Conductor is suspended for anti-Kerry remarks
Conductor is suspended for anti-Kerry remarks
Associated Press
08/10/2004
JEFFERSON CITY - An Amtrak conductor who is a Republican congressional candidate has been suspended without pay for suggesting his train passengers should vote against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Conductor Leslie Farr was on a Kansas City-to-St. Louis train that was delayed last Thursday while waiting for Kerry's locomotive to leave St. Louis and head to a Jefferson City rally.
In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Farr said he used the train's public address system to inform passengers they would be delayed because of Kerry's train and quipped that they should vote accordingly in November.
"These people's lives were seriously affected by this, so I tried to defuse the situation," said Farr, 26, of St. Louis. But in retrospect, he said, "I was wrong for making a political comment."
Amtrak has opened an informal investigation into Farr's actions, accusing him of violating company policies by making "inappropriate and denigrating announcements" to customers.
A formal investigation meeting with Farr is scheduled for Thursday.
Farr is the Republican challenger to Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr., D-St. Louis. He also is a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
Amtrak records show the train left Kansas City about 25 minutes late and was running more than 90 minutes late when it left Washington, Mo., headed toward St. Louis. The train, carrying 135 passengers, was delayed 84 minutes just outside Kirkwood to allow Kerry's special westbound train to pass.
Farr was working as a substitute conductor on the train.
Farr said he regretted his comments, but he also said he felt he was "unjustly picked on" by being suspended without pay.
Associated Press
08/10/2004
JEFFERSON CITY - An Amtrak conductor who is a Republican congressional candidate has been suspended without pay for suggesting his train passengers should vote against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Conductor Leslie Farr was on a Kansas City-to-St. Louis train that was delayed last Thursday while waiting for Kerry's locomotive to leave St. Louis and head to a Jefferson City rally.
In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Farr said he used the train's public address system to inform passengers they would be delayed because of Kerry's train and quipped that they should vote accordingly in November.
"These people's lives were seriously affected by this, so I tried to defuse the situation," said Farr, 26, of St. Louis. But in retrospect, he said, "I was wrong for making a political comment."
Amtrak has opened an informal investigation into Farr's actions, accusing him of violating company policies by making "inappropriate and denigrating announcements" to customers.
A formal investigation meeting with Farr is scheduled for Thursday.
Farr is the Republican challenger to Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr., D-St. Louis. He also is a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
Amtrak records show the train left Kansas City about 25 minutes late and was running more than 90 minutes late when it left Washington, Mo., headed toward St. Louis. The train, carrying 135 passengers, was delayed 84 minutes just outside Kirkwood to allow Kerry's special westbound train to pass.
Farr was working as a substitute conductor on the train.
Farr said he regretted his comments, but he also said he felt he was "unjustly picked on" by being suspended without pay.
posted by Shane at 10:19 AM
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