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The video of Tennessee state Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, making questionable comments on the House floor in May regarding voter registration has been located, but it has only deepened the mystery about what she really said.

The short version of the background story is this: Former state Rep. Chris Clem and others recall that Favors, while opposing some proposal to tighten up validation of voter registrations, said she allowed people to register to vote with her address even though they didn't live there. Clem's recollection, posted in a comment on Adam Groves' Tennessee Politics blog, set off a search for the video, and also of the Hamilton County voter rolls.

Favors made the remarks on May 26 on the House floor, but the six-hour video of the session, available here on the Tennessee legislature's website (the May 26-B tape if you want to watch it), inexplicably crashes about 30 seconds into Favors' remarks - although the three hours of House action both before and after her remarks play just fine.

Before the video stops, all Favors says is that her children still use her house as their permanent mailing address. She doesn't mention voter registration at all, but it is the subject of the bill that she rose to speak about. Then the video feed crashes - but not before you hear other legislators laughing and one comes up to her and whispers something to her.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton County voter rolls for 2004 showed only three people registered to vote at her address, (2441 Meade Circle, Chattanooga TN 37406) - Favors is widowed with 4 children. One is named "Kimberly Lee," the other "Jimmy Hood." Favors was first elected to the legislature in 2004, and is running for reelection this year. I don't have information from the 2006 Hamilton County voter rolls yet.

So, what does Favors say after the tape crashes? And, why does that tape crash at that exact moment, and only for the few moments that Favors is speaking? Is it technically possible to insert such a "crash" or error into the middle of a six-hour digital video file that is being streamed online?

There are more questions yet than answers. I will today be requesting a videotape of the May 26-B session. If it does not contain the entire section with Favors speaking, it is very likely that the tape has been tampered with. What Favors says before the tape crashes is not evidence of a serious infraction. What she says after the tape crashes is... unknown.

Wow, shades of Watergate. Had Rose Mary Woods not died last year, I would think she found a job in the Tennessee Speaker's office.

You found the feathers, now find and skin the cat.

Great work.

So where is the MSM on this?

Posted by: Rick Forman at August 29, 2006 8:29 AM

Isn't there a transcript of legislator's 'on-floor' remarks? How hard would it be to find?

Posted by: RustyO at August 29, 2006 2:13 PM

The video seems to be working fine now. Her remarks start at 03:16:27. Here is a transcript:

REP FAVORS: "...I have four children and they have never changed their address, and refused to do so, from my house for their important mail like Social Security and all of that. And in talking with other friends of mine who have children along those same ages, that still happens with them. What kind of effect do you think this will have? (man comes over and whispers to her, she lowers the mike and responds, he whispers again, she smiles sheepishly, pauses and re-raises the mike to her mouth)..Sponsor, I withdraw my question. (laughter from the floor)"

END TRANSCRIPT

While the negative implications of the comment are clear, she does not say anything about voter registration or whether her children voted from that address. She also does not say that "people are registered at her address so they can vote for her" as has been alleged elsewhere. While her remarks show an incredible lack of judgment or common sense and should give anyone who hears them pause, they do not go far enough to warrant prosecution, although an investigation could (and should) take place to confirm or deny the voter fraud implied here.

Posted by: Griff at August 29, 2006 4:04 PM

August 29, 2006

Favors Update