Lawmaker's Flight 93 stance may be last straw

Western North Carolina voters have supported U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor for 16 years, despite loan scandals at his bank, his acceptance of questionable campaign donations and his financial ties to Russia.

They've looked beyond his plan to spend almost $600 million for a controversial road through pristine parts of the Smoky Mountains. They didn't turn away even though records show he hasn't paid more than $1,800 in 2000 property taxes owed to Jackson County and that he's accepted more than $19,000 in campaign contributions from convicted gaming lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

In Pennsylvania, Taylor is know as the congressman who for two years blocked federal funding for a memorial to those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Somerset County. And that position hasn't gone over very well with some in his 11th Congressional District.

Robin Acton

While I like the fact that Taylor blocked the funding of the memorial, but I doubt it was for the right reasons, especially considering the hypocrisy of the road to nowhere. Some think the GOP will try to pressure Taylor to step aside so they won't lose the seat. His opponent is well known and well liked in the district.