Interesting Letter Regarding Taylor TV Ad

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from:www.mountainx.com/opinion


Taylor presumes ignorance

I was recently confronted with a current television commercial run by U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, which stated that Heath Shuler "was sued for illegally dumping directly into a stream." Mr. Taylor bases his opinion on a lawsuit that is currently pending in Knox County, Tenn. The commercial even flashes a copy of the complaint that was filed in the lawsuit, which I personally drafted, but the ad does not allow to see what the complaint actually says.

As the attorney representing the plaintiff in that case and the attorney who wrote the complaint that Mr. Taylor uses in his commercial, I am deeply disappointed in Mr. Taylor. That a man of position in this country can be so completely dishonest or so proudly ignorant as to believe that the complaint in question makes the accusations that he states in his commercial should raise grave alarm.

Mr. Taylor's accusations are simply false.

First, the allegations of the complaint were drafted in plain English, not in "legalese." (Unfortunately, Mr. Taylor's ad does not show the voters the language of the complaint.) Anyone can read should immediately see that the complaint does not name Heath Shuler, nor does it contain any allegations against Mr. Shuler. Second, the lawsuit is not a lawsuit for "illegally dumping directly in a stream." The lawsuit is a breach-of-contract claim by a homebuyer against a private seller, and a breach-of-warranty claim against several other people who helped in the sale, none of whom was Heath Shuler.

The statements made by Mr. Taylor regarding this lawsuit are false. Where he expects voters to rely on them, they are even worse: They are defamatory. Mr. Taylor's statements presume the ignorance, and worse, insult the intelligence and expect the apathy of his constituents. I am deeply disappointed that a member of Congress would stoop to such a level in his effort to remain in public office.

– Robin S. Kuykendall
Attorney at Law
Knoxville, Tenn.

from:www.mountainx.com