'KKK' Byrd's Spokesman Draws Blank on Lynching Role

NewsMax.com ^ | Jan. 10, 2003 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

A spokesman for Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV, told protesters this week that he wasn't sure whether his boss had helped lynch any African-Americans when the top Senate Democrat was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940's.

Members of the African-American Republican Leadership Council and the Washington, D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com staged the sit-in in Byrd's Hart Building Senate office on Tuesday, where Byrd's press secretary Tom Gavin fielded questions for about 20 minutes.

"We asked Gavin, does he know what Sen. Byrd did while he was in the Klan?" Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the FreeRepublic group, told NewsMax.

"He didn't know," Taylor recalled. "He said he hadn't talked to Byrd about it."

"We asked Gavin if he knew what the Klan was doing in West Virginia in the 1940s when Sen. Byrd was a member," added Taylor.

Byrd's spokesman pleaded ignorance again.

"Were they lynching black people?" came the next question. "Again, Gavin didn't know," Taylor said.

Then the protesters wanted to know, did Byrd's Klan chapter burn crosses on black peoples' lawns and run them out of town?

"He didn't know. He had no idea," came the response from the Byrd press aide.

When pressed on why Gavin didn't try to find out more about Byrd's Klan past in the wake of last month's Trent Lott fiasco, the spokesman said only that he had failed to do so and didn't explain why, according to Taylor.

"The main thing that shocked us was when Gavin said Sen. Byrd told him that the reason he joined the Klan back then was because of its strong anti-communist stance," he explained.

"We laughed," Taylor said, recalling the protesters' reaction. "That's pretty much the same excuse Trent Lott offered," he added, referring to the brouhaha last month that forced Republican Senate Majority Leader to resign his post for praising Sen. Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat presidential bid.

[anniegetyourgun]

Way to go, DC Freepers!

[wideawake]

"The main thing that shocked us was when Gavin said Sen. Byrd told him that the reason he joined the Klan back then was because of its strong anti-communist stance," he explained.

That's hilarious! Byrd is about the most anticapitalist Senator we have.

[TLBSHOW]

bump as

YOU TELL THE TRUTH AROUND THESE PARTS!

[Fred Mertz]

Great job DC FReepers and friends.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[aristeides]

I believe West Virginia passed a law against lynching in 1931, but I have no idea how well it was enforced.

[ServesURight]

Byrd was a high-ranking Kleagle, one who recruited and groomed future Klansmen, so it wouldn't surprised me if he knew about or perhaps even participated in lynchings or cross-burnings.

[dfwgator]

If Fox can get this story, it will start to grow some legs.

[RJCogburn]

Great job.

I admire the fact you guys just don't give up.

Thanks for all you do.

[Enterprise]

"Mr.Gavin, did Senator Byrd participate in the lynchings of any blacks while he was a member of the KKK?

Mr. Gavin, "I don't know, but I'll check and get back to you on that."

(The script was made up by me, but I wish it had happened.)

[hchutch]

Oh, boy...

[aristeides]

By the way, since the Senate hasn't yet passed a reorganization rule (I believe that's true,) doesn't that mean KKK Byrd is still chairman of the Appropriations Committee and president pro tem, fourth in the line of presidential succession?

[b4its2late]

Carl, or Mark,

Get a hold of Hannity too.... Instant message him or something

[hoosiermama]

SO send it to them!

[rface]

good stuff!

[Hatteras]

No offense, but this story won't matter unless it finds it's way to CBSABCNBCCNN. Otherwise, it's hearsay and internet babble. I don't like it either but that's the way it is.

[Angelwood]

Thanks for posting this.

[Enterprise]

Man oh man, what I would give to have some of these posters be allowed to ask questions of our political leaders. Dare I say it? FREEPERS are TOUGH!

[amused]

Great job DC Chapter!