December 16, 2007
On December 15, 10th District congressman Patrick McHenry was guest speaker at the annual Christmas dinner of the Caldwell County Republican Party. He awkwardly told a story that played on the ancient Christmas tradition of Santa Claus giving lumps of coal to children who had been “naughty” during the year.
He said he decided to send miniature wooden angels from The Perfect Christmas Tree store in Spruce Pine to members of Congress whom he “liked.” For those he didn’t, he said, he was “considering” giving lumps of coal—which, apparently, would go to most of the 435 representatives—“but my staff talked me out of it.”
Hours later, along comes a disinterested writer from “washingtonpost.com” with an article that McHenry did, in fact, send out lumps of coal. One lump in particular went to Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, who single-handedly killed McHenry’s $129,000 earmark for the aforementioned business in Spruce Pine. Flake is quoted in the story.
You judge; go to:
“http://blog.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2007/12/lawmakers_not_really_overcome.html”
So, in his juvenile attempt to connect Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ to his political gaming, our congressman apparently lied, straight-faced, to some 60 Caldwell County Republicans. It begs the question: if he’ll lie about something as insignificant as his personal Christmas gifts, what else does he lie about?
Or, more to the point, what wouldn’t he lie about?
The incident not only gives Republicans pause to gawk at each other over the incredulous, petty nature of the falsehood, it underscores at least three reasons to vote for McHenry’s opponent, Newton attorney Lance B. Sigmon, in next spring’s party primary for Congress:
- Whether McHenry will lie is no longer in doubt.
- The Washington Post article demonstrates, again, that McHenry’s contentiousness in the House of Representatives results in his diminutive reputation in the minds of his colleagues.
- His “middle school prankster” manner of representing the 10th District is precisely why he is so ineffective, evidenced by his failure to secure the economic development grant for Mitchell County.
McHenry’s most accomplished public relations skill is taking credit for the work of others in bringing positive news to our area, ranging from defense-related contracts to grants for local fire departments and community colleges—all years in the making—and including Google’s decision to locate in Lenoir.
Isn’t it ironic that the congressman was caught red-handed by a “Google Alert”?
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