Sadly, the Webb campaign is continuing their attempt to make this Virginia Senate race about lies and rumor-mongering, rather than about issues. In Salon today, an anti-tobacco and environmental activist claims Senator Allen “used “N-word” in college“.
Let’s be clear: as with the previous rumors and lies pushed by the Webb campaign, this is categorically false. Rather than talking about the issues relevant to voters, the Webb campaign is pushing rumors and lies about Senator Allen and his family.
In the proximate case, we’ve got a story in which one named person claims three main things.
- “He used the N-word on a regular basis back then.”
- “Shelton also told Salon that the future senator gave him the nickname “Wizard,” because he shared a last name with [KKK imperial wizard] Robert Shelton…”
- “Allen said he came to Virginia because he wanted to play football in a place where ‘blacks knew their place,’” said Dr. Ken Shelton, a white radiologist in North Carolina
Fortunately, we have quite a lot of evidence that his story is categorically false — that this Salon story is evidence of the Democratic Party growing comfortable with the “Swiftboating” tactics they’d previously decried.
Aside from Salon’s own admission that 16 of the 19 people contacted did not remember any evidence of racism from George Allen — in fact, the seven people who knew Allen well during that time period specifically said that “did not believe he held racist views” — we’ve got statements from a great many former peers of Allen that specifically debunk these charges. Most relevantly:
Shelton lied about the origin of the name “Wizard”:
Joe Gieck, 35-year UVA trainer: “I seem to recall that Ken Shelton got the ‘Wizard’ nickname for his pass catching ability and before George Allen came to the University of Virginia.”
George Korte, UVA linebacker ‘70-’73: “Ken Shelton received his nickname because of his ability as a tight end to magically get open and catch the football not because he shared someone’s last name.”
Charlie Hale, UVA center ‘70-’73: I have always known him by the nickname, ‘Wizard’. I have always thought the name came from his ability to catch passes … or his ability to somehow get open in the field. Personally I believe that he was a true ‘Wizard’ because he always had the ability to sneak out after curfew and never get caught.”
Shelton lied about Allen using the “n-word”:
Doug Jones, UVA defensive back ‘71-’74 and roomate of Ken Shelton: “I was on the University of Virginia football team with George Allen for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. During that time I never heard George Allen use any racially disparaging word nor did I ever witness or hear about him acting in a racially insensitive manner.”
George Korte, UVA linebacker ‘70-’73: “Contrary to Ken Shelton, I have kept up with George Allen the past thirty-five years. During this time, I have never known or heard him use racial epithets to describe blacks either in public or private. … George Allen did not use racial epithets or demonstrate racist attitudes towards blacks in the early 1970s.
Charlie Hale, UVA center ‘70-’73: ““During the 34 years I have known George Allen I have never heard him use racial slurs or derogatory language to describe a person or group of persons.”
Shelton lied about Allen’s reasons for coming to UVA:
George Korte, UVA linebacker ‘70-’73: “George came to University of Virginia because his father became the head coach of the Washington Redskins.”
Charlie Hale, UVA center ‘70-’73: “The reason that Senator Allen came to Virginia to play football from UCLA was the fact that he was very close to his father, loved professional football and wanted to be near his family who would be living in Leesburg, Virginia.”
Had the Webb campaign or Salon been interested in actual journalism, as opposed to merely repeating a Webb campaign lie, they could have discovered these facts for themselves. Instead, they are doing the dirty tricks of the Webb campaign.
[this story will be updated as more news comes in]
Complete statements are below the fold:
Statement from Joe Gieck, trainer for the University of Virginia football team for over 35-years:
“I seem to recall that Ken Shelton got the ‘Wizard’ nickname for his pass catching ability and before George Allen came to the University of Virginia.”
____________________________________________
Statement from Doug Jones, defensive back on the University of Virginia football team 1971 thru 1974 and roomed with Ken Shelton in his second year:“I was on the University of Virginia football team with George Allen for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. During that time I never heard George Allen use any racially disparaging word nor did I ever witness or hear about him acting in a racially insensitive manner.
“He was a scholar-athlete and a leader. I was proud to be his teammate.”
____________________________________________
Statement from George Korte, linebacker on the University of Virginia football team from 1970 through 1973:
“Contrary to Ken Shelton, I have kept up with George Allen the past thirty-five years. During this time, I have never known or heard him use racial epithets to describe blacks either in public or private.
“Specific items in the article that are not true are as follows:
1. As stated above, George Allen did not use racial epithets or demonstrate racist attitudes towards blacks in the early 1970s.2. George came to University of Virginia because his father became the head coach of the Washington Redskins. Instead of continuing his undergraduate education at UCLA, he transferred to be closer to his family. He came to University of Virginia to attend one of the top public Universities in the nation not as the article states “because he wanted to play football in a place where ‘blacks knew their place’.
3. Many of the nicknames used to describe the players were not given by George. Mine was Tez. I received this nickname because a coach mispronounced my name as Cortez. This resulted in my nickname given to me from another linebacker. Ken Shelton received his nickname because of his ability as a tight end to magically get open and catch the football not because he shared someone’s last name.
“It appears to me that Kenny Shelton has some deep rooted problems with his self identity and a rather hyper active imagination.”
____________________________________________
Statement from Charlie Hale, center on the University of Virginia football team from 1970 through 1973:
“My name is Charles M. Hale, Jr. and I am writing this to state my personal knowledge of Senator George Allen.
“I received an athletic scholarship and attended the University of Virginia from 1972 till 1977. I was a member of the football team and met George Allen in 1972. During my first year the position I played was center and Senator Allen was a quarterback. Neither Senator Allen nor I were on the starting team and our job was to run the opposition offense for our starting defense to prepare for upcoming games. It was during this time we became close personal friends.
“When I was being recruited by UVA, the head coach Don Lawrence, informed me and my family that we would have a new quarterback, it was the son of Coach George Allen who was going to be taking over as head coach of the Washington Redskins. The reason that Senator Allen came to Virginia to play football from UCLA was the fact that he was very close to his father, loved professional football and wanted to be near his family who would be living in Leesburg, Virginia.
“Senator Allen and I were team mates for a period of two years 1972 and 1973 when he finished undergraduate school and then he attended law school also at UVA. We have maintained a close friendship now for 34 years. In the summer of 1976 we spent 6 weeks together driving and camping across the United States to visit his home and family in California. After graduation from law school at UVA the Senator worked in Abingdon, Virginia as a law clerk, and I lived in Grundy, Virginia we continued to see each other and go hunting.
“In 1988 I returned to UVA for a celebration marking 100 years of football at the school. I had been living in the western US since 1978 and we renewed our friendship. He took me home with him that night where I was to meet his wife Susan. Since that time we have remained close personal friends.
“During the 34 years I have known George Allen I have never heard him use racial slurs or derogatory language to describe a person or group of persons.
“Ken Shelton is a close personal friend of mine for the same period of time I have known Senator Allen. Ken was and still remains an amazing athlete, he is one who contained the ‘complete package’ height, speed, toughness, coupled with an uncanny ability to block, run and catch the football. I lived in the same apartment with him for two years (1973 and 1974) and got to know him very well. I have always known him by the nickname, ‘Wizard’. I have always thought the name came from his ability to catch passes (like the day against the Naval Academy when he caught 3 for touchdowns) or his ability to somehow get open in the field. Personally I believe that he was a true ‘Wizard’ because he always had the ability to sneak out after curfew and never get caught.
Jim Webb's and the Democrats' desperation is showing .... again.
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