Karen Kwiatkowski: No whining, Mr. Goodlatte!

Good people across the country and in the Sixth Congressional District recently handed Bob Goodlatte a major defeat.

Goodlatte had drafted, introduced, and co-sponsored the now infamous SOPA “Internet blacklist” bill.  This lousy legislation contained assaults on the First, Fourth and 14th amendments – and Bob, who read the Constitution as recently as last January on the floor of the House, should have known that.

Instead, members of Congress (mostly Democrats, and Bob), who had accepted millions from Hollywood, the pharmaceutical industry, and the auto parts industry, did what they were paid to do.

SOPA, and the Senate version, PIPA, have both been stopped – for now.  The widespread and public revolt by real people who understand and use the Internet and its related technologies caused a massive and rapid bleed-out of co-sponsors.

We recently met with a constituent who shared an email he had just received from Mr. Goodlatte. It concerned the public rebuke of the SOPA bill.

I hesitate to share it because you probably won’t believe it. Bob said SOPA was actually written by Lamar Smith, chair of the Judiciary Committee!

In October, Goodlatte’s website proudly touted his role in introducing SOPA (

http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/281). As Chair of the Subcommittee on Internet and IP, he crafted this bill, and happily pushed it – until it turned sour. Now he’s trying to throw his higher-ups under the bus.

A few months earlier, in July, Goodlatte sponsored HR 2511, a “Fashion IP” Act. Like SOPA, this bill has overwhelming Democratic co-sponsorship. Like SOPA, it uses similar language and tactics. On this one, the money comes from NYC fashion moguls. Bob was all over it.

I spent 20 years in the military. My brothers, my dad, and his brothers all served. When mistakes are made, you man up. You take personal responsibility, and you try to make it right.  You don’t blame your boss or your underlings, you don’t wriggle, and you don’t whine.

Stop whining, Mr. Goodlatte.

Karen Kwiatkowski, a conservative Mount Jackson cattle farmer and veteran, is challenging Bob Goodlatte in the Sixth District GOP primary on June 12.