THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610190009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 30 lines
In recent weeks, citizens of the 2nd District have been receiving all sorts of information regarding Congressman Owen Pickett. He has been called a liberal, has been accused of turning his back on the military and our national security, and has been portrayed as partisan, ineffective and out of touch with his constituents.
All this from someone who seeks to take his place in Congress.
Congressman Pickett has a long and enviable record of public service, both in the Virginia General Assembly and in Congress. He has proved himself a tireless worker for this district, from the retention of NAS Oceana and the influx of more military personnel to continuing the fight for construction of the Lake Gaston pipeline. Moreover, anyone who would label Pickett anything but a fiscal conservative doesn't understand the definition of the term.
Finally, ask anyone who has ever had problems with the Social Security Administration, or any other department of the federal government, about Owen Pickett. His office has an exemplary record of effectively assisting citizens in dealing with their government; hardly what someone could call ``unresponsive.''
The distortions and misrepresentations we have seen thus far from John Tate serve no purpose but the candidate's own. Let's get the record straight.
STEVEN G. OWEN
Virginia Beach, Oct. 4, 1996 by CNB