Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Brown Office Plays the Gay Card with City Paper Cover

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 1:14 PM

For last week's issue, we ran a story on the 10th anniversary of the Alliance for Full Acceptance, a local gay education and advocacy group that has been a national model. Congressional candidate Linda Ketner was a driving force behind the group's creation and was one of several people featured on the cover and inside the issue.

Here's an e-mail sent out to the Law Republicans group at the Charleston School of Law:

Subject: Henry Brown volunteers - (Law Republicans)

I received the following message from Kathy Crawford of Congressman Henry Brown's office asking for volunteers. Since he is taking the time to come talk to us, I believe we should definitely "give back" to him somehow. Please e-mail me if you are interested. Thanks

"Thank you so much for offering to help our campaign. I have to tell you that we are in a dead heat with Ms. Ketner. I need your help. We are going to lose this election if we don't get energized and get the truth out on Linda Ketner. Have you seen last week's edition of the Charleston City Paper. I would like for someone in your club to take this paper to all of the news/media outlets in the area. Also, if you could send out this side by side comparison to everyone in your address book encouraging them to get out and vote for Congressman Brown. Also, if you know of anyone who goes to any of the big Churches around town, I think we should get the City Paper to them as well. We have to get a grassroots effort started today.

Also, I just found out that we need volunteers to help stuff O'Henry candy bars for mailing. They will be doing this at 2850 Ashley Phosphate Road. Off I-26 take the Ashley Phosphate Road exit and turn left at the light and go about 1/3 of a mile and it is on the right. Please if you can help us get some volunteers out there it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much."

We gave Kathy Crawford a call and she was embarrassed, to say the least. First, she says that the e-mail was from a home account — not on the taxpayers' dime. Second, she says that the first graph was part of a forwarded message from a close friend. She had meant to forward the second graph about the candy bars and didn't realize that the first graph would be forwarded, or passed on to the entire group of young Republicans, as if it came from her.

"That was never my intention," Crawford says. "We need people to stuff some envelopes."

UPDATE:

From the Brown campaign:

"As Associated Press noted last week, the Brown campaign has not raised the issue of Ms.Ketner's lifestyle choices, nor will we. The City Paper last week raising the issue of "LGBT involvement in election-year politics" was the first mention I am aware of in the local media; however, the Post and Courier also mentioned the issue that same weekend. I suspect volunteers may have further disseminated these media accounts, but neither Henry Brown nor anyone authorized to speak for the campaign has mentioned her sexual preferences as a campaign issue."

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Funny - isn't Kathy Crawford "authorized to speak for the campaign?" She is on staff, is she not? And isn't that email basically asking students at the College of Law to disseminate the information? Talk about hypocrisy. Also, according to the provision on congressional staffers, it doesn't matter if she sent it from her home address or not. Still a clear violation.

Posted by AnnaParish on October 21, 2008 at 3:27 PM | Report this comment
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Funny - isn't Kathy Crawford "authorized to speak for the campaign?" She is on staff, is she not? And isn't that email basically asking students at the College of Law to disseminate the information? Talk about hypocrisy. Also, according to the provision on congressional staffers, it doesn't matter if she sent it from her home address or not. Still a clear violation.

Posted by AnnaParish on October 21, 2008 at 3:27 PM | Report this comment
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This represents yet another Republican scare tactic directed to those who have yet to acknowledge the diverse world most everyone else enjoys. Pathetic. HSmartt

Posted by Harriet Smartt on October 21, 2008 at 3:46 PM | Report this comment
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This represents yet another Republican scare tactic directed to those who have yet to acknowledge the diverse world most everyone else enjoys. Pathetic. HSmartt

Posted by Harriet Smartt on October 21, 2008 at 3:46 PM | Report this comment
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Maybe it's time to name the names of the closeted gay Republicans run this state.

Posted by Jaded on October 21, 2008 at 5:32 PM | Report this comment
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Maybe it's time to name the names of the closeted gay Republicans run this state.

Posted by Jaded on October 21, 2008 at 5:32 PM | Report this comment
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I wish I could say I am shocked at the behavior of our congressman, but I am not. Can we call for an investigation on how my TAX DOLLARS are used to fund this illegal activitiy?

Posted by Nancy Seufert on October 21, 2008 at 6:25 PM | Report this comment
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I wish I could say I am shocked at the behavior of our congressman, but I am not. Can we call for an investigation on how my TAX DOLLARS are used to fund this illegal activitiy?

Posted by Nancy Seufert on October 21, 2008 at 6:25 PM | Report this comment
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So, maybe we all need a review of the rules. IT IS OKAY TO SEND THINGS FROM YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT. AND CAMPAIGNS ARE PAID FOR BY DONATIONS. YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT INVOLVED. Please read a book for Christ's sake...

Posted by Smart Guy on October 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM | Report this comment
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So, maybe we all need a review of the rules. IT IS OKAY TO SEND THINGS FROM YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT. AND CAMPAIGNS ARE PAID FOR BY DONATIONS. YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT INVOLVED. Please read a book for Christ's sake...

Posted by Smart Guy on October 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM | Report this comment
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Nancy, Anna, and Harriet- Nowhere in the House Ethics manual does it say that someone who works for a Congressman can't send out information with their personal email, on their own time. Will you, unlike Linda Ketner, who despite the Forest Service giving Brown a permit to burn is still running an ad claiming he was told not to, at least check the facts before making your claims of controversy? I understand that your intentions are partisan, but you do yourself and your favored politicians no favors by being uninformed. Further, the snarky comment about people who have "refused to acknowledge the diverse world that we live in" has almost no bearing to the issue at hand. There are still people, like Congressman Brown, who believe in the sanctity of the family and of marriage, and so cannot support a woman who left her husband to be in a relationship with a woman. I also fail to understand how you can support a gay woman who seems bent on hiding her sexuality from the voting public. The email above only asks that people who care be informed. Why are you afraid of people finding out more about Ketner? Is it because she's been hiding nearly everything about herself- her sexuality, her party affiliation, her pro-abortion stance, her tax and spend tendencies, her anti-gun rights stance, her opposition to the church, her pro-amnesty stance, etc, etc- that might first district voters might not like? Thus far, the only thing even keeping her above water has been the vast amount of money she's spent to sate her ambitions, and it's clear that she'll do just about anything- even acting ashamed of who she is- to be elected. If information is what you're scared of, then yes, this is a scare tactic. But what's stopping the Ketner campaign, then, from spreading more misinformation?

Posted by FactCheck on October 22, 2008 at 8:03 PM | Report this comment
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Nancy, Anna, and Harriet- Nowhere in the House Ethics manual does it say that someone who works for a Congressman can't send out information with their personal email, on their own time. Will you, unlike Linda Ketner, who despite the Forest Service giving Brown a permit to burn is still running an ad claiming he was told not to, at least check the facts before making your claims of controversy? I understand that your intentions are partisan, but you do yourself and your favored politicians no favors by being uninformed. Further, the snarky comment about people who have "refused to acknowledge the diverse world that we live in" has almost no bearing to the issue at hand. There are still people, like Congressman Brown, who believe in the sanctity of the family and of marriage, and so cannot support a woman who left her husband to be in a relationship with a woman. I also fail to understand how you can support a gay woman who seems bent on hiding her sexuality from the voting public. The email above only asks that people who care be informed. Why are you afraid of people finding out more about Ketner? Is it because she's been hiding nearly everything about herself- her sexuality, her party affiliation, her pro-abortion stance, her tax and spend tendencies, her anti-gun rights stance, her opposition to the church, her pro-amnesty stance, etc, etc- that might first district voters might not like? Thus far, the only thing even keeping her above water has been the vast amount of money she's spent to sate her ambitions, and it's clear that she'll do just about anything- even acting ashamed of who she is- to be elected. If information is what you're scared of, then yes, this is a scare tactic. But what's stopping the Ketner campaign, then, from spreading more misinformation?

Posted by FactCheck on October 22, 2008 at 8:03 PM | Report this comment
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Leviticus 18:22- Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Posted by FamilyMatters on October 22, 2008 at 9:01 PM | Report this comment
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Leviticus 18:22- Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Posted by FamilyMatters on October 22, 2008 at 9:01 PM | Report this comment
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Family Matters and Fact Check, is Linda running to be a member of Congress for everyone or a deacon for your church?

Posted by Greg Hambrick on October 23, 2008 at 7:17 AM | Report this comment
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Family Matters and Fact Check, is Linda running to be a member of Congress for everyone or a deacon for your church?

Posted by Greg Hambrick on October 23, 2008 at 7:17 AM | Report this comment
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Well if she is going to be a "representative" I'd like her to represent the views of the majority. This is mainly a Christian area. I am not "anti-gay" I just firmly believe in the Bible. This is not to say that being s liar or a thief is any better or worse. I strive every day to be a better Christian. People in this area support off shore drilling. We don't want illegal immigrants to stay here, we don't want late term abortions, etc. Maybe if she was running a more positive campaign, I'd be more inclined to listen to her. Not that it matters, but I am actually an independent. I hate it when candidates spend all of their money blasting the other person, instead of telling us what you can do. By the way, what companies was she a consultant for? Food Lion? If I'm not mistaken she resigned her position there during the early 90's when they were re-packaging old meat (and cleaning it with bleach) and selling it as new. I'm not saying that Mr. Brown is without flaws, however, I'd like to know more about Linda "the mystery" Ketner. Besides talking about Congressman Brown's fire, voting to raise his salary, etc., what can she tell us about herself?

Posted by Family Matters on October 23, 2008 at 8:29 AM | Report this comment
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Well if she is going to be a "representative" I'd like her to represent the views of the majority. This is mainly a Christian area. I am not "anti-gay" I just firmly believe in the Bible. This is not to say that being s liar or a thief is any better or worse. I strive every day to be a better Christian. People in this area support off shore drilling. We don't want illegal immigrants to stay here, we don't want late term abortions, etc. Maybe if she was running a more positive campaign, I'd be more inclined to listen to her. Not that it matters, but I am actually an independent. I hate it when candidates spend all of their money blasting the other person, instead of telling us what you can do. By the way, what companies was she a consultant for? Food Lion? If I'm not mistaken she resigned her position there during the early 90's when they were re-packaging old meat (and cleaning it with bleach) and selling it as new. I'm not saying that Mr. Brown is without flaws, however, I'd like to know more about Linda "the mystery" Ketner. Besides talking about Congressman Brown's fire, voting to raise his salary, etc., what can she tell us about herself?

Posted by Family Matters on October 23, 2008 at 8:29 AM | Report this comment
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I am an independent voter fed up with Congressman Brown. And I did my research before deciding to vote for her. FactCheck, you might want to do a little reading yourself. That ad Ketner is running about the fire is true and you can read the federal government report from the forest service in its entirety here: http://www.peer.org/docs/fs/BrownSetsFire.pdf. Also, just because you're a Christian, don't assume that other Christians fall in lock step with your personal beliefs. The Bible is not an operating manual. Ketner's personal life has nothing to do with her intelligence and capability. She will make a heck of a congressperson. She's got my vote. And finally, on the Food Lion issue - read her bio. She had not been employed by Food Lion for YEARS when that incident happened in the 90s. She had her own business at that time and was never even on the board for Food Lion. She worked for Food Lion from 1975 to 1977. And THAT'S a fact.

Posted by AnnaParish on October 23, 2008 at 1:19 PM | Report this comment
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I am an independent voter fed up with Congressman Brown. And I did my research before deciding to vote for her. FactCheck, you might want to do a little reading yourself. That ad Ketner is running about the fire is true and you can read the federal government report from the forest service in its entirety here: http://www.peer.org/docs/fs/BrownSetsFire.pdf. Also, just because you're a Christian, don't assume that other Christians fall in lock step with your personal beliefs. The Bible is not an operating manual. Ketner's personal life has nothing to do with her intelligence and capability. She will make a heck of a congressperson. She's got my vote. And finally, on the Food Lion issue - read her bio. She had not been employed by Food Lion for YEARS when that incident happened in the 90s. She had her own business at that time and was never even on the board for Food Lion. She worked for Food Lion from 1975 to 1977. And THAT'S a fact.

Posted by AnnaParish on October 23, 2008 at 1:19 PM | Report this comment
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What is even funnier is Kathy Crawford's salary for Henry Brown: From 4/01/08-6/30/08 earned $26,916.67 for being the district director - annual salary would be $161,500.02 Not bad for SC. Guess why we know she was worried. Dont believe me here is the link: http://www.legistorm.com/member/149/Rep_Henry_Brown_Jr/54.html Oh, and by the way, Mr. Corey McGee AKA Fact check - paid Henry Brown staffer Somebody needs to check his computer to see if he is doing this slamming from work. Guess it pays to work for O'Henry!

Posted by Nancy Seufert on October 24, 2008 at 7:36 PM | Report this comment
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What is even funnier is Kathy Crawford's salary for Henry Brown: From 4/01/08-6/30/08 earned $26,916.67 for being the district director - annual salary would be $161,500.02 Not bad for SC. Guess why we know she was worried. Dont believe me here is the link: http://www.legistorm.com/member/149/Rep_Henry_Brown_Jr/54.html Oh, and by the way, Mr. Corey McGee AKA Fact check - paid Henry Brown staffer Somebody needs to check his computer to see if he is doing this slamming from work. Guess it pays to work for O'Henry!

Posted by Nancy Seufert on October 24, 2008 at 7:36 PM | Report this comment
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Family Matters - Do you really live the Old Testament ver batim or just quote it when convenient? I only wonder because it also says that a person should be put to death for blasphemy (Lev. 24:16), adultery (Duet. 22:23-24), not being a virgin on your wedding night (Duet. 22:13-21), disobeying your parents (Duet. 21:18-21), and breaking the Sabbath (Num. 15:32-56). If you don't believe that gathering sticks on the Sabbath warrants a stoning, please tell me how to know which parts of the Bible should be followed strictly and which can be disregarded, because I find it difficult to tell.

Posted by Bell on October 25, 2008 at 12:14 PM | Report this comment
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Family Matters - Do you really live the Old Testament ver batim or just quote it when convenient? I only wonder because it also says that a person should be put to death for blasphemy (Lev. 24:16), adultery (Duet. 22:23-24), not being a virgin on your wedding night (Duet. 22:13-21), disobeying your parents (Duet. 21:18-21), and breaking the Sabbath (Num. 15:32-56). If you don't believe that gathering sticks on the Sabbath warrants a stoning, please tell me how to know which parts of the Bible should be followed strictly and which can be disregarded, because I find it difficult to tell.

Posted by Bell on October 25, 2008 at 12:14 PM | Report this comment
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Family Matters- Do you realize that some of the most powerful politicians in South Carolina are closeted Gay Republicans? Yep! They're everywhere!

Posted by Jaded on October 26, 2008 at 7:47 AM | Report this comment
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Family Matters- Do you realize that some of the most powerful politicians in South Carolina are closeted Gay Republicans? Yep! They're everywhere!

Posted by Jaded on October 26, 2008 at 7:47 AM | Report this comment

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