No phone, no employees…Was McHenry's “business” for real?

10th District Republican congressional candidate, Lance Sigmon, kept up the pressure on current U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, charging that the congressman's claim to be a "small businessman" when he first ran for election in 2004 was deceitful.

"I just want him to provide the people of this district with some details about 'McHenry Real Estate,'" Sigmon stated. "When he ran in the primary four years ago, he cited his 'company' as justification for his claim that he was 'the only small businessman in this race.'"

When the news media and others looked for a business by the name of "McHenry Real Estate" that year, they could find no telephone listing, no business office, no employees, no transactions... no evidence at all that it ever existed.

It is worth noting that in his mandatory federal financial disclosure statement for calendar years 2004, 2005, and 2006, McHenry reported that he was the sole proprietor for "McHenry Real Estate." In those reports he disclosed that his "company" had "zero assets and zero liabilities." “If ‘McHenry Real Estate’ does exist, then it must be on paper only. Being the sole proprietor of a sham business hardly qualifies one to claim they are a ‘small businessman’ or have the experience to understand the needs and challenges of any business owner.”

"I was raised to believe it is wrong to pretend to be someone you are not, and I believe to purposely mislead voters about your background and qualifications to get their votes is deceitful," Sigmon declared. "We're just looking for some legitimate evidence that he ever was what he said he was in 2004."

"Integrity, honesty and common sense-these are all elements of good leadership," he added. "Now is the time for a change in the quality of representation we currently have in Washington. There is no room for this kind of deceptive behavior or advancement of self interest."

"If he can't prove his business claims were true, then he needs to formally apologize to every voter in the district. He seems to find ways to mail out other documents about his 'achievements' in Congress whenever he wants, at taxpayers' expense," Sigmon said, "so my request shouldn't be too difficult for him."

The candidate from Newton in the May 6 Republican primary, Lance Sigmon, said he would be "happy" to provide proof of the qualifications he claims in his personal history. "I have my military discharge papers, my law degree and other documentation, if anyone wants to see them."

Summary of Washington DC Law in 2001 D.C. Code § 47-813 Classes of property (2001)