Democrat Congresswoman Cindy Axne has confessed she did not utilize a proxy vote in favor of the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” due to COVID but was, in fact, vacationing in France.
It’s a brutal admission made by the lone Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation as she finds herself in the midst of a difficult re-election campaign against Republican State. Sen Zach Nunn.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi extended the ability of representatives to have a colleague vote on their behalf due to COVID until November.
Axne’s proxy letter to the Office of the Clerk cited the “ongoing public health emergency” as the reason she was unable to physically attend proceedings in the United States House of Representatives.
Here is her proxy letter stating that fact:
On Aug. 12, Axne’s office sent out a press release detailing her vote in favor of the “Inflation Reduction Act.”
“Today Rep. Cindy Axne voted to send the Inflation Reduction Act…to the President’s desk,” it read, never once mentioning she voted by proxy.
A photo posted to social media by Axne’s son showed Axne in France.
“The deal is I’m a family member, I’m a mom of two boys and my husband,” Axne said to WHO-TV 13. “We had August session, where we were out of session here, and I had at rip planned for eight months, and paid for, because that was the only time that I could go because we were out of session.
“Now, Senate finally got their act together, was able to pass something a year after we passed it in the House, and then an emergency vote was called. I was gone. I wanted to make sure that I voted so Iowans could have a voice because we need the Inflation Reduction Act for Iowans.”
What’s strange is WHO-TV 13’s defense of Axne — that she has only used voting by proxy nine times while some Republicans have used it more.
That isn’t the issue. The fact she voted by proxy isn’t the issue.
The issue is she flat-out lied. The ongoing public health emergency was so bad that Axne couldn’t be in D.C. to vote, but could be in another country. That’s what we’re supposed to believe?
C’mon man.
Axne went on to say there should be an opportunity to vote by proxy “in general.”
Again, voting by proxy isn’t the issue. The only reason it is an issue is because Axne lied. She lied. Plain and simple. Read it again…
“I am unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency.”
But she’s in France.
Seriously.
Luckily for Axne, she’s a Democrat and the WHO-TV 13 report didn’t focus on the fact Axne lied — just that she isn’t the only person to vote by proxy.
One loyal reader reached out to the Iowa Standard from Axne’s district and wrote:
“What is bad is that she lied about it. Said it was due to COVID. We caught her in this small unnecessary lie. It’s the tip of the iceberg! I can’t believe anything she says now.”
It used to be “liar, liar, pants on fire.” Perhaps in this version it is “liar, liar, pants in France.”
Imagine being the average Iowan in the Third District. Somehow, despite the Biden-Axne recession we’re in, you can afford a trip to Europe. But you have to work at this time. So you make up a lie to miss work and have someone else do your job for you.
Then, a bit later, you get caught. Your boss finds out you weren’t stuck at home due to the “ongoing public health crisis,” but you were instead in Europe. On vacation.
I think we know how that story would end for 99.99% percent of Iowans.
And understandably so.
Axne hasn’t had to face her boss yet, but she will on Election Day. The voters in the district will decide whether they want a military veteran like Zach Nunn in Congress, or a rule-breaking world traveler like Axne.
