon lacks in money he more than makes up for in character, and that's a word that I think is missing from McHenry's vocabulary.

Many Republicans held their noses and voted to re-elect McHenry in 2006 because there was no one else on the GOP ballot, but this time they have a choice.

A real choice.

Every time I think of McHenry I am reminded of his coziness to now-disgraced former House leader Tom Delay who once mentioned his little buddy as a possible successor. (This was about the time he was being nailed for ethics violations which McHenry vigorously defended).

"I 'm blown away. . . I'm so excited that Tom DeLay would say that about me," McHenry said.

Pardon the play on words, but it seems to me that McHenry is the one who needs to be blown away.

Dem Candidates in Rutherford County tonight

2008-02-25T20:23:00.003-05:00

Both Steve Ivester and fundraising leader Daniel Johnson are speaking at the Rutherford County Democratic Party tonight. If anyone sees the event and would like to report on it, email me (using link at upper left) or post your comment here

Anonymity respected if you want.

McHorny's steroid hypocrisy continues to impress

2008-02-20T22:51:00.003-05:00

The Raleigh News & Observer's Ryan Teague Beckwith notes that Patrick missed the Clemens hearings after being so gung ho for the similar questioning of the non-Bush connected Mark McGwuire (that were then led by Republicans).

And Watauga Watch's Jerry Williamson, who is particularly interested in Virginia Foxx's own idiocies makes several points after reading the Gaston Gazette's analysis. My favorite was his first:

1. Republican House members were all over the steroids investigation in 2005, when they were in charge of running the place. Congressman Patrick McHenry, particularly, was avid in his grilling of Mark McGuire for alleged steroid use and basked in the media attention.

And coming in a close second for me was the kind of turnaround for which Patty is becoming widely reknowned:

6. With the fall-out from the hearing turning very negative for Clemens and his Republican cheerleaders, McHenry tried to distance himself by saying that steroid use by professional athletes shouldn't even be a subject for Congress to examine, hoping that no one will remember # 1 above.

If writers like Derick Moss keep getting this kind of attention, and readers of the 10th start seeing this kind of analysis and follow-up . . . perhaps concerned constituents will be able to mount some serious challenges to the ludicrous, embarrassing and two-faced hypocritical jokes we currently for representation in US Congress.

With writers like Moss, McHorny would never get away with hiding his wild life in Washington from his fundamentalist Christian constituents in North Carolina.

McHenry sacked by Gaston Gazette

2008-02-18T18:34:00.010-05:00

Last week the Roger Clemens hearings provided our Patty one more opportunity to make an ass out of himself. And finally, a local reporter figured it out.

Kudos to Derick Moss of the Gaston Gazette . . . Never heard of him? That's because you've been reading the news. For decent coverage of a US congressman, at least in the 10th, you need to turn to the sports section.

Derick covered the Clemens hearing as well as any national press I'd read and far and away above any other local "political" reporter

Check it out:

Take the case of our local representative, Patrick McHenry, a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform which put on the most recent dog and pony show. McHenry did not attend the hearing, and also did not respond to requests this week for an interview. But on Wednesday he issued the following statement via press release:

“This circus could only impress P.T. Barnum,” the statement said. “Apparently, Democrats think the economy and illegal immigration will solve themselves. So instead of working on that, they’re playing with baseball.”

Sounds like he's stuck with the typical McHorny grandstanding quote. But no, no, no. Derick has not been drinking 10th District Republican kool-aid.

But here’s what McHenry told The Gazette in 2005 on the afternoon after he’d just grilled Mark McGwire about his alleged steroid use (and had plenty of national TV exposure in the process):

“It’s not about the baseball players. We’re trying to bring attention to this matter because there’s been a tremendous rise in the use of steroids among young people in this country. The message professional sports is sending, especially professional baseball, is that if you want to be a professional baseball player you need to use some performance-enhancing drugs. That’s the worst message.”

Takedown!

And, still, Derick is not done. He continues to go where other local reporters dare not. Not only does he note McHorny's hypocrisy, he actually makes an attempt to analyze it!

What happened between then and now to change his mind? Plenty.

For starters, his party was in the majority in 2005 and was actually the body that called for the hearings in the first place. Now that the Dems are calling the plays, McHenry wants to stay on the sidelines.

And he even noticed that while Patty exulted in criticizing McGuire, he is actually inaccurate in this case, for criticizing Democrats. It was Clemens who asked to speak. Not the other way around.

“The only reason we held this hearing is because Roger Clemens insisted on it,” Waxman added.

Wow, a reporter who notices hypocrisy, analyzes it, and does some research.

Go ahead and follow the link to read his speculation as to why Republicans were defending Clemens when they skewered McGuire. (Yes, there are quite a few mentions of our President.) Good job, Gaston Gazette.

The Hickory Daily Record and the Shelby Star didn't quite figure it out. The Star swallowed (and regurgitated) McHorny's tired and sputtering spin.

The Record had the nerve to give McHorny a headline that makes it seem they were asking the hard questions. And they did ask him some hard questions. Problem is they just printed his answers as if they are not supposed to (or able to) factcheck.

And really, they were letting him get away with avoiding a debate scheduled by the Catawba County Republican Party.

So, now I know why so many people turn to the sports pages first. That's where you'll find the truth.

One more debate update: still no answer

2008-02-17T11:37:00.003-05:00

Why didn't Patty agree to the Monday debate scheduled (for his convenience) by the Catawba County Democratic Party? We asked last week and got a rude reply* from Jeff Lominac, chair of the NC Christian Coalition (which I guess is endorsing McHorny without even talking to challenger Lance Sigmon).

Here's his reply to the Hickory Record:

McHenry plans to officially file for re-election within a week or two and hasn’t had much time to campaign.

He said the Republican Party’s 10th District officials will host a debate, but is unsure of the date. McHenry recently said he couldn’t make a March 18 debate hosted by the Catawba County Republican Party.

He said having 10th District officials host the debate would be the “proper venue.”
McHenry didn’t say whether he would make any other debates, saying he has “a lot of obligations to meet,” in Congress between now and July.

*Lominac's comment from last week: "The Catawba County GOP set up a debate with out asking anybody with McHenrey if the debate date was ok. If Mr. McHenrey is not in congress that day, that does not mean that he does not have something else scheduled. Evan though some leaders of the Catawba County GOP help run and schedule Mr. McHenrey's opponent's campaign, they do not run and schedule Mr. McHenrey's day to day activities."

McHorny's hypocrisies exposed by WaPo (finally)

2008-02-12T23:34:00.004-05:00

Finally the mainstream DC press is catching on to how McHorny talks one way one day and another way the next:

At a private meeting of conservatives in the House of Representatives last month, Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (N.C.) ridiculed Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), asking why his fellow right-wing activists "shouldn't be physically ill at the prospects of a President McCain."

On Monday, McHenry -- apparently feeling fine -- joined the chorus of voices calling for conservatives to unify around McCain as the likely Republican nominee, and he accused former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee of waging a pointless nomination battle because he is "in there for himself."

Now if only the local press would figure out that he talks and acts one way in DC and the other in the district.

h/t jlgolden at BlueNC.

Could FBI finance investigation at NRCC spell trouble for McHenry?

2008-02-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

You tell me:

FACT ONE: According to politico dot com last week:

Top House Republicans were told in recent days that a former employee of their campaign committee may have forged an official audit during the contentious 2006 election cycle and that they should brace for the possibility that an unfolding investigation could uncover financial improprieties stretching back several years, according to GOP sources briefed on the members-only discussions.
. . .
The precise details of the suspected accounting irregularities and their possible fallout are not entirely clear. NRCC officials and top GOP leaders are being tight-lipped in large part because the FBI is investigating the matter. An outside lawyer advising members and staff has warned everyone at the committee to keep quiet.

FACT TWO: From 2004 to 2006, Patrick McHenry was one of seven Republican Congressman that worked so hard to raise money for the RNCC that he was named as vice chair of NRCC fundraising in January 2007, after only one term in Congress.

FACT THREE: McHenry's 2008 campaign has retained, high-powered DC law firm, Wiley Rein, LLC for 3,000 month. (I can find no other campaign that has hired a lawyer. I'm pretty sure most people don't expect their campaign donations to pay for legal fees for legal problems that don't exist . . .)

FACTS FOUR, FIVE & SIX: Wiley Rein's Elections Law and Government Ethics Division is led by Jan Witold Baran, who has been named by the Washingtonian as one of the top 50 campaign and elections lawyers in the country. Another Wiley Rein partner, Caleb P. Burns, teaches an annual class with the more experienced Baran titled "Complying with Campaign Finance, Lobbying & Ethics Laws." Mr. Burns' bio mentions undergraduate work in North Carolina as well as

Member, Lawyers for Bush-Cheney (2000). Participated in the 2000 election recount efforts.

RUMOR and SPECULATION: A third Wiley Rein partner and elections specialist, Carol Lanham writes about flying on private planes with Senate campaigns, something McHenry has rumored to have done with a friend from Bank of America during a Dole campaign swing through Charlotte a few years ago.

Of course, Patrick McHenry also worked the 2000 Bush Florida recount where he could have met Burns.

So, maybe he's just throwing some bidness in the way of old friends? Yeah, that's the ticket.

Cross Posted at BlueNCand ScruHoo.

UPDATE: Roll Call is covering this: Here's the first three graphs and a link for subscibers

The FBI investigation into financial irregularities at the National Republican Congressional Committee was triggered when NRCC Audit Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (Texas) asked for an exit interview with the accounting firm that conducted the committee's 2006 audit, according to a source briefed on the unfolding scandal.

Conaway had been seeking an audit of the committee's books, and when former NRCC Treasurer Christopher Ward produced one, Conaway — a certified public accountant — insisted on doing an interview with the auditing firm.

After delays and more delays, it became clear that the exit interview was never going to happen and the accounting firm that supposedly conducted the audit was contacted. Officials at the firm, the name of which has not been disclosed, then confirmed to the NRCC that they had not conducted the audit and the letterhead that was used had been forged to look like it was theirs.

Wonder what the NRCC has been hiding . . .

Hey Pat, what exactly are you doing instead of debating Sigmon?

2008-02-11T18:16:00.000-05:00

Running scared, methinks.

I saw this written by your ~~beard~~ girlfriend Lisa, at CharO:

McHenry declines to attend debate

Rep. Patrick McHenry says he won't attend a debate set up by Catawba County GOP leaders because of his schedule.

The Cherryville Republican says he'll continue to work with 10th Congressional District officials to set up a debate with his primary challenger, Lance Sigmon, an attorney from Newton.

"Congressman McHenry was not notified or consulted in any way before this was publicized," spokesman Wes Climer said. He declined to say where McHenry intended to be March 18.

Catawba County GOP Chairman Chip Canupp said the event, announced Friday, was scheduled after McHenry and Sigmon expressed an interest in debating. -- lisa zagaroli

Bu you know and we know that you have nothing in Congress that day. (Duh, that's why the organizers scheduled the debate then, bozo). So, what's up Pat? Don't bang the door on your way out, okay?

Not Patrick? You know what they say about turnabout

2008-02-10T01:32:00.000-05:00

H/T Thoreau at BlueNC for a link to a new McHorny website called NotPatrick.tk

Some of you will recall, Patty got his start in national politics working on a NotHillary site. We're not sure what he did for that site but lots of people on the internets tubes write about it being his main project after graduating from Belmont Abbey. I guess they didn't want him doing anything important.

All I have to say is turnabout's fair play.

Interesting ad

2008-02-09T01:13:00.000-05:00

FEC fines Huffman over 2004 campaign, now it's McHenry's turn

2008-02-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

CharO reports that 2004 Republican candidate for NC's 10th received improper loans and has been fined $30,000. They refuse to comment on any ongoing investigations but you can call them and ask if a specific person has filed a complaint. Last summer I called to ask if Huffman had filed a complaint against McHenry and I thought they acted kind of weird about it.

Too bad I didn't ask the reverse! Because it was a McHenry complaint (among others) that initiated the investigation.

McHenry, Moretz and Lyons filed the complaint against Huffman with the FEC.

The FEC ruled that Huffman effectively took an excessive contribution from Proctor by accepting the loan, because candidates were only allowed to accept $2,000 from other individuals.

Huffman and Proctor told the FEC that they reversed the transaction as soon as they learned it was illegal, about a month after Proctor gave the $100,000 to Huffman.

In addition to the civil penalty against Huffman, Proctor was ordered to pay a $19,000 fine. The FEC said he voluntarily reported the violation to the agency.

The FEC said Huffman also failed to disclose that another $100,000 he contributed to his campaign was a loan from Peoples Bank, and that he didn't report that he was using real estate as collateral on a $150,000 line of credit from Branch Banking and Trust Co.

What was pretty funny for me in the CharO piece was their quote from Wes Climer, McHenry's new and sadly inexperienced mouthpiece.

"The congressman is pleased this regrettable chapter has been closed," McHenry spokesman Wes Climer said in a statement. "Now we can all put the 2004 election behind us."

Not quite yet, Wes. What about all those Young Republicans and/or College Republicans who campaigned for you then, Pat? Weren't they 527s with whom you were knowingly illegally coordinating? And you and Jason Deans and Dee Stewart knew you were breaking the law. Of course, later they figured it out, hence this blog post but weren't you the one ultimately responsible?

And what about that loan you've never paid off?

McHenry Deputy District Director convicted of DUI, surrenders license

2008-02-05T18:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Miss M at BlueNC:

Today, I made the trip to the Gaston County Court House to observe the conclusion to Mr. Keeter's DWI arrest. One funny bit, one defendant blew a .21 on the breathalyzer while driving a lawn mower, lol! While waiting on attorneys in other court rooms to appear in lowly traffic court, the judge announced an early break. I went to powder my nose, and went back to court to wait on the end of the break, and court was in session!?!?!? As I walked in I heard Brett Keeter and my ears perked up. The attorney went over the charges, and stated that Brett had completed assessment, rehab, and some community service. The attorney also stated that he had letters from an officer of a MADD chapter, Gaston Co. Sheriff Cloninger and someone he's working with at UNCC. I didn't catch the name or position of the person at UNCC. The judge remarked that you know who your friends are when you get a letter from them. The judge gave Brett 30 days suspended jail sentence, 1 year unsupervised probation and told to surrender his license. The fine was $25 + court costs. After this matter was concluded the judge told the district attorney he could complete the break that had been shortened, earlier.

A couple things that seemed a bit odd to me. One the shortened break, not that I'm a conspiracy theorist, but interrupting a break in court seems like an odd thing to do. As a jury member, a break has never been cut short, but that is the extent of my court time (knock on wood). I was looking at the post on Keeter's initial arrest, and he had a Gaston Co. attorney, Craig Collins. It seems to me that I heard the judge mention Collins as Keeter's current attorney, but I'm not totally sure about that. Why is this significant? Why doesn't a Gaston Co. attorney know how to pronounce the Gaston Co. Sheriff's name?? When Keeter's attorney mentioned the Sheriff's letter, he said his last name wrong. I know how the Sheriff pronounces it, because I was giving out name tags at the county convention and I had to ask him his name. Doh! :)

And that concludes my first attempt at court reporting. Enjoy.
MissM aka Jane

McHenry Deputy Director Keeter DUI court date today

2008-02-05T00:52:00.000-05:00

I pulled post up from two months ago.

Ground hog day three days late.

Keeter is now scheduled for court 3B in the 8:30 session Feb 5. We'll see if he gets a sweetheart deal or even shows up at all.

KEETER,JAMES,BRETT GASTONIA ,NC
28054 Court date: 12/12/2007 Courtroom: 003B Session: AM Case Number: 2007CR014558 Citation Number: C8285970

5405 Traffic DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED 20-138.1
4477 Infraction FAIL TO DIM HEADLAMPS 20-181
9955 Traffic CIVIL REVOCATION DR LIC (30) 20-16.5

McHenry burns half a mil, out-monied by Johnson

2008-02-02T16:58:00.001-05:00

According to his FEC filing, 10th District incumbent annoyance Pat McHenry has burned over a half million dollars in campaign cash before the primary season has even begun.

And if you count McHenry's outstanding $90,000 2004 debt against his cash on hand, he has less in campaign funds right now than challenger and political newcomer Daniel Johnson.

This cycle (since the 2006 election), McHenry has raised 610,000 and spent 571,000. And the money isn't coming in fast enough to keep up with his spending. He raised $140,000 in 2007's fourth quarter. According to the FEC reports, Daniel Johnson raised just under $124,000. Thing is, Johnson only spent $5,000 to raise that nice chunk of change and McHenry spent $135,000. Oops.

What's up Pat? Things not going so well? I’ve heard your staff and allies are deserting your sinking ship. So sad.

UPDATE: Oh and what's that nine grand for DC law firm, Wiley Rein LLC? I notice that other candidates don't keep a lawyer on retainer with campaign funds.

Crossposted at BlueNC and Scrutiny Hooligans.

Gotta love Republican cannibalism

2008-01-31T17:50:00.000-05:00

Check out newsatnorman going after Pat in the name of Repug challenger Lance Sigmon:

What is Rep. McHenry Afraid Of?

“Let’s have a debate on the issues,. . . I’m happy to match my record against anyone. I’m proud of the work I’ve done.”
- Rep. Patrick McHenry

Patrick McHenry can run, but he can’t hide.
And in this case he’s running for re-election and trying to hide from a debate with his GOP opponent, Lance Sigmon.
What is McHenry afraid of?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about his integrity?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about his personal life?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about his live-in buddies and how they managed in 2004 to vote in Cherryville while having legal residences elsewhere?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about his staunch support of disgraced House leader Tom Delay and another congressman who was run out of office for his sexual improprieties with a male page?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about McHenry Real Estate, the company McHenry claimed to own, but never had even a telephone number or a single listing?
Is he afraid that he will have to answer some tough questions about his tax returns, his quick rise to financial wealth and questions about the fat-cats who stuff huge sums of money into his campaign checkbook?
To his credit, challenger Sigmon has made “honesty, ethics and integrity” the centerpiece of his campaign against McHenry and has raised questions about McHenry’s ethics.
He is ready, willing and able to debate McHenry anywhere in the district and has asked party leaders in Catawba County to help get the debates arranged.
To make it easy on the busy little congressman, Sigmon says he will debate him anywhere in the district at any time.
So far, McHenry has not responded, and we doubt that he will ever take the stage with Sigmon and debate the issues.
McHenry may be a little Napolean-esque, but he may have met his Waterloo. Come out, come out, Mr. McHenry.

CharO profiles DJ

2008-01-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

Check it out:

"I wasn't really gunning for politics," the congressional candidate said in an interview during a visit here last week to meet with Democratic officials and old friends. "I had grown so disgusted with the status of politics in Washington in particular, I had ruled out in my mind any interest in pursuing elected office."

He changed his mind after being approached by folks in the community who were looking for a challenger to two-term Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican from Cherryville.

"My wife and I spent a lot of time thinking about it, praying about it," Johnson said. "We decided the country was facing some very serious challenges ahead of it, and that I could use my experience to help find some effective solutions."

I have to admit I like the coverage so far. Strange, since writer Lisa Zagaroli has a history of favoring the incumbent.

He has shown some early promise with his fundraising ability, having collected $123,000 in a few weeks.

She then appropriately mentions the overwhelming Republican majority in the district but Daniel has a good comeback:

"There's a lot of discontent in that district, just as there is nationwide," he said.

McHenry, he said, is part of the reason Washington manages to turn just about everything into a partisan issue -- health care for children, funding for the war and illegal immigration, as examples."His style of politics is an old style of politics that people are tired of, which is to be divisive, and to not come up with solutions but to bicker about the problems, to continue the inertia that has kept Washington from solving any of those problems," Johnson said."(He) is a huge part of stirring up that partisan rancor in Congress."

So far, so good, but now the article twists to the weird:

McHenry's press secretary, Wes Climer, said McHenry defends traditional family values.

Like when? When he attacked Nancy Pelosi for needing a larger plane than the previous speaker who lived much closer to DC? Or is Wes referrring to when he attacked bike-riders for being from the 19th century? Yeah, riding a bike is anti-family. Or maybe he's thinking back even earlier to when Pat he defended Representative Foley, stating quite clearly that the problem wasn't that Foley had had sex with pages but that the Democrats (out of power) somehow timed the disclosure for maximum value in election season.

Those are some family values, Pat. Good job, Wes.

"Some Washington politicians don't like the fact that Congressman McHenry won't accept the broken status quo, and it's telling that someone would criticize him for that," Climer said.

Criticize McHenry for being against the status quo? He would have to be against Bush and Rove and Tom Delay for that to be true and gee, Wes, it ain't. You're just digging a deeper hole, Wes. Maybe you should take some kind of remedial training in public relations. I hear the Wellstone Institute offers all kinds of campaign training. Oh, that's right, you'd have to actually care about people to be eligible for one of their classes.

As to Dear Lisa, if history is a predictor of the future, I bet she'll do plenty of McHenry articles without going to Johnson for a quote. Let's hope she proves us wrong. And that Daniel's spokesman has ethics and a brain.

Sigmon accepts McHorny debate challenge

2008-01-22T13:01:00.000-05:00

According to the Hickory Daily Record, Republican Challenger Lance Sigmon has agreed to debate Patrick McHorny.

“I’m more than willing to accept his offer,” Sigmon said. “I think it gives voters a chance to find out where we stand.”

McHenry said during a media conference call Friday that he welcomed all competitors and wanted to “debate the issues.”

Sigmon prefers to hold three debates, one each in Shelby, Morganton and Hickory.

Of course McHorny's personal rag, the Charlotte Observer, missed McHorny's challenge and bills the debate as Sigmon's idea. They even printed McHorny's original quote but still can't read the words they're writing:

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's Republican primary opponent said he plans to ask district GOP leaders to sponsor a debate between the two.

Military attorney Lance Sigmon of Newton is challenging the second-term congressman from Cherryville for the Republican nomination in the 10th Congressional District.

Sigmon sent an e-mail to newspapers over the weekend saying he plans to seek a debate with McHenry "as soon as possible."

McHenry said last week that he welcomes competition. "Everybody has the right to run for office and sign their name on the dotted line," he said in a conference call with reporters. "Let's have a debate on the issues that are going to affect our country."

Johnson raises $120,000

2008-01-21T09:44:00.000-05:00

At least, that's what his campaign manager Lauren Moore told CharO. Why he puts them ahead of us, I have no idea. Since we all know how much they love the McHorny one.

But, there's no accounting for taste. And $120,000 is about ten times more than the 2004 Democratic candidate raised in her entire campaign and five times what the last candidate raised. So mazel tov, Daniel.

We'll confirm that once we see the FEC filing . . .

Hey, Lauren, don't forget to notify all the small newspapers in the district. There's two in Newland and then there's Spruce Pine and Morganton, Hickory, Lincoln, Shelby, Gastonia, Lenoir. (I've got links for LTEs along the left column) Most of them never ran his announcement so I wonder if anyone told them. But those are the places you need to contact if you want to reach your potential swing voters.

Not that many people read the Charlotte Observer compared to the local papers. And McHenry always gets his stuff in those little ones. They'll print pretty much anything you send them. If you send it and call them to confirm.

Don't expect the CharO to do you any favors. Lisa Z drinks McHenry's kool-aid. Just look her up. Every time he has a scandal, she writes a puff piece. When things get rough, she's going to screw you. Don't say you weren't warned.

McHorny calls for debate

2008-01-19T02:28:00.000-05:00

On a media conference call he didn't tell me about (why, Pat, why????): McHorny calls on his challengers to debate the issues.

Well, come on guys. That should be fun. He usually seeds the crowd with supporters and interrupts and/or refuses to answer the questions he doesn't like.

“Let’s have a debate on the issues. I’m happy to match my record against anyone. I’m going to continue to deliver on the promises that I’ve made. I’m proud of the work I’ve done.”

So, Lance and Daniel. Bring it on. He gets really frazzled when faced with the truth of the land he illegally hasn't declared, the home he tried to hide after insisting Democrats not hide their assets, earmarks, bicycles, his support for Ron Paul. Not to mention all the criminals he's associated with . . . there's a lot to work with here, guys. Have at it.

From the Blogosphere: McHorny hearts Ron Paul

2008-01-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

From CopperheadNC at the Paulenteer:

I was at a meeting of the Gaston County GOP executive committee last night, and Patrick McHenry decided to pop in and give an impromptu speech. I had previously only known him as the one guy to have an earmark challenged and actually shot down in the House, and otherwise didn’t follow his career very closely.

During his speech, he started talking about the excitement of the nomination process this year, and went through all the normal spiel about the “Top tier” candidates … pretty much what I expected to hear. Then, out of nowhere, he started talking about Ron Paul, and he blew me away.

I wish I had recorded the speech, because it would have gone great on the acclaim page at RP’s site, but the gist of it was that Ron Paul stands for what Republicans SHOULD stand for. He noted that many Republicans feel that the RP movement is an invasion by libertarians, but that they are incorrect, and that we are helping to bring the party back to where it ought to be. I was hoping for an endorsement, which didn’t come, but it is obvious that he really has a lot of respect for Dr. Paul and the revolution!

Considering we don’t have a single endorsement from Congress, I wanted to share this with the board. Looks like we have a friend in Patrick McHenry!

Or at least he wanted these people to think he endorses libertarian ideas while he continues to act without ethics or morals. Anyone else know about this Gaston County meeting?

Meanwhile, at the MLB hearings:

Is anyone watching ESPN and this inquaire by congress? The questions and smugness of the senators makes me sick. This little J/O from NC Patrick Mchenry [sic] is on such a power trip. Its hard to explain it but one thing he keeps bringing up is "change for the children" or "kids look up to these players, set examples" blah blah blah.

My responses would have been something like "clean your own messes: or " you got some balls telling us to think of the children, what about all the lying, stealing and corruption going on in Govt"

this is suck a waste of time and money. Parents be the role model and teach your kids right from wrong. Tell them is Clemens is doing juice that doesn't make it right.

So, McHorny continues to stand on some kind of high ethical horse as he behaves in completely unethical ways. I wonder what else he's trying to hide, particularly from the "top tier" candidates. Like his underhanded financial dealings or his love of bahavior no one would consider Christian or conservative . . .

10th district leaders with Edwards in New Hampshire

2008-01-09T01:16:00.000-05:00

At an historic mill in downtown Manchester, former Cleveland County Chair Betsy Wells and former District Chair Judy Gilbert greet their former Senator.

Johnson hires campaign manager

2008-01-07T09:40:00.002-05:00

And announces that he and his wife are expecting a baby.

Cool stuff, huh? Gonna be hard for Pat to top that one.

And I see no information on Daniel Johnson's website but this is what the Informer had to say about the nameless campaign manager.

Daniel Johnson, the Democratic candidate for the 10th District congressional seat, has employed a campaign manager. She is a producer for MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” and the wife of his roommate while at UNC law school.
Johnson’s support is encouraging. He has raised over $100,000 and has rented a home in Hickory. His first child is due June 21—right in the midst of the campaign. Johnson will give his campaign his fulltime attention.

Lance attacks Pat for his "improper Influence"

2008-01-05T23:53:00.000-05:00

The Hickory Record delineates Republican Congressional candidates Lance Sigmon's take on our Pat:

“We need a representative in Congress who will vote ‘right’ on the issues for our people, not for special interest lobbyists from outside the district,” Sigmon said during a 5-minute speech outside the 1924 Courthouse.

Wow Pat. Lance thinks you don't vote right. I'm pretty sure you're not voting center or left. Could it be that you're voting for personal and corporate interests? That's waht Lance seems to be saying. And check out the next 'graph"

Sigmon, 49, challenged McHenry to refrain from accepting political action committee money from groups outside the district that are trying to improperly influence elected officials.

Ouch number two. Yup. He's saying you are accepting money for "improper" influence. Do the facts fit. Hmmm. Me thinks they do.

Sigmon also drew distinctions with McHenry’s work experience and private life. Whereas Sigmon said the congressman had never worked outside the political arena, Sigmon said he worked in a variety of jobs growing up and was raised in a working-class family. And while Sigmon is married with a family, McHenry is single.

Ooops. Pat. Well, we know you lie about being a small businessman and a realtor. But Lance goes a little bit father. He's saying, you're single. I don't think he means you just haven't found the 'right woman.' I think he means something more significant to your conservative supporters. This really doesn't look good.

I wonder what you'll do to respond to these personal attacks. Can't wait to hear more whining.

And does Lance know more than we've already reported? Do his professional researchers know why you hid the land you own in Lincoln County against Congressional reporting rules. Does he know why you hid your Hickory condo after attacking Democrats for not wanting to report their second homes?

What are you hiding, dear Pat? I bet Lance Sigmon knows.

Lance as in boil?

2008-01-04T14:34:00.000-05:00

Jerry Williamson at Watauga Watch has some fun with McHorny's recently announced opposition, Lance Sigmon:

Did you say Lance? Like in "open an incision, lance a boil"?

The boil in question, incumbent Congressman Patrick McHenry, will have to be spending some of that million dollars he's amassed to fight off this primary challenger, and if he can fight off that challenger (not a foregone conclusion, by any means), he'll still be facing this other ex-military challenger in November. All in all, 2008 is shaping up as a rough row for McHenry to hoe.

Curious ... that Lance Sigmon's web site does not contain the word 'Republican' anywhere, though reading through his issues will give you a good case of that dependable conservative Republican vertigo. Lotsa God, lotsa lowering of taxes, lotsa missionary positioning with one woman and one man in Holy Matrimony.

And thereby, naturally, comes the subtle attack on McHenry, plus these carefully chosen words on Sigmon's homepage: "There is no room for unethical behavior or advancement of self-interests." Oh snap!

Thanks to Max the Dog at BlueNC who noted Jerry's comments.

Sigmon announces McHorny takedown

2008-01-02T11:36:00.000-05:00

Of course, I'm not on his mailing list so here's the poop from a Norman paper:

Declaring a frustration with scandals in both parties, and a mission to restore the ethics and honesty voters deserve in government, Newton attorney and retired U.S. Air Force officer Lance B. Sigmon today formally announced his candidacy to face 10th District Congressman Patrick McHenry in the May 6, 2008, Republican primary election for Congress.

It is Sigmon's first attempt at public office, which he described as a positive for voters who are disgusted with politicians in general and the 'epidemic' of ethics scandals. I'll just try to do the best I can for our people in the district, and be honest with them at every turn, without self-promotion or looking for personal advancement, Sigmon said.

McHorny's $3.25 mil haul belies his anti-earmark "crusade"

2007-12-20T13:32:00.001-05:00

Two earmarks for $3.25 million.

That's what Pat McHorny wrote letters asking for this year while promoting himself as an anti-earmark crusader on the House floor:

"We need to lay clear these earmarks . . . so the American people can judge the worthiness of the programs and the money allocated to them."

And now he's saying he won't ever ask for an earmark, starting next year.

From the Winston Salem Journal:

This year Sen. Patrick McHenry, R-10th, has emerged as one of Congress’ most outspoken critics of earmarks. He also has pledged, starting next year, not to seek earmarks for new projects unless they had been authorized - but not yet paid for - by Congress

Click here to see his April letter for a $2,250,000 grant to a company called Mariner Containers in Granite Falls, NC. They are supposed to be making "Smart Containers" but so far they haven't made anything smarter than a plastic septic tank. I wonder what other companies would have liked to bid for this project? And would they have done the work better or cheaper?

Click here for his request for $1,000,000 to go to a Valdese, NC subsidiary of a French Corporation called Saft, which already had a $31 million contract to provide batteries to the US military. They hardly need a $1 million rebate. And the profit from this essentially no-bid contract goes to some wealthy Frenchmen? I'm sure 10th District constituents can appreciate that irony.

Yeah, Pat, it's obvious you are a true crusader against earmarks.

From the Winston Salem Journal, these are some other North Carolina earmarks:

❑ $1 million for “alternatives to transplantation” research at Wake Forest.

❑ $100,000 for “technology for rural schools.”

❑ $150,000 for electronic medical records at Alleghany Memorial Hospital.

❑ $500,000 for sewage and water infrastructure in Mount Airy.

❑ $376,000 for high-tech equipment for the Winston-Salem Police Department.

❑ $300,000 for biofuel research at Appalachian State University.

[Note that no traditional press has reported either of McHorny's earmarks.]

From The Crypt at polico.com in July when he was asked about a $129,000 Christmas Tree earmark that even fellow Republicans voted against.

"Look, the important thing is transparency and openness," McHenry said when asked about the earmark, which he confirmed that he had inserted into the bill. "I have never been opposed to directed spending."

McHenry added: "I just think that it's critical for members to know what they are voting on when a [spending] bill comes to the floor."

Now, Pat, I have to say you're right. Not knowing what is being voted on is a bad thing.

So we don't know why these two companies you like so much had to avoid the normal Pentagon procurement process. Is there some reason they otherwise wouldn't have gotten these contracts? Are there other American companies who would have done the work for less, or sooner or of a better quality? If not, why the end-around? Why the secrecy? You were right, Pat, that transparency is important. That would seem even more significant in regard to defense contracts where lives could be at stake.

And now the American people are left to wonder what are you hiding about your connection to these companies that inspired you to procure them millions in secret?

Crossposted at BlueNC and Scrutiny Hooligans. h/t Greg Flynn

UPDATE: It was announced as a grant in November on some kind of business community website called SwampFox where I can't access the author's profile . . . but the Sunlight Foundation lists it as an earmark so it did not go through the defense appropriations process like the SwampFox author, Jim Roberts, wants us to believe.

Apparently, the feds have basically funded this entire company from day one. This is from the Hickory Record a few years ago (I think)

After an uncertain year, a start-up business in Caldwell County has gained forward momentum courtesy of the US government.

The Department of Homeland Security's Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Granite Falls-based Mariner Container Corporation a $100,000 grant for the development of a "smart" container system. The Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant is funding a feasibility study of Mariner's proposal to build high-tech, largely recyclable shipping containers that could be used for military and commercial purposes.

A Phase II grant, if awarded, will provide Mariner with up to $750,000 for the development of a prototype. Phase III is commercial application of the research and development, and in Mariner's case would likely include contracts with the Department of Defense and/or the Department of Homeland Security, said Mariner founder Rick Lampe. If Mariner gets to the third phase, it could also mean hundreds of new manufacturing jobs for the area.

Still no explanation why they can't go through the regular procurement process and why these people get to start a company on federal dollar.

You're hiding something, dear Patty.

McHorny PR piece backfires

2007-12-18T16:55:00.000-05:00

Every time Pat has some bad press, say that his popularity is plummeting, our Pat McHorny has a great record of getting some major publications to print cutesy puff pieces about how he really isn't a nasty hypocrite (say, over earmarks) or really isn't all that connected to his staffer's voter fraud or that didn't have anything to do with the half dozen irregularities in his financial disclosures.

Insiders say his recent popularity plummet coincides with the publication of information to back the previous rumors that Pat is not, shall we say, living his life with the family values of his campaign rhetoric. So, we shouldn't be all that surprised that The Hill stepped up to the media-whore-for-Republicans plate by printing this nauseating crap about House Cloak Room rumors of a girlfriend.

But really, folks, they must be getting pretty damn desperate. His potential fiance, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, just reminded everyone of what a lightweight he is:

“There’s a slight problem. He’s much, much younger than me. He’s 32, no? And I’m in my 50s. He’s a sweet man. I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think it was boredom in the Cloak Room.”

Like anyone believes he's sweet! That's rich. Or maybe she thinks his lame attempts to attack Barney Frank and others on the House floor are more like a puppy dog trying to be a pit bull and failing miserably.

And over at BlogActive, Mike Rogers probably got more hits reminding readers of the relevant evidence that he's not all that interested, at least not in an evangelically approved marriage.

I wonder if Representative Fallin knows that Pat owned a house in DC with another man... I also wonder if she knew his North Carolina home was a hostel for young men...

Oops. That puff piece kind of backfired, eh, Pat?

Jesus' General outs our Pat

2007-12-18T00:07:00.001-05:00

If you've never met the General, then you're in for a treat. And what a better place to start than his recent post that mentions our Pat along with "Heckuva Job" Brownie, Scooter "Pardoned Traitor" Libby and other well-known, unlikeable, and deviant Republicans like David Vitter and Rush Limbaugh.

Perfect for the job
Condi Rice's choice of Manuel Miranda to serve as Director of the Office of Legislative Statecraft at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq was absolutely inspired. Who better to teach Iraq's fledgling legislators the principles of democracy than the man, who while serving as a top Republican aid, hacked into the Senate Democratic Caucuses computers and stole over 4000 sensitive documents?

But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Our Leader and his minions seem almost infallible when it comes to picking the perfect person for for any given job. The choices of Bernie Karik to serve as Interim Minister of Interior of Iraq and Hans von Spakovsky to run the FEC were just as insired as the Miranda pick.

I wonder what other great picks Our Leader and the gang have in store for us. It might be fun for us to do a few predictions. I'll list mine below and you can add to them in the comments.

Duke Cunningham to head the Pentagon's Office of Procurement.

James Inhofe as Chairmain of the President's Council on Science.

Michael "Heck of a Job" Brown to run FEMA (again)

David Vitter as Director of the Office of Abstinence Education.

Rush Limbaugh to run the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Scooter Libby to serve as the CIA's Deputy Director for Counterintelligence.

Patrick McHenry to chair the Presidents Council on Marriage.

Gee, I wonder what the General finds so hypocritical about McHorny and marriage?????

And since I've copied the General's entire post here, I think it's only fair that I direct you to some of his other posts (and encourage you to donate).

Here's a few of my favorites:

The General on Mitt Romney's teary piety.

On Manly men and family values. On Censorship.

Keeter DUI postponed to February

2007-12-17T01:05:00.000-05:00

Giving me more opportunities to post this lovely photo.

McHenry Deputy District Director Brett Keeter blew a point one three on Labor Day weekend and twice his court date has been rescheduled.

Mark your calendars for February 5, 2008, morning session. Room 3B.

Arraigned Offenses for Case Number: 2007014558 CR
Arraigned Defendant Name: KEETER, JAMES, BRETT
County: GASTON
Court Date: 02/05/2008
Session: AM
Court Room: 003B

Offense Code Description Statute
5405 Traffic DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED 20-138.1
4477 Infraction FAIL TO DIM HEADLAMPS 20-181
9955 Traffic CIVIL REVOCATION DR LIC (30) 20-16.5

Pat's popularity plummeting

2007-12-13T11:12:00.000-05:00

From Public Policy Polling: An eight-point drop since August, head-to-head Patrick McHenry vs Daniel Johnson went from McHenry up 47-32 in August to 39-32 now.

McHenry's approval rating went from 53 to 43 against Johnson's steady 32.

McHenry's reelect numbers against Johnson went from 55/34 to 45/36.

Bottom line: McHenry's popularity is falling. Daniel Johnson's in good position to take the seat even before people know anything about him.

Support Daniel Johnson for Congress here.

Donate through ActBlue.

PPP's press release:

New Poll Shows McHenry’s Popularity Sliding
Raleigh, N.C. – A new survey by Public Policy Polling shows Democratic challenger Daniel Johnson within striking district of incumbent Patrick McHenry in North Carolina’s 10th District.

When respondents were given a description of Johnson, McHenry led him by a margin of only 39-32%. It is highly unusual for an incumbent to poll below 40%, particularly for a Republican congressman in a district as historically GOP leaning as the North Carolina 10th.

The poll also showed McHenry’s approval rating plummeting from a Public Policy Polling survey performed on behalf of the North Carolina Democratic Party in August. His approval is down to 43% in this week’s poll after registering at 53% in the August poll.

Additionally, while 55% of respondents to the August poll said they would vote to reelect McHenry only 45% of those surveyed this week said they would. “It’s clear that voters in the 10th Congressional District are having their doubts about Patrick McHenry,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Daniel Johnson could be an extremely strong challenger next fall if he can effectively capitalize on the ambivalence that many folks in his district are having about Patrick McHenry,” said Debnam.

PPP surveyed 779 likely 10th District general election voters on December 11th. The survey has a margin of error of ± 3.5%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

Complete poll can be found at publicpolicypolling.com.

McHenry, McHorny or . . . McMEANY

2007-12-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

Pat wants blacks to serve longer sentences than whites. That was the reason for the recent US Supreme Court's decision to allow judges not to follow the drug sentencing guidelines. And it's the same reason for the US Sentencing Commission's decision to allow those convicted on crack cocaine (who on average received 50 percent longer sentences than those convincted with powder) to be released early.

Like a crack user is more dangerous than a rapist? They were two good decisions. But Pat doesn't understand much about life or he doesn't care if he loses the black voter. Or the compassionate voter. Or the intelligent voter.

And he seems to think that judges are so stupid that because of this ruling they will all of a sudden allow violent criminals out on the streets of WNC.

"Yesterday, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s decision to give retroactive leniency to convicted crack cocaine abusers and dealers.....

'The bottom line is this decision will let over 500 convicted criminals loose on the streets of Western North Carolina, and, frankly, that is unacceptable,' said Congressman McHenry. 'The Commission’s decision defies basic common sense, and poses a serious threat to public safety.' "

Here's what one law professor had to say:

I suppose, were this congressman to get a guest spot on Grey's Anatomy, he might get the moniker "McMeany."

My "basic common sense" tells me that the federal judges in North Carolina and nationwide will, as the USSC urges, give special attention to public safety issues before letting too many dangerous criminals loose on the streets.

More broadly, this visceral reaction to crack retroactivity spotlights the serious possibility that some members of Congress might make a serious effort to undo the USSC's work yesterday before it becomes effective in March 2008.

McHenry arranges secret Blackwater meeting

2007-12-06T11:18:00.001-05:00

This is an Republican Study Committee email informing Congressmen of a private Hill meeting with Blackwater CEO Erik Prince from The Politico:

"As you may know, Mr. Erik Prince, founder and CEO of Blackwater USA testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in October. His company has been under intense scrutiny by Congress, government agencies, and the media regarding contracts and actions in Iraq. Not only has Mr. Prince personally been targeted by partisan warfare repeatedly over the past months, but the use of contracting throughout the government has been under attack by Congress.

Here's speculation from Cliff Schecter:

Weirdness. This came from The Hill website, but before I could link it, the link disappeared.

Here's more that Schecter had lifted from The Hill before the link vanished:

The event appears to be exclusive.

The Republican Study Committee, specifically McHenry, Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), initiated this special meeting because "some of our members thought it would be good to be exposed directly to the issues involving Blackwater instead of reading about them second- and third-hand in the newspaper," said a GOP aide.

The aide added that Prince would fly into Washington specifically for this meeting.

From the quoted Hill paragraphs Schecter posted, McHenry has already been identified. It's easy to get the impression he was the main instigator.

What's going on with you and Blackwater, Pat? Something you didn't want us to know?

Allran has primary challenger

2007-12-05T11:04:00.000-05:00

Catawba's State Senator Austin Allran attracts competition like blood in the water attracts sharks. They sense his weakness. After all, there's no need to do opposition research. No one has to make the effort to attack him. They just have to remind people that he's the reason the roads they travel every day are so damn bad.

From the Hickory Record:

Catawba County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Kitty Barnes said she will challenge N.C. Sen. Austin Allran in the May Republican primary. Allran’s district comprises all of Catawba County and a northern section of Iredell County. . . . Barnes is past president of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. She also served on the Catawba County Board of Education from 1986 to 1998.

Here's a little insight into Catawba Republican politics:

Other Republicans also described the decision as unexpected.

N.C. Rep. Mark Hilton believes the race will add to the bitterness within the party still lingering from the 2004 congressional race between Patrick McHenry and Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman.

“This is not helping when you’ve got an incumbent in Allran being challenged by another elected official. It can’t help the current situation. I think this will further divide our party,” Hilton said.

One of Barnes’ fellow commissioners, Barbara Beatty, didn’t know of the move until a phone call Tuesday.

“It will certainly be an interesting race,” she said.

Someone's in for a sad moment. Except for a judicial election Allran lost in 1978, neither Barnes nor Allran has lost an election before or since.

Christmas with Pat and George

2007-12-03T11:16:00.000-05:00

From CharO:

A new holiday tradition
Rep. Patrick McHenry is planning his "first annual" Christmas dinner.The Dec. 17 fundraiser at the Holiday Inn Select in Hickory costs $100 per couple. To attend a private reception beforehand with former Gov. Jim Martin, "patrons" pay $250 per couple, "sponsors" pay $500 per couple, and "hosts" pay $1,000 per couple.
N.C. musicians play White House
Jeff Perks has played piano while folks have prayed, dined and cruised.
Now the Denver, N.C., resident gets to show his talent for guests strolling through the White House.
Perks is one of the musical entertainers selected to perform at a series of receptions hosted by President Bush and first lady Laura Bush.
Perks is scheduled to play Dec. 19-20 at two holiday open houses for invited guests.
He describes his songs as "elegant dinner type music."
Perks got a piano performance degree at the University of South Carolina and lived in Charlotte between 1991 and 2002 while playing at venues such as the Providence Baptist Church and the now-closed Bravo restaurant.
He left for four years to play on Carnival Cruise Lines ships.
Back in the area for the last year and a half, he can be heard at Denver United Methodist Church, the East Lincoln Community Chorus, and the Speedway Club at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He also teaches piano to children and adults and has seven CDs.
Perks, 45, says he played his first wedding when he was 13, and he got the White House gig through a more recent matrimonial event. An assistant to Laura Bush was singing at a wedding where he was the accompanist.
"I'll be playing holiday favorites," he said. "They said you can play anything you want as long as it is all holiday music."
On tap are classics like "Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Perks isn't the only Carolinian on the White House list of entertainers.
The 4 Bows String Quartet from Mooresville was scheduled to play Saturday. Others on tap include the Sherwood Forest Elementary Songsters from Winston-Salem on Tuesday,
Angela Ballard and Charlie Tipton from Iron Station on Saturday, the UNC Asheville Chamber Singers on Dec. 19, and 4 For One from Lincolnton on Dec. 21.

Crack in Pat's patina of invulnerability

2007-11-29T11:36:00.000-05:00

Even the traditional "mainstream" media is beginning to catch on.

This in CharO this morning:

The 10th District isn't one that national Democrats normally would spend energy on, but Rep. Patrick McHenry of Cherryville gives them optimism.

McHenry has been controversial at home since he won a Republican primary runoff in 2004 and in Washington for his role attacking the Democrats.

"You've got somebody who is just too strident," says Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

He has high hopes for the candidacy of Daniel Johnson of Hickory, a lawyer and Navy veteran.

McHenry could face a primary as well, from lawyer Lance Sigmon of Newton, a longtime military officer.

It's too soon to say if Sigmon will have any luck raising money or if Johnson is capable of flipping voters who carry Republican registration cards.

McHenry says he's working to bring "conservative change" to Washington and stands by his record of advocacy for the district.

And this from the Greensboro News-Record a few days ago:

McHenry has a credible challenger . .

Lots of good stuff like this:

My mom lives in Hickory and voted for Republican Patrick McHenry in his first run for Congress in 2004.

But now she's very interested in the candidacy of Democrat Daniel Johnson, a 31-year-old Hickory native and military hero.

And this:

There's no Asheville in the 10th District, where the largest "city" is Hickory, so any Democrat with a prayer of winning has got to be fairly conservative.

But then, Johnson's military story is compelling. The fact that he's been a prosecutor also helps. He's the son of a Presbyterian minister and a high school teacher, also to the good.

His youth and political inexperience are only slight problems. McHenry was only 29, with a single term in the state House of Representatives under his belt, when he was elected to Congress in 2004. That makes him 32 now.

And then the author, editorial writer Doug Clark, struck some uncharacteristic traditional media hits:

. . . [McHenry's] made his reputation as an attack dog for Republicans, which has turned off some of his constituents -- my mom, for one. At the same time, he's been active in pushing for benefits for his district, like a VA outpatient clinic in Hickory and drought relief for farmers.

I can't predict how this congressional race will shape up, but it looks like Democrats have a candidate in Daniel Johnson with proven courage and character. If he doesn't align himself with his party's Nancy Pelosi wing, the 10th District's moderate voters, like my mom, will give him a very close look.

Pat dumps on Republicans

2007-11-28T16:33:00.000-05:00

Almost as if he isn't one. No suggestions on how to fix the problems but, "please, please, please, reelect me because I'm being honest." Kind of. Even an out-of-state retiree (who clearly knows very little about you) could see through your bullshit, Pat.

In the CharO by Walker Lundy:

When he speaks in Mooresville instead of Congress, Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry sounds like he doesn't think much of Congress or Republicans. "Republicans were at the trough" when they held the majority in Congress, he said. "They had power for the sake of power."
He said, for example, that the Department of Education under President Bush has doubled in size and its average bureaucrat now makes $90,000 a year. "There are so many duplicate programs (in the federal government), it's crazy."
"After being in the majority for 12 years, they (the Republicans) were fat and happy," he said. "The American people realized it and threw them out."
Wow! Even Republicans are running against the Republican Party these days.
It made me wonder if aliens had invaded the body of this normally rock-ribbed conservative Republican.

Go read the whole piece but here's some more for when the link dies:

When he spoke to us, he wore the standard conservative blue blazer, blue shirt and wine-colored tie. At his age, he looked more like an insurance salesman than a member of Congress.

He didn't come across as the rabid partisan that is his reputation. Instead, he was funny, charming and down to earth. After an hour's give-and-take, I found I liked him personally, even though we probably wouldn't agree on which hymn to sing in church.

McHenry answered many of our questions by lambasting his congressional colleagues, but he ducked or fumbled a few of the big issues of the day, such as health insurance and Iraq.

Example: Someone asked about some friends who could not afford their prescription drugs. Why couldn't they buy them cheaper from Canada, she asked. McHenry said it was a trade and safety issue.

"You don't want jobs to go overseas, but you want to go overseas to buy products," he pointed out. He did not mention that, according to the Washington Post, China already manufactures $675 million worth of prescription drugs sold in America.

Another example: I asked if he thinks democracy will survive long-term in Iraq. McHenry said he has no opinion, which is perhaps honest but unhelpful. If you don't think the Iraqi people are capable of keeping a democracy after we leave, what is the point of even one more American dying there?

McHenry said he thought people were willing to give President Bush the benefit of the doubt until Katrina. Then they saw governmental "incompetence," and Bush's poll numbers began to plummet.

Back to criticizing Congress, McHenry joked that his colleagues had introduced 46 different bills to change the names of local post offices and federal buildings. He did not mention he rose in the House recently in praise of the Overmountain Jamboree and Barbecue Cook-Off in Burke County.

Traditional media pimps for our scandal-ridden Pat

2007-11-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

The Washington Post, the Hill, and the Charlotte Observer's McClatchy DC correspondent appear to be in the business of providing crisis management PR services for embattled incumbent Pat McHenry.

I've only been covering the Republican hatchet man since February and already there on three occasions, major publications have done (apparently) for free what PR crisis specialists would charge tens or even hundreds of thousands to accomplish.

In May, when McHenry staffer and housemate Michael Aaron Lay was indicted for voter fraud (by the Republican District Attorney who had donated to McHenry's campaign), the Charlotte Observer's DC McClatchy correspondent wrote a long complimentary piece quoting numerous McHenry allies spewing his trumped-up defense that the felony indictment was a political attack. She listed not one fact to back this McHenry revision of reality. She did not quote one detractor from the district (Republican or Democrat) or even try to contact the DA McHenry's donors slandered.

This summer, when McHenry was massacred on the House floor for two weeks of his typical obstructionist hypocrisy (this time on earmarks), the Washington Post took up his defense. The Sleuth wrote an extremely nauseating puff piece about his youth and dating preferences concurrent with a completely inaccurate attack on all Democrats by Bob Novak who somehow managed to elevate McHenry's hypocrisy to saintly martyrdom.

This fall, when McHenry was under fire for his endless financial improprieties by the subscription-only Roll Call, The Hill wrote about the youth and inexperience of his new staff members with no mention of why his experienced and over 25 staffers might be leaving en masse. Or why the guy many refer to as McHorny prefers them so young.

Here's more:

Lisa Zagaroli's long love epistle in the Charlotte Observer covered everything from her professional opinion of his manners to a series of defensive attacks from his local and DC allies. According to the only district sources Lisa bothered to talk to, the entire indictment was a political attack. She didn't mention that the prosecutor had donated to his campaign and no affiliation to his primary opponent.

Zagaroli quotes no McHenry detractors (Republican or Democratic) from North Carolina. Not one. In the entire piece the only negative quote comes from Barney Frank, someone who would obviously not get much respect in the working class conservative district McHenry represents.

Check out these beauts, the first in her own assessment:

Dependably polite -- he opens doors, greets the U.S. Capitol police officers, hugs his waitress . . .

Apparently, she hadn't seen all the nasty clips on YouTube from the House floor where he interrupts fellow Congressman, calls Democrats cheaters. I guess from DC she can't get free to bop down to North Carolina and watch him interrupt and savage constituents when they ask questions he doesn't want to answer. I wonder if she used talking points from McHenry's communications director when to come up with the word "dependable" to modify the lie, "polite."

And this is what she chose to write the twerp say about himself. I think criminals should memorize this for use the next time they're investigated by the police:

"I had to grab for my food against my older brothers and sisters," the Cherryville Republican says laughing. "It's a natural part of my personality and upbringing. Get in there and fight for what you believe in."

And this is from neighboring Republican Congressman Robin Hayes:

Big Mac. He's got lots of spunk. He raises issues that need to be raised. He will defend his position enthusiastically, but with proper decorum and dignity.

The only question that remains is whether she's paid separately for this crap or is it part of her job description.

Of course, we could ask the same question of the Mary Ann Akers (the Sleuth) at WaPo. Her even more egregious ET-like interview came right when McHenry had finally gotten a long-overdue comeuppance by the entire House of Representatives.

After a two-week extended classic House floor performance piece, even Republicans had had enough of his ranting and obstructionism. The subject: transparency in earmarks. The hypocrisy for Democrats: McHenry's two-week rant neglected to mention that the earmark scandal had reached epoch proportions under the last 6 years or Republican hegemony. The hypocrisy even Republicans couldn't ignore: McHenry was hiding his own $129,000 grant to a Christmas Tree store in Spruce Pine, NC. So it was one of the few earmarks ever voted down, 249 to 174.

But the Sleuth didn't bother to mention it. Here's what she did mention:

. . . [McHenry] has also gotten buckets of praise and support from his elder fellow conservatives.

When he's not throwing bombs on the House floor, McHenry, 31, is anything but snarly. In a chat with the Sleuth in his office, the self-deprecating and mischievous McHenry talked to us about his role as floor warrior and baby of the House and his thankfulness for prematurely graying hair. And he reluctantly answered a question about what he's looking for in the wife he hasn't found yet.

"Buckets of praise?" Is that some kind of professional measurement that non-reporters never learn about?

And check out the wife question. Again, one sees the imprint of a communications director controlling the course of an interview. It seems unlikely that she came up with that line of questioning all on her own. In fact, it's completely absurd. Not only did Akers ignore the rampant rumors of his sexuality from well-known DC blogs like Wonkette and BlogActive and DownWithTyranny, she fed right into McHenry's phony cover.

And her article was part of a one-two punch that day. Columnist and traitor Bob Novak called McHenry a martyr elsewhere in the Post that day over the loss of that local earmark, one would suppose, in the cause of some phony perverted version of conservativism.

This is how the Center for American Progress characterized the Republican earmark PR effort:

The great conservative spin machine that stretches from the White House Press Room across the various right-wing think tanks to Fox News and dozens of conservative columnists and talk show hosts has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments over the years. But none of the efforts by this vast echo chamber is more impressive than the recent attempt to reshape the Bush White House and their allies in Congress as opponents of the practice of placing earmarks in federal spending legislation.

So, printing Novak's commentary in addition to the Sleuth's basically confirms WaPo as a PR machine for that entire Republican two-week lie:

A conservative firebrand, McHenry had immobilized the House and humiliated the Democrats by leading GOP parliamentary maneuvers to force transparency regarding earmarks, previously hidden by both parties.

The Sleuth not only failed to mention that concurrent earmark humiliation, she drooled over him with conversations like this:

Sleuth: Do you have time for dating? What's it like being a 31-year-old single guy in the House?

McHenry: [Laughter] I try to make time for that. It's just difficult with the schedule and everything else. I'm, uh, just trying to, I'm still trying to find the right girl. And I think in all due time it'll work out.

Sleuth: And is there a certain set of criteria you're looking for?

McHenry: Sure.

Sleuth: What is it?

McHenry: A number of things. [Laughter]

Sleuth: Just give me a little example. Does she have to like NASCAR? I hear you're a big NASCAR fan.

McHenry: Well, look, half the NASCAR teams are in my district. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a constituent. Dale Jarrett. So I don't know, you don't really have a litmus test on that. I think when you meet the right girl, you know. At least that's what all my friends tell me.

Was Akers aware of the controversy and her part in the PR coverup? If she wasn't, she should have been. Fire her for incompetence or reveal her supplemental income source.

The most recent case of puff piece coverage when scandal erupts came after Roll Call gave McHenry a well-deserved slapdown for his numerous financial irregularities.

When I saw that The Hill had done an article, I figured they were doing some kind of follow-up, right? Hah. No, The Hill posted an embarrassingly naive piece over how he's recently hired a whole new staff of young people who have little experience.

No mention why his previous staff might have left his scandal-ridden incumbency. They apparently didn't notice that as a southerner it's kind of odd to hire people from Massachusetts and Arizona. I bet the unemployed from his district would find that interesting. But then to talk about how hard it is for him to find staff, they would have to mention that no one with any experience or intelligence would want his name on their resume. So, of course he had to go to the far corners of the country to find some naive evangelicals who will most likely abandon him after the first sex party.

In the wake of last month’s office shake-up, four young aides assumed new positions on Rep. Patrick McHenry’s (R-N.C.) Capitol Hill team.

And one can't help but notice that Pat prefers them under 25. I'm sure no one in the traditional or "mainstream" media wants to touch that with a ten-foot pole . . . or even a keyboard.

Will the 10th's Republican primary take it's cue from SC?

2007-11-25T02:39:00.001-05:00

Is this what we have to look forward to? McHenry's surrounds himself with people who use the same dirty tactics as the Atwater types referred to in this New Republic article.

Go read the whole piece for a good overview of how the Republican party operates at a national level. Remember the last Republican primary? McHenry never stopped the lying and dirty tricks. This spring, politics in the 10th District could be a blood sport if Lance Sigmon announces.

The dirty work of South Carolina politics is conducted by a small crew of operatives who studied at Atwater's elbow. "All of us in this state directly or indirectly trained under him," says Rod Shealy, a veteran GOP consultant not aligned with any campaign. Atwater instilled in his followers a sense of politics as a game with no rules -- one in which treachery was a virtue and not a vice. "People here wear dirty tricks like a badge of honor," says Ragley. They are an irascible lot, often rumpled and wearing garb like Hawaiian shirts and safari hats. "They're really unkempt and eccentric - not like Charleston white boys in boat shoes and bow ties," says one local Democrat. South Carolina operatives tend to congregate in joints with names like the Lizard's Thicket and the Back Porch (co-owned by the son of McCain's consultant Richard Quinn, in fact). Many also have sketchy histories. Shealy himself was once convicted of violating campaign laws after he convinced a black man facing felony charges to join a statewide campaign; the plan was to drive up white voter turnout in favor of Shealy's sister, who was a candidate. Quinn has his association with Southern Partisan. And, to some, the recent anonymous e-mails about Romney recalled a 2002 incident involving Quinn's employee, Trey Walker, John McCain's state campaign manager, who was caught sending an unflattering article about a local candidate from an e-mail address meant to seem like it belonged to Shealy. So goes the internecine world of South Carolina politics.

Here's some more tidbits:

Shortly before a Republican presidential primary debate in Columbia, South Carolina, this last May, several conservative activists in the state received mysterious envelopes in the mail. The letters arrived anonymously, each one containing an eight-page document, a typewritten manifesto with a pseudo-academic title: "Mormons in Contemporary American Society: A Politically Dangerous Religion?" The letters depicted Mormonism as based on "hoaxes" and ridiculed the church's founder, Joseph Smith, as a "gold digger turned prophet." The mailing also provocatively dubbed Smith "the Mohammed of the West." "Like the prophet of Islam," it said, "Smith founded his religion upon prophecies and revelations which commanded him to become a polygamist and warlord. Many centuries apart, these two men became the focal point of large religions that blurred the lines between religion, war, domestic life and politics." The letters also suggested that Mormons take direct orders from church leaders. They didn't have to name him to make it clear whom they were targeting: Republican presidential candidate - and devout Mormon - Mitt Romney.

This being South Carolina, the Romney camp assumed a rival campaign had sent the letter. After all, this wasn't the first subterranean attack on their candidate. Just before a March GOP straw poll in Spartanburg, someone using the e-mail address upstaterepublican@gmail.com mass-mailed a missive titled, "Mitt Romney has a family secret he doesn't want you to know." "Those dark suspicions you hide deep inside yourself about Mormonism are trying to tell you something, " it read. "Trust your instincts! ... The light of truth will burn through the smoke and mirrors of Mitt Romney's movie star looks and crafty words!" The e-mails arrived around the same time as another anonymous letter, a six-page diatribe titled "Mitt Romney: Say anything to get elected," which ripped the former Massachusetts governor for his positions on abortion, gun control, and "conservative values."

Romney is hardly the innocent victim, though. In September, just as Fred Thompson was preparing to enter the Republican presidential field, PhoneyFred.org appeared. The website was equal parts sophomoric parody and character assassination. Its home page featured an absurd image of Thompson in a period costume with a frilly scarf and gilded jacket (presumably from an acting role). Another photograph featured a grinning shot of the Tennessean surrounded, via Photoshop, by several women to whom he's been romantically linked. The site directed viewers to dirt on Thompson via links with such titles as HOLLYWOOD FRED, WASHINGTON FRED, TRIAL LAWYER FRED, MORON FRED, and PLAYBOY FRED. "[W]e figured it was about time that we did a little research into what Fred Thompson (not Arthur Branch) really stands for," explained a welcome message on the site, referring to the character Thompson plays on "Law & Order." But The Washington Post did a little research, too, and traced the site to the consulting firm of Warren Tompkins, perhaps the top political operative in South Carolina - and a consultant to the Romney campaign.

This is just a small sample of the kind of stuff McHenry did to David Huffman in 04, to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign when McHenry worked for Karl Rove, and what McHenry did to get his friend, Glenn Murphy elected as head of College Republicans. (Remember Glenn Murphy? He's the guy who gives unwanted blowjobs to sleeping visitors. He'd done it before McHenry tried to strong arm his election and he did it afterwards, too, and had to resign.)

BushCo judges protecting corrupt types like our Pat

2007-11-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

Down With Tyranny has noted that BushCo has stacked the courts so effectively that his appointees are gutting the system that could have brought down future corruption.

From the Washington Post:

A little-noticed aspect of an appellate court decision could sharply limit investigations of members of Congress and hamper ongoing corruption probes, the Justice Department said this week in a motion seeking an emergency stay of the ruling.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was handed down in August in the case of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), but its effects complicate other investigations, including those stemming from the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. Justice Department lawyers said in their motion that the appellate ruling represents an "unprecedented expansion" of the "speech or debate" clause of the Constitution, which was intended to protect legislators from intimidation under civil or criminal law. They said the decision calls into question the legality of investigative tools such as wiretapping, searches of home offices and voluntary interviews of congressional staffers.

All those methods have been employed by the department in ongoing investigations of current and former members of Congress, many of them over dealings with Abramoff.

So, Pat, during all your attacks on Dems over earmark transparency you were hiding your own Christmas tree earmark. Then we find out from our FEC files that during all your rants about Democrats wanting to hide the values of their homes, you were hiding two homes and illegally not reporting another land assets. And we know you love to scream and whine and moan about corruption and here the judges appointed by your man friend, George, are protecting you from future investigation and prosecution.

What about investigation and prosecution scares you the most, Pat? Your ties to Abramoff? Or your pandering for Blackwater? Or just for all the real estate "deals" you keep getting with your corrupt bidness buddies in your own district.

What else are you and your friends trying to hide? To answer that question I guess I should just check out your current rant. It seems that to get your talking point for the day, you just look in the mirror.

Here's a few 'graphs from Down with Tyranny

What do Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Tom Delay (R-TX), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Tom Feeney (R-FL), John Doolittle (R-CA), Denny Hastert (R-IL), Heather Wilson (R-NM), Gary Miller (R-CA), Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Virgil Goode (R-VA), Don Young (R-AK), Ted Stevens (R-AK) and a dozen other crooked Republican lawmakers have in common today? They're all celebrating an appellate court decision that the Justice Department says will sharply limit investigations into their criminal activities.

Bush's incompetent and overly partisan appointments to the courts have ruined the entire justice system of the United States and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is now an outgrowth of the neo-nazi outfit known as the Federalist Society. They are making it impossible to prosecute the overt criminal activities of bribe-taking congressmen by abusing statutes "intended to protect legislators from intimidation under civil or criminal law."

The Federalist Society court has ruled the Justice Department can't use evidence against the crooked Republicans that was obtained through court-approved wiretaps, searches of home offices and voluntary interviews of congressional staffers. Of the 10 current members of the court, seven are rabid right wing fanatics appointed by Reagan, Bush, Sr and, mostly Bush, Jr, who allowed the Federalist Society to dictate each nominee, none of whom faced any serious opposition from a collaborationist Senate.

The entire Republican Culture of Corruption case and the hundreds of millions of dollars involved in the Abramoff/Delay scams will be dismissed if the decision stands. And who will overrule it? Scalia? Thomas? Roberts? Alito? Not likely. The decision makes it nearly impossible to investigate crooked congressmen.

McHenry votes against Head Start. Nice.

2007-11-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

Is there any bill for children McHenry doesn't hate? Last month and the month before Pat voted against health care for children. (Children have already died because this program is underfunded.)

Now, he votes against the best supplemental educational program in history, Head Start.

From the Kerra Bolton at the NCDP yesterday

Today, North Carolina Representatives Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx and Howard Coble opposed strengthening the highly successful Head Start program, which gives almost 20,000 disadvantaged children in North Carolina a better chance to succeed in school.

The bill passed with strong bipartisan support, with only 32 members opposing the measure and 381 Republicans and Democrats supporting it.

“Our children are our state’s most important resource, and we should invest in their future by offering them the best early education possible,” said NCDP Chair Jerry Meek.

“But today, Republicans tried to make it harder for every child in North Carolina to get a better education, voting against the Head Start program which improves teacher quality and helps raise kids’ achievement in school,” Meek said.

Reps. McHenry, Foxx and Coble opposed the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act Conference Report (HR 1429).

Mooresville visit pics; Daniel Johnson tours the district

2007-11-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

Daniel Johnson poses with Fletcher McCrady on his 4th birthday.

Daniel Johnson's wife, Creecy, looks on with pride.

Photos by September McCrady.

McHenry votes for discrimination against LGBT

2007-11-13T15:11:00.000-05:00

We knew he would. Vote against ENDA, that is. Vote against discrimination in the work place. Pat has never hid his disdain for people's privacy. But why?

This wonderful rant written by A Alexander in January gives some insight:

In as much as today's extremist Republican Party is the antithesis of everything the Founding Fathers believed in and embodied, and, too, in as much as they forsake the will of the people in order to perform the bidding of big business; indeed, in as much as they are the McPolitical party in their McCorporate-controlled version of McAmerica, it seems in someway wholly appropriate that their post-election spokesman would be a pathetic little pug-like political thug by the name of Patrick McHenry. Surely, the irony can be lost on no one.

. . .

McHenry hails from North Carolina's tenth district, and how proud they must be to have such a sad little troll representing their interests. It only requires one look to know all that there is to know about Patrick McHenry: He is the typical gay-hating, self-loathing, homosexual-desire-repressing, weekend male prostitute humping, and crank tweaking contemporary Republican Party member. McHenry, being a Republican, would never admit to his latent homosexual desires, but his anger and hate, like Hitler and Karl Rove's, is so violently intense that it can only be the bastard child of sexual self-loathing. And, how Patrick McHenry does hate!

. . .

Thinking back on the baseless and vicious manner in which McHenry blamed and assailed Democrats over the Foley scandal, one is reminded of the way that a person defends the honor of their secreted lover, and, too, the bitter need for revenge that such circumstances tend to engender. Within that context it makes sense, too, that McHenry's hatred toward Democrats has only grown more rabid over the intervening months.

Yes, it all makes sense now. Patrick McHenry is the typical gay-hating, self-loathing, homosexual-desire-repressing, weekend male prostitute humping, and crank tweaking contemporary Republican Party member whose one-time lover's dirty secret has been revealed to the world and now he has embarked upon a course of revenge. Indeed, that must be the circumstance that led to Patrick McHenry appearing on the House floor, following only the second day of the Democratic majority, and loosing the single-most hate-filled speech in the history of American self-governance.

For doing nothing more than the very things Republicans had done to them the entire twelve years of GOP rule, North Carolina's McHenry unleashed a virulent tirade against the Democrats, and, too, bizarrely attacked the Democratic Party for daring to balance the budget by having Congress pay for programs as they go - a system known as "pay-go."

McHenry's anger seemed completely out of context. It was as though he suffered from some strange emotional affective disorder. There the pug-like thug was - on the floor of the Peoples' House, as if he were suffering from a turret syndrome-like hate-based reflexive and uncontrollable tic: "the DEMOCRAT majority...the DEMOCRAT majority...the DEMOCRAT majority...," McHenry repeated over and over and over again. With each refusal to acknowledge the political opposition by their proper name -- "the DEMOCRATIC Party" -- the abhorrence swelled and built within Patrick McHenry's being until finally, when he said the words "the DEMOCRAT majority"; the hatred dripped from his lips like Mark Foley's spent semen.

And within that context, Patrick McHenry's hatred of the Democratic majority made perfect sense.

And within this context his vote for discrimination in the workplace makes perfect sense. It's voting against people who are in the minority of sexual preferences. And McHenry can't handle publicly supporting anyone who might being doing something in his or her private life of which Pat wants people to think he disapproves.

Winning the 10th, how and why

2007-11-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

How? We'll work on turnout in every single county. Why? Because we love our children.

Over 200 people showed up in Hickory yesterday to support Daniel Johnson's candidacy. Wooo hooo!! In his 10-county tour he was greeted by hundreds of residents of all political backgrounds, clamoring for chance.

But to achieve this change, we need everyone to work hard in every county. Burke, Cleveland and Catawba and Caldwell are obviously important. But even in small Republican counties every vote will help.

If you doubt what you can do to make a difference just watch this video from NCDP chair Jerry Meek. Substitute the name of your county for Richmond County and be inspired to do what you can to help:

Thanks for the vid to Bullydoc at BlueNC.

Friday: Daniel Johnson on 10-county tour

2007-11-07T22:38:00.000-05:00

Hey folks, this will be fun. It's your first chance to press the flesh, ask questions, take photos, videos, etc. Well, if you're really quick about it!

From the campaign's press release:

Daniel Johnson Holds 10-County Announcement Tour

Johnson Will Travel to Every County in District to KickOff Campaign

Hickory, NC – Daniel Johnson announced today that he will travel to every county is North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District this Friday, November 9, 2007 to kickoff his campaign for U.S. Congress.

“This Friday, I will travel across the district to talk with voters about my campaign to represent the values of North Carolina with character and integrity,” said Johnson. “My decision to run for Congress is a continuation of my service to America and the people of North Carolina. As Veteran’s Day approaches, I am going to every county in the district to show the kind of bold leadership and bipartisan solutions I hope to bring to Congress.”

Mitchell County

9:30 am

Old County Courthouse

Main Street, Bakersville

Avery County :

10:30 am

Best Cellar Restaurant

3612 Mitchell Avenue, Linville

Caldwell County

11:30 am

Lenoir Library

120 Hospital Avenue, Lenoir

Catawba County :

12:20

Town Square, Hickory

Iredell County :

1:45 pm

Mooresville Town Hall
413 North Main Street, Mooresville

Lincoln County

2:30 pm

East Lincoln Community Center

8160 Optimist Club Rd. , Denver

Gaston County :

3:30 pm

VFW Post 5200

125 Fish Camp Rd. , Cherryville

Cleveland County :

4:15 pm

Old Courthouse

Court Square, Shelby

Rutherford County :

5:00 pm

County Courthouse

229 N Main Street , Rutherfordton

Burke County :

6:00 pm

Old Courthouse

Downtown Morganton

McHenry has "contentious relationship with democratic leadership"

2007-11-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

It took the prospect of a primary challenger but finally the Charlotte Observer is writing what has been obvious from day one.

McHenry has lead the partisan whining and moaning since his first day in congress. Yet, when he comes back to the district (or in his virtual town hall) all you heard is "stop the partisan bickering." "There's too much partisan bickering." "The partisan bickering is hurting our country." Blah blah blah.

And today's CharO calls "breaking" what was written here and in the Hickory Record on Saturday (that Hickory attorney Lance Sigmon is considering a primary run against lil Pat). But who are we to complain when they are finally writing the truth about the diminutive whiner:

Sigmon, 48, said he's concerned that the 10th District doesn't have adequate representation. He said incumbent U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., has a contentious relationship with Democratic leadership in Congress.

"They're going to be less inclined to hear what he has to say," Sigmon said. "There comes a time when you have to pick your battles."

I wonder if this is precursor to an endorsement . . . wouldn't that upset the Republican applecart.

Dear NC Christian Coalition chair: what are you and Pat hiding?

2007-11-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Hi, Jeff, Mr. NC Christian Coalition Chair. Thanks for writing me.

My name is Leslie. Leslie Bland. I put it in the first post on this blog but people like you kept calling me and sending me frightening emails so I removed it.

But it's no secret. I've posted my name at all the blogs where I write. But thanks for not hiding your name in the email you sent me. Gee, I never would have known that it was from an ardent McHenry supporter had you not identified yourself:

from jeff lominac
10:51 am (2½ hours ago)
to admin@patgobyebye.com
date Oct 31, 2007 10:51 AM

Why do you not say who you are and show your face ? It is like you are hiding behind this drama queen name and do not want anyone to know who you are . Are you ashamed to show your face and let people know who you are ? What are you hiding ? The Drama King

I also gave my name and my affiliation to this blog to the receptionist at Pat's Congressional Office on the Hill. You know, when I went there a few months ago asking for a list of the questions Pat refused to answer at his virtual town hall.

Since you are chair of the North Carolina Christian Coalition, I want to know what you are hiding.

Why was Donnie Young removed? Was it because he was uncovering Pat McHenry's hypocrisies or because he has shown an interest in running against McHenry?

And, no, I'm not ashamed of anything I have done to expose Patrick McHenry's lies and hypocrisies. What are you ashamed of?

Since you're friends with Pat, perhaps you can tell us why he keeps distorting his financial reports and associating with people charged with DUI, voter fraud, assault and other legal problems. What do they know about him that makes him feel he must hire them instead of ethical employees. What is he hiding?

FYI: Here's the actual email I sent Jeff for which I have not received a reply:

Hi Jeff,

I have posted my name in many places and in the original first post of Pat Go Bye Bye.

However, I got many strange emails and then phone calls to an unlisted number so I removed my name and the strangeness stopped.

I'm not ashamed of what I'm doing. Are you?

Leslie Bland

Lt Col takes on Pat, maybe

2007-11-03T04:07:00.000-05:00

Looks like Pat might have a contested primary. And after all that work just last month trying to convince us resistance to his incumbency would be futile.

Former military judge, retired Lieutenant Colonel Lance Sigmon told the Hickory Daily Record his primary challenge to Big Pat is "very likely."

Here's Sigmon's law practice website.

Here's more from the Hickory Record:

Lance Sigmon, 48, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, said he’s in the process of forming an exploratory committee to seek the Tenth District office

No specific reason why he's running except:

“We deserve a representative who understands the values of this area and will make decisions based on the integrity and principles that I learned while growing up here,” Sigmon said.

Ouch.

Here's his background:

Sigmon, a Republican, grew up in a working-class family in Conover and graduated from Newton-Conover High School in 1977.

. . .

Sigmon served four years in the Air Force following high school. He graduated from Western Carolina University in 1985 and received a law degree from Wake Forest University in 1988. Sigmon re-entered the Air Force as an officer and was appointed as a judge advocate.

. . .

He held several positions and retired as a military trial judge with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

And, one more ouch for Pat:

After 21 years in the military, he returned to the Hickory area in 2005 and noticed an economic decline and decreasing quality of life.

I wonder what Sigmon knows about Pat that makes him run for office in what is sure to be the ugliest primary ever . . . I wonder if those rumored photos will finally surface.

And, gee, Pat next to a real military man it might not look so good for you to pretend to have served in Iraq like that time you misled WaPo.

And after trying to smear one military man in a primary, won't it be awfully suspicious when (if you cheat enough to win) you go after another one, a decorated hero, Daniel Johnson, in the general?

Crossposted at Scru Hoo and BlueNC.

Hallowe'en at the GOP House Of Horrors

2007-10-30T20:39:00.000-05:00

You need the latest shockwave player to view this. Click here to download.

Thanks to Jerimee at NCDP

Pat's deputy district director rehabilitates his reputation not

2007-10-29T16:58:00.000-05:00

If I wanted to assure the public that my point one three DUI was an aberration, behaving this way and having my PHOTO TAKEN might not be my first choice.

Oh, but Brett Keeter probably drank himself this silly during his Pat-ordered two-week job suspension. My bad.

Look at Pat lie

2007-10-27T17:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Greg Flynn at BlueNC we discover what McHenry posted at the RSC blog.

Raising Taxes Is An Accomplishment?
So now we've seen the Democrats' Mother of All Tax Hikes. But Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. The federal government is set to spend more money next year than the GDP of every country on Earth other than Japan. The Democrats have already voted to raise taxes by more than $100 billion this year, so it’s not surprising that their idea of tax reform simply means higher taxes. The surprising part is that they’ll tell you with a straight face that a trillion dollar tax hike is a major accomplishment.
Posted by Rep. Patrick McHenry (10-25-2007, 02:49 PM) filed under Taxes

And, as he lies, he doesn't mind ignoring the trillion the Republicans have spent on a war they lied about to get us into. Oh, yeah and a war that has taken so many lives they don't have the guts to count them.

Johnson announcement coverage roundup

2007-10-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

The headline for the Hickory Daily Record:

Hickory Navy hero enters congressional race

And you've gotta like their lead:

A Hickory military hero officially embarked on a congressional campaign Wednesday.

The Raleigh N&O stepped back into Republican framing:

Former sailor, assistant DA announces run for McHenry's seat

A sailor? Since when does a military hero get downgraded to sailor? Oh, right, when the "mainstream" media is talking about a Democrat, of course.

CharO did one step better than their Raleigh cousin:

Ex-Wake prosecutor, a Hickory native, known for saving fellow sailor

Carolina Politics Online's lead:

Pledging to represent the values of North Carolina with character and integrity, Daniel Johnson announced today that he is running to represent North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District in the United States Congress.

And from the North Carolina Democratic Party:

Daniel Johnson served in the United States Navy from 1998-2000, receiving the Navy Marine Corps Medal, the Navy's highest peacetime award for heroism. For the past three years, Daniel Johnson served as an assistant district attorney in North Carolina. As a prosecutor, he began by prosecuting charges of DWI and other misdemeanors and rose to prosecute a wide range of felony cases that included drug trafficking, robbery, and murder.
“I will be a leader who is part of the solution in Washington, not part of the problem. I promise to rise above the divisive politics that have plagued our government for too long, and focus on representing the values and priorities of North Carolina,” Johnson continued. “This means making sure our kids have the heath care they deserve, our families and small businesses get the tax breaks they need, and our veterans are taken care of when they return home.”

Daniel Johnson earned an undergraduate and law degree from the University of North Carolina, where he met his wife, Creecy. He currently resides in his hometown of Hickory.

This is just a sample. Google Daniel Johnson and comment (where possible) on the article to let people know how excited we are about our candidate!!!!

The fun is just beginning folks.

It's official: Johnson announces!!!!

2007-10-24T17:54:00.000-05:00

Jerimee has it at BlueNC.

“Running for Congress is a continuation of my service to America and the people of North Carolina,” said Johnson. “I look around the area I grew up in, and see people struggling with keeping their jobs, affording their health care and just making ends meet. It is time for a new brand of leadership – one that the people of this district can be proud of. I have the character and the experience needed to be an effective representative for my state.”

Pat's peep Fraley evades assault charges

2007-10-24T11:50:00.000-05:00

From Monday's Roll Call article we know all about how Gaston County Commissioner Allen Fraley, right, once gave Pat McHenry a $25,000 discount on a home (and that same week gave him $500 to run for Congress).

But we didn't know that recently Fraley was charged with drunken fighting in public.

The story allegedly goes like this: Allen and his 21-year-old son get drunk at a Myrtle Beach bar. One of them allegedly sticks his hand up a woman's skirt. Woman's boyfriend starts beating up on them. Fight between Allen, son, and boyfriend. Two assault and one drunk-in-public charge against Allen.

The complainants fail to show at the trial so the charges are dismissed. Wonder if McHenry enforcers Jason Deans or Brett Keeter helped said complainants change their minds . . .

Gaston Gazette reported it this way:

According to the police report, the three accusers in the case were all working security that night at Senor Frogs — a club at the popular tourist strip known as Broadway at the Beach.

The employees broke up a fight between the Fraleys and an unknown male and escorted them from the club, according to the report.

So we can add this to the list of Pat's lovely friends: blowjob boy Glenn Murphy, the DUI twins: former Chief of Staff Jason Deans and current Deputy District Director Brett Keeter, former staffer-who-votes-fraudulently Aaron Lay, and don't forget former co-habitant Scott Stewart who harasses women and bilks seniors.

Geez, Pat's Peeps are nasty dirty naughty boys.

Thanks to Zombie Birdhouse for the Pat's Peeps graphics.

McHenry parties with Delay

2007-10-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

at the opening of his new company, First Principles. I guess Delay is trying to invoke the spirit of Thomas Paine who advocated for a government by election and representation rather than one succession and heredity.

But if you look at the list of party-goers, you have to think Delay has chosen his heirs. In crime and politics.

From the Crypt at politico.com

Tom DeLay: used to controlling a party

He wasn’t gone for long, but Tom DeLay has returned to Capitol Hill.

His new firm, First Principles, had its opening party last night . . .

They list the guests: Texans Sen. John Cornyn, former Rep. Henry Bonilla, Rep. Mike Conaway, NC's Rep. Patrick McHenry, as well as Pastor Rick Scarboro of Vision America, former Rep. Bill Paxon and Ken Blackwell.

Being D.C., things got started at 6 p.m. but went into the wee hours of the night — goers were probably encouraged by the fully stocked bar and cigars.

Hmm cigars.

Full disclosure, the photo is from an engagement party and not the Capitol Hill Tom Delay gala.

Xposted at Pat'sGone, BlueNC.

Roll Call blasts McHenry

2007-10-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

Thank God someone in the traditional media (with far more resources than yours truly) finally started asking Pat McHenry the financial questions we've been picking at for months.

In a subscription-only article Roll Call not only questions McHenry's new-found wealth, but also has the reportorial balls to highlight his appalling hypocrisy about openness.

Particularly of note, Roll Call uncovered a third unreported property. We'd already told you that McHenry owns two homes in the district whose ownership and financing he is not required to disclose publicly. However, he inherited a $40,000 share of lakefront property in Lincoln County he has also never reported.

And, remember, McHenry sits on the House Committee on Financial Services, whose legislation directly affects companies in the real estate financing business.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) took to the House floor late last spring and ripped into Democrats for blocking his proposal requiring Members to disclose the existence and value of their personal residences. “We’ve seen in recent Washington scandals the results of this loophole that allows Members to hide ownership of properties,” McHenry said.

Roll Call went on to say that McHenry has "taken considerable liberty himself with the House’s personal property exemption" not disclosing two homes and that third lake front property they say adds up to over $300,000.

In addition, since he was first elected in 2004, McHenry’s financial statements overall offer only vague hints into myriad land deals that are transforming Congress’ youngest Member from a college student, who is a licensed real estate agent, into a prosperous man in less than a decade.

Check out my article at PageOneQ.com.

Here are a few more tidbits:

For example, on this year’s forms McHenry disclosed his October 2006 purchase of a house in central North Carolina. Public records show McHenry paid $87,500 for the property, which he bought from a local politician. Within months of the sale, tax assessors determined the house was worth 30 percent more.

UPDATE: The local pol: Gaston County Commissioner Allen Fraley who within a week donated $500 to McHenry's campaign.

And last summer McHenry, his four siblings and a business partner sold a 40-acre plot to a local developer for $1.5 million. The developer, Charlotte-based E.C. Griffith Co., plans to soon break ground on a 1,000-plus-unit suburban housing development. McHenry made a short-term profit of at least 200 percent on the deal.

It's particularly amazing to me how much he won't even respond to their questions.

What do you have to hide, Pat? Or, perhaps I should be asking, is there anything you aren't hiding?

Meet future NC Senator Jim Neal

2007-10-21T23:31:00.001-05:00

Read what he has to say for himself taking questions from strangers as he live-blogged on BlueNC for an hour on Saturday.

LINKS: Here's his Senate campaign website. And his ActBlue page.

Here's what BlueNC's Anglico had to say after talking to Jim privately for an hour last week.

On family. Jim Neal raised his two sons as a single parent for 15 or so years. I met one of his sons, who is a bright and warm young man. It was clear that both father and son adore each other. As a person who myself was a single parent for many years, I know what it takes to do what he's done. That should tell you all you need to know about Jim Neal's family values.

On North Carolina. Jim was born in Greensboro. He has also lived in South Carolina, California and probably elsewhere. But he is a Tar Heel through and through. Not a carpet-bagger. Not an occasional visitor. Not a fair-weather friend. He is one of us, and it shows.

On money. Jim Neal knows how to do fundraising. He has done the work of meeting and greeting many of the Big Cheeses, and I feel certain he will be able to raise the $12+ million necessary to run an effective campaign.

On politics. Jim first got involved in politics back when LBJ was running for president. He has been something of a political junkie ever since, though he has not run for office until now. That said, he has been chomping at the bit and his children are now old enough - they have given him their blessing to run.

On campaigning. Jim wakes up every morning with one mission: defeat Liddy Dole. Like many of us, he knows from people all across the state that she is extremely vulnerable. Because despite her efforts to try to distance herself from the Decider, there is one fundamental truth in this campaign. Liddy Dole = George Bush. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

On soft drinks. Mr. Neal favors Diet Coke.

On a primary. Will anyone else enter the race and create a primary contest? Jim says it doesn't really matter to him. A primary would create some visibility, but it would also siphon off resources. In any case, he's very clear that the person he's running against Elizabeth Dole.

On personality. Jim Neal is a nice guy with a razor sharp edge. You can tell within two seconds of meeting him that he is totally driven. He shares our outrage about what Republicans have done to our nation and he is committed to setting things right. He is soft-spoken and articulate, and very, very clear about what's important to him. He asks good questions and he listens to the answers. He seems like a person who does what he says he will do, which is my number one measure of integrity.

Other links:WUNC article, News & Observer profile, Radio Left, Daily Kos, Pam Spaulding.