Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Birdwell Says Allegations "False Then, False Now"

Bosque County Republican Chairman Tom Bratcher
Senator Brian Birdwell said he has "never, ever" voted twice
in the same election in response to reports published this
morning.

According to a story by Ross Ramsay, editor of "The Texas
Tribune" and printed in "The Waco Tribune-Herald" and a
published report re-printed in "The Legendary" from April,
an Austin attorney had uncovered voting records that
indicate then Lt. Col. Birdwell was registered to vote in
both Virginia and Texas and did vote in both states' primary
elections.

The April report held that Col. Birdwell lost his primary
Texas residency through those alleged actions.

Senator Birdwell denied all such allegations in a statement
he issued at noon.

"There are inaccurate news reports published today which
contain false information concerning my voting record. Let
me be crystal clear. I have never, ever voted twice in the
same election, and that charge is particularly offensive to
a soldier who holds the voting process as honored and
sacred. Basically, this news story would have people
believe that on Election Day in 2004, I voted in Virginia,
then got on a plane and flew to Texas so I could cast a
second vote for George W. Bush. I did not."

He went on to explain that the investigation may be flawed
because of the similarity of his name and his brother's, in
which he shares as his middle name of Douglas his brother's
first name.

"The reports mention that my full name is Brian Douglas
Birdwell, and my brother's name, which appeared right after
mine on the voter roll in Tarrant County, is Douglas Todd
Birdwell. Because of the similarity of our names, I believe
there was an incorrect coding of which brother actually
voted in person in Texas on November 2, 2004. My brother
knows that he did vote in the general election in 2004 but
the reports indicate that he did not.

"The truth is that, despite the implication that story
presents 'new' information, this false claim concerning my
voting record was presented to the Texas Secretary of State
nearly four months ago when my candidacy was initially
challenged, then certified. The allegation was false then
and it's false now."

Bosque County Republican Chairman Tom Bratcher said an
independent investigation by he and his 9 other colleagues
who chair their GOP in State Senate District 22 concluded
that Senator Birdwell is qualified to serve as a state
senator, his residency requirement of having lived in the
district for the previous five years having been fulfilled.

No comments:

Post a Comment