Tennessee Jobs Now Demands Diane Black Repay Taxpayers for Missed Votes

TN Jobs Now  is calling on Congresswoman Diane Black (R-6) to reimburse taxpayers $31,320.00 for her failure to show up for work and has submitted an invoice on behalf of taxpayers to her office requesting payment to the Bureau of Fiscal Service. That amount represents 36% of Black’s $87,000 congressional salary for the first half of the year. The Tennessean reported Wednesday that Black had missed 36% of the votes in the House during the time period from January 1 – June 8 this year, although the story also acknowledged that the votes missed passed by wide margins and that Black’s vote would not have affected any of the outcomes.

TN Jobs Now spokesman David Carney said: “Black likes to say she ‘fights for what’s right,’ but she can’t fight for us when she doesn’t even bother to get in the ring. Regular, hardworking Tennesseans who skipped work 36% of the time would get fired and not expect a promotion like Diane Black is seeking.”

TN Jobs Now has submitted an invoice to Diane Black, payable to U.S. taxpayers, for $31,320, representing 36% of her $87,000 congressional salary for the first half of the year. “An honest caretaker of our tax dollars wouldn’t have to be billed for failing to do their job,” Carney noted. “The fact that Black hasn’t already offered to return part of her paycheck speaks volumes about how little she cares about our tax dollars. It is no wonder Washington spending has skyrocketed during her time in Congress.”

The Tennessean reported on June 13 that Black missed 93 of the 257 votes cast in the House from January 1 – June 8, 2018, or 36%. Black’s missed votes exceeded the total of all other members of the Tennessee congressional delegation this year which virtually all are running in elelections. The eight other members of the state’s delegation have missed a combined 82 votes.

Chris Hartline, a Black campaign spokesman, told The Tennessean that Black has “balanced performing her official duties and being in Tennessee to talk with voters about her conservative vision for Tennessee’s future and how she will fight to protect Tennessee values.” He also noted that several of her missed votes came on two separate days when Black attended a gubernatorial debate and forum in Memphis and at the University of Tennessee at Martin, respectively. “If she had chosen to do the opposite, the media would no doubt attack her for avoiding Tennessee events,” Hartline added.

Former Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey,  Chairman of the Black for Governor campaign, pointed out: ”Everyone knows this group is a front for Randy Boyd. If Randy wants to run a false, negative campaign he should have the courage to do it himself and stop hiding behind a shady PAC funded by a long-time Democrat.”