Q. How do you know a politician is lying?
A. His lips are moving.
Obviously this catches the public’s disgust with politicians that say one thing and do another. This is one of the reasons citizen’s groups want things in writing. They send questionnaires out hoping to put these politicians in ink on various topics. They believe that at least having something writing will keep politicians honest.
In March of this year former Congressman Brian Bilbray was running for the 50th Congressional Seat after Duke Cunningham resigned in disgrace.
Bilbray had a mixed voting record on life issues, but he filled out a questionnaire for the National Right to Life Committee. I have posted it below.
He indicated that his votes if elected would be "better" than his last go around in Congress.
After the April Primary, the National Right to Life Committee spent money in an independent expenditure campaign against pro-abortion Democratic candidate Francine Busby. Radio ads and telephone calls told pro-life voters not to vote for Busby. This helped Bilbray’s chances for victory. This actionwas obviously based on his answers to how he would vote should he win.
Bilbray indicated to me personally, when I met with him several days before the election, that he would be a much more conservative congressman should he win in June.
As we know he did win. Flash forward to August. President Bush uses his first veto to stop HR 810 that would force federal funding for all kinds of medical experimentation on human embryos. The House vote to override the veto fails. But this is the news. Bilbray votes to OVERRIDE the President’s veto.
See roll call vote here.Look at question number four.
"Would you oppose any legislation that would authorize federal funding of research for which the killing of human embryos would be a predicate step or necessary?"
Bilbray answers yes after adding in writing. "I support President Bush’s policy of limiting research to existing lines of cells." Just so there is no mistaking his position look at the last page where he signs it. Bilbray adds. "On Question 4: I strongly support laws aggressively outlawing the creation of embryos for research purposes. I am opposed to any "sale" of human life in any form."
Al Gore changed his views on the Life issue when he began running for President. OK I get that. Did Bilbray suddenly have new information? No. It was not a new issue for him, look at his answers and writings. Bilbray went out of his way to decieve people.
Whether you agree with the President’s policy or not is irrelevant. Fact is Brian Bilbray is the kind of man that would sign the Declaration of Independence and then join the British Navy. He is untrustworthy and it doesn’t matter what he says OR puts in writing. Voters can’t trust him. Brian Bilbray is a liar.
[I just sent an email to the Congressman and to his Press Secretary, asking them to furnish some sort of explanation. We’ll see what he says, if he has anything to say. – Flash]
July 24th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Also voting to override the Veto were these 8 California Republicans:
Dana Rohrabacher … David Drier … Bono … Calvert… Thomas…
Buck McKeon … Issa … and Jerry Lewis.
Yet only Bilbray is singled out for insults and abuse. Why is that ?
July 24th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Um, how about because Bilbray JUST ran, and because Bilbray apparently LIED to Mike Spence and his organization? I’m still waiting for any response from Bilbray. Hopefully I will hear from him soon or I will elevate this issue, and it will be about integrity, not about the morality of stem cell research.
July 24th, 2006 at 12:00 am
The issue is not one of which Reps supported the override…it’s a question of which ones answered a questionnaire to the contrary.
Looking forward to the response.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
AS I recall the presidents caveat in authorizing the initial funding of the research, was that he had concerns for the “slippery slope” that it might lead to.
Can’t I agree with that position and but disagree on whether or not we have gotten to that “slippery slope” yet.
Would that make me a liar ???
—
The president felt the initial funding was warranted by its potential good.
How does he know that the “potential good ” is’nt a test tube spin away ??
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
AS I recall the presidents caveat in authorizing the initial funding of the research, was that he had concerns for the “slippery slope” that it might lead to.
Can’t I agree with that position and but disagree on whether or not we have gotten to that “slippery slope” yet.
Would that make me a liar ???
—
The president felt the initial funding was warranted by its potential good.
How does he know that the “potential good ” is’nt a test tube spin away ??
July 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Have we heard from Brian on this yet?
October 11th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Bilbray lied? Get used to it folks. He lied about his record to get elected and has a history of misrepresenting his view. He is the classic “moderate Republican” All talk and no worldview.
Steve Baldwin
October 11th, 2006 at 12:00 am
According to the American Conservative Union’s list of, “Key Votes”, Brian Bilbray
voted the Conservative position on 6 of 7 priority issues since he took office in mid-
June of 2006.
http://capwiz.com/acu/keyvotes.xc/?lvl=C
Included in ACU’s study are votes on Tax cuts, congressional reform, the War on
Terror, and the Border Fence.