Monday, October 18, 2004
Clay: Marshall Missed Key Votes
ATLANTA - U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, D-Ga., and Republican Calder Clay compressed an entire campaign's worth of sniping into a debate that lasted little less than a half-hour Sunday night.
Macon Telegraph, Andy Peters
Marshall, Clay debate as heated as campaigns
During the debate broadcast on Georgia Public Television, Clay repeated the accusation that Marshall, the first-term incumbent congressman from the 3rd District, missed key votes in Congress and doesn't reflect the values of a majority of Middle Georgians.
The former Bibb County commissioner also asked Marshall who he was supporting for president - George Bush or John Kerry - but Marshall declined to answer.
Much of the debate centered on Clay's accusation that Marshall missed a key vote related to legislation to reduce frivolous lawsuits.
Clay said Marshall skipped the vote because of the campaign donations he's received from the legal profession. He previously had said Marshall was AWOL - the military term for absent without leave - because he missed that vote.
"I'm a dues-paying member of the Air Force Association," Clay said. "I find it difficult to understand why you would choose to miss that vote. I know you're supported by trial lawyers."
The two candidates also disagreed on whether Marshall had fulfilled a campaign pledge to help rural hospitals.
Marshall said he had made good on that promise, because he'd persuaded federal officials to give rural hospitals better access to the Indigent Care Trust Fund.
But Clay said Marshall's vote against a bill to limit frivolous lawsuits makes it much more difficult for rural hospitals to stay open because of the higher medical costs associated with medical-malpractice lawsuits.
"We will work to protect the sanctity of marriage," Clay said. "I believe life begins at conception. I will protect our Second Amendment rights."
Sunday's debate may be the only televised debate between Marshall and Clay accessible to the entire 3rd District.
Calder For Congress - Press Release
Marshall Not Able To Account For Whereabouts During Missed Votes
Says He Will Disclose Why He Skipped the Votes and Where He Was.
MACON, GA - Republican candidate for Congress Calder Clay debated with Democrat Jim Marshall tonight at an event sponsored by Georgia Public Broadcasting.
When asked why he missed two critical votes in the Armed Services Committee this year, Jim Marshall said he did not know and that he would follow up to let people know where he was and why he failed to vote on those two important measures.
Clay asked Marshall the following question:
Unfortunately, some members of Congress have chosen to inject politics directly into the war on terror - using the situations at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay to try and score political points against the President.
On two occasions, June 14 and July 15 of this year, important resolutions were brought before the House Armed Services Committee to do just that.
Mr. Marshall, you said "I make sure that I get up to speed on all legislation pending before my committees." However, you chose to skip those two very partisan votes on the War on Terror. Why did you skip them and where were you?
NOTE: There have been fewer than 20 votes in the Armed Services Committee during all of 2004.
Macon Telegraph, Andy Peters
Marshall, Clay debate as heated as campaigns
During the debate broadcast on Georgia Public Television, Clay repeated the accusation that Marshall, the first-term incumbent congressman from the 3rd District, missed key votes in Congress and doesn't reflect the values of a majority of Middle Georgians.
The former Bibb County commissioner also asked Marshall who he was supporting for president - George Bush or John Kerry - but Marshall declined to answer.
Much of the debate centered on Clay's accusation that Marshall missed a key vote related to legislation to reduce frivolous lawsuits.
Clay said Marshall skipped the vote because of the campaign donations he's received from the legal profession. He previously had said Marshall was AWOL - the military term for absent without leave - because he missed that vote.
"I'm a dues-paying member of the Air Force Association," Clay said. "I find it difficult to understand why you would choose to miss that vote. I know you're supported by trial lawyers."
The two candidates also disagreed on whether Marshall had fulfilled a campaign pledge to help rural hospitals.
Marshall said he had made good on that promise, because he'd persuaded federal officials to give rural hospitals better access to the Indigent Care Trust Fund.
But Clay said Marshall's vote against a bill to limit frivolous lawsuits makes it much more difficult for rural hospitals to stay open because of the higher medical costs associated with medical-malpractice lawsuits.
"We will work to protect the sanctity of marriage," Clay said. "I believe life begins at conception. I will protect our Second Amendment rights."
Sunday's debate may be the only televised debate between Marshall and Clay accessible to the entire 3rd District.
Calder For Congress - Press Release
Marshall Not Able To Account For Whereabouts During Missed Votes
Says He Will Disclose Why He Skipped the Votes and Where He Was.
MACON, GA - Republican candidate for Congress Calder Clay debated with Democrat Jim Marshall tonight at an event sponsored by Georgia Public Broadcasting.
When asked why he missed two critical votes in the Armed Services Committee this year, Jim Marshall said he did not know and that he would follow up to let people know where he was and why he failed to vote on those two important measures.
Clay asked Marshall the following question:
Unfortunately, some members of Congress have chosen to inject politics directly into the war on terror - using the situations at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay to try and score political points against the President.
On two occasions, June 14 and July 15 of this year, important resolutions were brought before the House Armed Services Committee to do just that.
Mr. Marshall, you said "I make sure that I get up to speed on all legislation pending before my committees." However, you chose to skip those two very partisan votes on the War on Terror. Why did you skip them and where were you?
NOTE: There have been fewer than 20 votes in the Armed Services Committee during all of 2004.
