Friday, Nov. 3, 2006 | In reading about Bilbray’s residency controversy, one must remember that carpetbagging is not illegal. Bilbray could move to California one day and register to vote and file for candidacy the next day.
On the surface, however, his claim of residency in Carlsbad is not believable. What man moves away from his wife and children to live with his mother without filing for divorce? He said he went to aid his ailing mother. Did his mother then suddenly recuperate when he won the election and he needed to go back to Washington?
The real issue is perjury. Whether or not there is a grand jury investigation, how did he manage to nearly simultaneously claim residence in Virginia for purposes of his mortgage, residence in Imperial Beach for a homeowner’s exemption, and residence in Carlsbad for election purposes? These are public documents. Did he contradict himself in these legal documents? Carpetbagging doesn’t matter. Lying on legal forms does.