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N.C. congressman too rushed to find airport parking

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

(Updated 9:39 am)

By The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE (AP) — A congressman dashing to catch a plane dumped his SUV at the end of a row of properly parked cars at Charlotte's airport.

The Gaston Gazette reported today that Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry parked his Ford Explorer straddling a curb in a parking lot at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport on Sunday.

The front tires were on the curb. The back tires were in the driving area of the parking lot, one resting atop a yellow speed bump.

McHenry spokesman Brock McCleary said the congressman was running late and couldn't find a parking spot. He says McHenry made a mistake by not parking properly, and the car has been moved.

McHenry is serving his third term in the U.S. House.

What do you think?

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TravKM

November 4, 2009 - 9:43 am EST

Hmm, must be a slow news day...

Illiterati

November 4, 2009 - 11:15 am EST

If this is the kind of story the AP is charging news outlets for, then I think it's time strapped-for-cash news outlets start thinking about dumping their AP content. (One of the Chicago papers is experimenting with just that—this fluff might help them decide.) Seriously, where was this reporter's editor on this non-story? You know, the person who should have said, "Hey, this isn't much of a story. Kill it."

aliluyya

November 4, 2009 - 11:27 am EST

his actions are emblematic of Republican's actions & mindsets everywhere. "screw you, it's not my problem", "somebody else fix the mess that I made", "i'm too important to deal with real world issues", "public safety isn't my concern".

Don Stowe

November 4, 2009 - 11:49 am EST

There must be some tradition among Representatives from that area. Around 1970 at the Greensboro Airport we found a car without an employee parking sticker in the already crowded employee lot. It would remain there for weeks at a time. One day I noticed a man going to this car and approched him. It was the U.S. Representative from the 8th district of North Carolina. His excuse for parking there was that "I am trying to save money for the taxpayers." Needless to say, he was presented with all the tickets the car had received while it was illegally parked. So, it is no news that the very people we sent to Washington and Raleigh care nothing about the laws they pass or the peopel they represent.

Panacea

November 4, 2009 - 1:35 pm EST

I agree. This story reflects yet another symptom of how our political leaders consider themselves above the law and above ordinary Americans.

Bilbo

November 4, 2009 - 1:11 pm EST

..and, of course, were he a democrat, illiterati and TravKM would probably have wanted a federal investigation....that's the way it goes...

Illiterati

November 4, 2009 - 5:44 pm EST

Sorry, Bilbo, I only affiliate with the party of news stories worth printing (virtually or otherwise), and this one isn't a member. As an old hack myself, I tend to read the news in the light of an editor, not a voter. Actually, I didn't notice what party this guy aligns himself with; I only noticed that there was no news here, just a guy in a hurry who did something stupid.

TravKM

November 4, 2009 - 10:00 pm EST

No, I find his actions inexcusable for any person to be so lazy. And, it is even worse that an elected official would act with such disregard.

The issue I have with this article is that it is really not that news worthy and seems more like filler material. Whoever witnessed this should have called airport police instead of the newspaper. Then, the police could have had Mr. McHenry's Explorer towed. That would have made for a much better story.

DCBorn

November 4, 2009 - 1:39 pm EST

Trust me, this is typical DC behaviour from BOTH parties. An arrogance permeates this city. They all think they are above all the laws.

newkid

November 4, 2009 - 5:42 pm EST

and at Washington's National Airport, congresspeople (diplomats and Supreme Court justices too) even have their own reserved, close-to-the-gate, parking lot. Meanwhile all us taxpayers--Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike--sometimes couldn't find ANY parking at the airport.