4.5.06 - Rep. John Rhodes Again Challenges His Opponent To Respond

North Mecklenburg, NC. - Today, Representative John Rhodes renewed his challenge to his opponent to come forward and join Rhodes' leadership on calling for the resignations of House Speaker Jim Black and Speaker Pro tem Richard Morgan.

Shortly before noon today, my opponent stated in the Mountain Island Monitor, "He (Rhodes) is calling for the resignation of a member of the house who may have broken the law (an investigation is pending)," said my opponent. "How courageous is that? It would seem to me everyone ought to be doing that. It's practically the oath of office."

District 98 Representative Rhodes issued the following statement:

"We are in the midst of some of the most trying issues facing this state and this nation. Here in North Carolina, I have taken the lead in exposing our corrupt House leadership and have been successful in rallying others, including the major media, to take note and call for their resignation for over a year. I called for the Attorney General of this state to investigate the corruption and squandering of millions of dollars. If it were not for these efforts we would not be seeing the fruits of my labor. The only reason the House leadership is on the verge of removal is because I forced the issue and kept fighting.

"That (my opponent's remarks) isn't a call for Black's and Morgan's resignations. It is a cleverly worded attempt to state that I am just now demanding they resign, when voters know I was the driving force behind this movement for many, many months. And yes, it was courageous, thank you Thom. I stood alone when I found out how our tax dollars were stolen and I called for these corrupt officials to resign long before the criminal investigations, long before my opponent started his run for office and long before anyone wanted to admit something was foul in Raleigh.

"My opponent cannot truly call himself leadership material if he can't step up to the plate and do what is right, especially when it is this obvious as he admits.

"If my opponent thinks he made his position clear in his comments to the paper, he did not. He did not say he calls for them to resign, he said anyone should. He does admit that it is practically the oath of office.

"So where was my opponent's support of my efforts when this all started? Where was his concern about corruption? Corruption is the roadblock stopping progress in this state. All those great improvements our towns want are blocked by corruption. That is why I worked so hard to remove it from the legislative process.

"My opponent apparently hangs to the back until the outcome is decided so he can stand on the correct side of the issues. Any statement he issues now calling for resignations rings hollow. He either recognizes my effectiveness in this matter and concedes that these officials must go or he is not concerned about corruption.

"My opponent uses rhetoric to say that everyone ought to do it. If so, then why not you too, Thom?"

Republican primary voters may vote on May 2nd, 2006 at their local precinct for Representative John W. Rhodes.