Drama Queen's blog

Remember Michael Aaron Lay? He's Pat McHenry's former roomie and staffer who committed voter fraud in the 2004 primary McHenry only won by 86, no, 85 votes.

In August Lay got a "deferred prosecution." If he pays a fine, does 100 hours of community service and stays out of trouble, he'll never be charged. Nice lawyering, if you can afford it. Apparently, Lay didn't have to pay the bill. McHenry's PAC did.

It looks like our Pat is not so conservative when it comes to the interpretation of "political action."

Pat posted a video that violated security, people died, he took it down.

Now he says nobody told him not to . . . but the Pentagon says otherwise.

Vote Vets calls for censure. I'd like a Congressional investigation.

A summation of the whole bragging, pandering, lameass debacle.

Use this (and thoreau's post) to write a letter to the editor to at least one newspaper serving NC's 10th District. Unless you're on-line (and many in the 10th are not), you probably have no idea what Pat's been up to lately. We can write and link and blog and comment, but unless we get into the local press, Republicans who might bge quite happy with Daniel Johnson won't even know McHenry needs to be replaced. Scroll to the bottom of the post for links to most 10th District newspapers that have websites.

There's a whole list of treats if you and your life partner shell out $9200 for his "Victory Club." No word on what you get if he loses.

I guess they thought the testimony would be too emotionally painful for their banking donor buddies. At least, one has to draw that conclusion when Republicans on the House Consumer Credit Subcommittee are so threatened they arrange for witnesses to be stonewalled and bullied.

But, in their efforts to keep these stories out of circulation, House Republicans kinda blew it. No wonder none of 'em are returning reporter's phone calls.

Gaston County GOP must want Congressional candidate Lance Sigmon to go away in a big way. 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.

And it looks like Pat McHorny doesn't care too much about conflicts of interest, potential or otherwise. To push his DUI staffer on a local party makes it clear he simply has way too much to hide.

(fp'd by Betsy with title edited)

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

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 your US congressman, at least in the 10th, you need to turn to the sports section.

I'll link to the facts I've uncovered and you tell me what you think . . .

Good news. 10th district incumbent annoyance Pat McHorny is spending campaign cash as fast as he's taking it in. Democratic challenger and political newcomer Daniel Johnson nearly outfundraised him in the last quarter.

Add this news to CharO's recent flattering Johnson profile and the fact that other publications like newsatnorman has caught on that the McHorny one has an awful lot to hide.

Things aren't going so well, are they, Pat?

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

And Democrat Daniel Johnson announced that his campaign has raised $120,000.

The debate idea was McHenry's idea. He told people last week in a a media-only conference call from which I was excluded. Why, Pat, why? What do you possibly have to hide from me?

The focus is the Edwards campaign but I've tried to give you a flavor of the state and the spectacle for all sides.

Comparing their situation to that of come-from-behind racehorse, Seabiscuit, Elizabeth Edwards introduced her husband to an enthusiastic mob of supporters at an historic mill in Manchester, NH early this morning, just hours after the Senator's second-place finish in Iowa.

We're on our second snow "event" since I arrived but don't worry. It's barely over freezing so we're having all the fun and none of the discomfort. Tomorrow's snowball fight might change that.

We're having the time of our lives up here, y'all. There's still time to come up and join us, you know. The campaign is providing housing and I've never met a more amazing group of volunteers.

Going to Iowa or coming to New Hampshire (or phonebanking) is the only way for you to influence the presidential race. Even if your vote doesn't count in your home state, you can easily persuade 10 or even 20 people a day by your very presence at their door or on their phone. Every contacted voter learns what you believe without your even saying a word, by the very contribution of your vacation time and travel dollar.

Email me through the website if you'd like to come up here and talk to the people of New Hampshire face to face. You won't regret it.

Promoted for the pictures alone...the wonderful narrative is simply a bonus. B

First day in New Hampshire doin' a little direct voter contact for our native son and look who shows up to sit down at the phones.

We entered the state on Rt 202 at Rindge and came up through the countryside. If yard signs told the story, Hillary and Ron Paul have this thing wrapped up, with Gravel close behind.

If our two or so hours of phone banking are any indication, almost no one has made up their minds. John Edwards is the top two of most people, at least the ones who would speak to me. Perhaps they're being nice to the Edwards supporter on the telephone, but I don't think Hillary and Obama have the support that pollsters attribute to them. Many people want to vote for someone "who has a chance." They're waiting for the Iowa results.

This is going to be some ride!

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 any earmarks, starting next year.