Posted on 03/17/2006 1:10:58 PM PST by Congressman Billybob
An Open Letter to the Press in Western Carolina
From: John Armor, Candidate for Congress, 11th District
Date: 16 March 2006
re: certain comments by Deborah Potter on behalf of Congressman Charles Taylor
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Below is an exact and complete copy of an e-mail that Charles Taylor's Press Secretary, Deborah Potter, sent to Don Yelton, a friend of mine. (For those who don't know me, I'm a lawyer and author who lives in Macon County, and I'm running against Taylor in the Republican primary.)
The Potter e-mail refers to me as "Armor and his bunch of left-wing radicals who hate Charles so much they would stoop to any low, no matter how wrong and immoral, to try and get him out of office."
I'm not so much concerned that her statement about me is a lie, but that it is such an obvious and childish lie.
A few clicks of the mouse on the computer at your desk, and you will find that I've written my last eight briefs in the US Supreme Court on behalf of a legal charity that has Judge Robert Bork, former Attorney General Edwin Meese, and Dr. Walter Williams on its Advisory Board. There isn't a "left-wing" radical in that bunch.
A few more clicks of your mouse and you'll find many of my 650 published articles on a variety of issues. The war against Muslim fanatics who want to kill Americans (like the one who ran down a bunch of students at the University of North Carolina a week ago)? I'm for it.
Parental choice for parents in the education of their children, vouchers, charter schools, home schooling? I'm for it.
Display of the Ten Commandments and maintenance of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? I'm for it.
Voluntary, private investment accounts under Social Security? I'm for it.
The US insisting on fair, rather than one-sided, trade agreements with other nations? I'm for it.
Lower taxes, and less government regulation of individuals? I'm for it.
Keep clicking your mouse and you'll find a hundred more examples. You won't find a "left-wing radical" idea in the lot.
In short, this lie is like a five-year-old in the kitchen with crumbs and chocolate all over his face, who earnestly insists that he "didn't get into the cookies."
Was Mrs. Potter speaking for her boss, Mr. Taylor? Well, she sent the e-mail from her government account. And, a Press Secretary is always speaking for his/her boss. That's the job description.
For ten years, Jerry terHorst was a friend of mine. In case his name doesn't ring a bell, he was President Ford's Press Secretary. He resigned as a matter of principle, when President Ford pardoned former President Nixon. Jerry couldn't represent what he didn't believe in.
Do I seek an apology from Mr. Taylor? No, I don't. I said in my press conference announcing my candidacy two weeks ago, that I expected there would be "a whispering campaign" against me. Politics 101 says that any incumbent should ignore any challenger and pretend he doesn't exist. But Mr. Taylor's pattern is different, and the whispering campaign is in full swing. Among the other charges offered to local newspaper editors is that "Armor always runs, and doesn't stand for anything."
Again, a few clicks of the mouse and you'll know that the last time I ran for public office was in 1971. And, click on my website and you'll find about 100 pages of my positions on a wide variety of issues -- more than Mr. Taylor offers, and infinitely more than either of the Democrats, Heath Shuler and Michael Morgan, have offered.
Do I suggest that Mrs. Potter resign, like Jerry terHorst did? Nope. As her e-mail says, she's got "2 sweet little girls to support."
What I do suggest is this: The next time you receive any representation about me by Mrs. Potter (or any other Taylor person), give me a call. We'll get the facts straightened out, and then have a good laugh.
And, one more thing. The next time you hear from Mrs. Potter about any subject other than me, maybe you should do a more thorough job than usual in finding out whether "the facts" in that communication are true.
Have a nice day.
Cordially,
John
John Armor, Candidate for Congress, NC 11th District www.ArmorforCongress.com
Post Script: Feel free to use this as you choose, on-air, in an article, or as a letter to the Editor. You may quote any part of it as coming from me, since it's all my words.
From: Potter, Deborah [Deborah.Potter@mail.house.gov] Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:28 PM To: 'Don Yelton' Subject: RE: FYI -- From the Charlotte Observer
Don I haven't heard the first thing about Pisgah Legal Services, but nothing Mike SLEasley does would ever surprise me. That entire bunch running our state is as corrupt as they come. Why don't you unleash your buddy Ann Ryder on them, since there is honest-to-goodness corruption down there, unlike in that hatchet piece she thought would cause so much damage to my boss. If she ever had any credibility, it went down the tubes with that piece of trash, as well as the reputation of the North Carolina "Conservative" which is nothing but a blog and probably another front for the Dems.
And surely you know that Wilma is not running again. She has breast cancer.
Anyway I don't want to get in a war of words with you - we've been friends too long - which is why I am personally hurt that you have teamed up with Armor and his bunch of left-wing radicals who hate Charles so much they would stoop to any low, no matter how wrong and immoral, to try and get him out of office. I don't know how well you know this man (who wants to take away the job that supports me and 2 very sweet little girls), but him and Ann Ryder are both nuts. I noticed someone (I'm assuming Peter Dawes) removed all mention of Charles from her second "article". At least Peter has the good sense to know the difference between news and slander.
But Don, I was sincerely very hurt when I found out that you opened your home to those two and screwy hoolie for a "town meeting". Whatever happened to loyalty to your friends? I thought you had much higher moral standards. Especially when you know that man doesn't have a prayer of winning. Anyway, you might as well know how I feel, because I never have been two-faced. I am just shocked. Thanks for listening to me vent and I will pray for you.
Your friend, Deborah
You go there Billybob!
Don't worry. The RINOs here on FR call me a leftist all the time.
If you're a radical left-winger, what's Taylor? The ultra-right fringe of the John Birch Society?
Taylor has a history of conducting "whispering campaigns" against his opponents, and of making wild charges that they are "left-wing radicals." The absolutely amazing thing is that his Press Secretary made such charges in an e-mail from her government account, to a friend of mine who forwarded her e-mail to me. LOL.
The charge is so obviously false that it allowed me to reply in a humorous/sarcastic tone, in a newspaper that reaches about 200,000 North Carolina Conservatives. LOL.
John / Billybob
Always nice when the enemy supplies you with copious amounts of ammo :-)
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