Who endorses you, baby?

More fun in the At Large #5 race:

City Council candidate Zaf Tahir has exaggerated his civic experience, according to opponents and city officials.

Tahir, who is running for the At-Large 5 seat, served as chairman of the Mayor's Task Force on Convenience Store Security. But in stump speeches and in campaign literature, he has called it the "Task Force on Safety and Security" or the "Task Force on Safety and Security for small retail establishments."

"I think he's trying to make it something more than what it actually is," opponent Tom Nixon said. "If you work with elected officials, you need to be honest about the work you actually do."

Mayor Bill White's chief of staff, Michael Moore, called Tahir on Thursday and told him to correct a campaign postcard that called it "Task force on safety and security."

"We're going to reprint it with the whole phrase," said Tahir's media consultant Spencer Neumann.

Well, at least Paul Bettencourt isn't quoted this time. For what it's worth, when I did my interview with Zaf Tahir, I asked him about his experience on the "Task Force on Safety and Security for small retail establishments", and I got that wording from his website.

Asked about Tahir's claims, opponent Jolanda Jones remarked, "Everything on my stuff is accurate. That's one thing you'll get with Jolanda is honesty."

Not so fast, countered Tahir. Jones claims to be endorsed by the Jewish Herald Voice and Congressman Ted Poe, but those are not official endorsements, Tahir said.

Editors for the Jewish Herald Voice said Thursday they would not publish their official endorsement until Nov. 1, but they were going with Jones.

Poe's position is more complicated. Poe's press secretary said Thursday she was unaware of any official endorsements. But Jones said Poe has given her his support, and told her to go ahead and use his name on her campaign literature. Poe himself could not be reached Thursday.

"There is a difference between an endorsement and somebody saying good luck," Tahir said.

This one's a bit more gray-area, though if you're going to emphasize your honesty, it's fair game for opponents to point out technicalities. And for some of us, being supported by Ted Poe in any guise is a negative, not a positive. Your mileage may vary.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 20, 2007 to Election 2007