FROM JON FLEISCHMAN:
I have had a couple of e-mail dialogues with Brian Bilbray’s Press Secretary, and sent an email to Congressman Bilbray’s personal e-mail account that has gone unanswered. I guess his choosing to answer this ‘challenge’ is going to have to be taken as a de fact admission that Bilbray lied to pro-life conservatives in order to get elected to office, and then totally changed his position once elected. So now the issue isn’t stem-cell research, it is honesty and integrity. Brian Bilbray, in not responding, is basically saying, "Yep, I lied – tough!" If someone doesn’t have their integrity, then they have nothing.We will keep featuring the Brian Bilbray milk-carton until we hear something back from the Congressman.
BELOW IS MIKE SPENCE’S ORIGINAL POST:
There is an old joke that goes something like this.
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 Ad and telephone calls. This was 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 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 pages 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. I will never believe him for Brian Bilbray is a liar.