Correction: Smith is NOT on board against lynching

As of Wednesday midday, Gordon Smith had not yet signed on--even after the fact--as a co-sponsor of Senate Resolution 39, the Senate's apology for refusing to enact federal anti-lynching legislation during most of the 20th century.

Here are Smith's numbers: Washington DC: (202) 224-3753 Portland OR: (503) 326-3386

Please call his office, and politely but firmly ask why he still hasn’t signed on as a co-sponsor.

As Americablog notes, there are two or three ways his people can try to weasel out of giving a straight answer, all based on hoping you don't know about the way Senate voting works.

So--depending on the answer you get--here are your talking points:

• "The vote was unanimous." Yes, but that doesn't mean all 100 Senators voted for it, it only applies to the Senators present in the chamber to vote. If Smith wasn't present, he didn't vote for the resolution. So why won't he add his name as a co-sponsor to the bill as a clear and unambiguous show of his support?


• "Senator Smith wasn't available when the voice vote was taken." Fine. But does he support the resolution or not? If not, why? And if so, why won't he add his name as a co-sponsor to the bill as a clear and unambiguous show of his support?

It's disgraceful that Oregon has to hound one of its own Senators just to get him to say that 100 years of racist lynching was a bad thing. Senator Smith, get on board!