john armor

An Asheville conservative contacted me last week to ask if I'd be interested in a unique opportunity. City Councilman and Congressional candidate Carl Mumpower had the idea that he'd like to have this Hooligan on the moderators' panel at the next Republican Congressional Candidate debate. People talked to people, and candidates John Armor and Spence Campbell agreed to take the plunge. After I spoke with the newly elected Buncombe County Republican Party Chair to ensure there weren't any hidden rules or restrictions, I said I'd do it.

The debate will take place in the URTV (public access) studio in Asheville on March 27th from 2pm to 3:30pm. There will be three or four panelists asking questions of the candidates. I'll be one of them. It will be recorded then played on URTV and available at Google Video.

It's a good political move for Mumpower to invite me. He's running as the straight-answers to tough questions candidate, so inviting a liberal blogger bolsters his tough guy cred. Armor isn't afraid to answer any questions either, so we'll see if he can swipe some of Carl's patina. Spence, I imagine, had no choice but to say yes (after saying, "Gordon who?") once the other two were on board.

In addition to being good for Carl, inviting someone from the opposite end of the political spectrum is good for democracy. I hope this move will encourage broader debates in all future contests. I realize that, to some extent, I'm serving as a useful fool for the Republicans, but their aims don't bother me and can be part of strengthening and adding integrity to this Congressional race.

No matter your feelings about Heath Shuler (Mixed Bag D - NC), no one misses The Lump. Disgraced former Congressman Charles Taylor ran the dirtiest campaign in memory, throwing nearly $4 million at those amateur television spots and mailers in an effort to make people forget just how much they loathed him. Almost $3 million of that came out of Taylor's own deep pockets, and Charles Taylor does not like spending his own money.

In this post-election year, using every other off-year as a basis, we can safely assume that Taylor is busy raising money to pay himself back for all those rubles he spent. Meanwhile, a squadron of Republican candidates wait in the wings, knowing that every day Charles Taylor doesn't withdraw his name from the race is a day lost.

Pat McHenry, the little 10th district Congressman with the big talking points, came to Hendersonville to talk to dramatically backlit Tom Apodaca about running against Heath Shuler in November, 2008. Apodaca, an NC state Senator, had this to say, "I have spoken to former Congressman Taylor and let him know they have contacted me. I wanted to know his thoughts. He has not made up his mind, so as a courtesy, we'd stay in touch."

Lots of folks are waiting to hear Taylor say that he won't seek the seat again, and even old Bill Sabo, who never met a Republican frame he didn't like, thinks, "Republicans are trying to be deferential to Taylor but I think his time's passed,".

Tom Apodaca has conservative credentials as well as the requisite 'creepy' chops to rally the red-meat Republican base. This year he's cosponsoring S46, which provides birth certificates for stillborn children. Judging from this list of bills he's cosponsoring this legislative session, Apodaca spends a lot of time on teacher salary and school funding, Defending Marriage against the dirty homos, and increasing penalties for various laws. He sits on eleven different state committees and has a lot of monied friends to help him launch a bid.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Local Republicans warn faithful not to take races lightly

Armor, citing polls that suggest Taylor’s popularity may be waning, claimed that if Taylor wins the May 2 Republican primary, Democratic congressional candidate Heath Shuler will beat the eight-term incumbent in the general election.

That's how many words are in today's Carolina Journal story about the troubles of Charles Taylor. And not a single one of those words acknowledges the disastrous consequences of Republican control of Congress. Not a single one of those words calls for the restoration of accountability in government. Not a single one of those words seeks to restore integrity to public policy. And not a single one of those words makes a point that makes a difference.

I know the John Locke Foundation can't endorse candidates for fear of losing the tax-exempt status that makes them a magnet for big corporate contributions, but that status does not preclude pointing to the truth about Taylor's complicity in the Bush Crime Family.

There's more . . .

"A jail break is still a jail break, even if the 'criminals' are not trying to escape, but trying to keep from being jailed in the first place." (source)

Let's play a game: I'll try to come up with sentences that make just as much sense as the last one, and then you leave yours in the comments!

"A chocolate cake is still a chocolate cake, even if the 'ingredients' are not mixed and baked, but left in a bag on my back porch."

Taylor Reports Have Million-Dollar Errors
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> By John Armor
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> Every Member of Congress, and every candidate for Congress, is required to file Reports with the House Ethics Committee on their financial holdings and transactions. Apparently, few people take a serious look at these after they are filed. The Reports filed by incumbent 11th District Representative, Charles Taylor, for the last seven years (the ones available on-line) show five errors in excess of $1 million each, plus one unexplained item for about $20 million.
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> These Reports are filed with the Clerk of the House but they "will be reviewed by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct [the House Ethics Committee]." The Reports must be signed by the Member or candidate, who must certify that "the statements ... are true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." "Civil penalties and criminal sanctions [including perjury]" apply to anyone who "knowingly and willingly falsifies ... or willfully fails to file" these Reports.

Check it out: When a long-time incumbent is challenged in a primary by a political newcomer, one side's bumbling ineptitude usually ends up playing right into the hands of the other. Of course, it's usually the outsider making the mistakes. Charles Taylor's press secretary is doing her part to provide us with an example of tables turned.

The occasion: an email to challenger John Armor's pal, which simultaneously calls Armor a left-winger (?) and accuses the North Carolina Conservative of being a front for Democrats. Seriously. Who hires a press secretary who doesn't know not to put stupid and embarassing charges in an email?