Congressman Scott DesJariais
The undated phone recording appears to have been made before Republican Representative Scott DesJarlais’ divorce from his wife, Susan, was finalized in 2001.
In the undated conversation, DesJarlais tells the unidentified woman that he is concerned that she hadn’t taken steps toward terminating the pregnancy.
The DesJarlais campaign did not immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment, but did not dispute the contests of the transcript to the Huffington Post, which first reported about its existence. But the campaign in a statement condemned its publication.
“Desperate personal attacks do not solve our nation’s problems, yet it appears my opponents are choosing to once again engage in the same gutter politics that CBS news called the dirtiest in the nation just 2 years ago,” the statement said.
The freshman congressman on his website espouses a platform that opposes abortion.
DesJarlais, a Jasper physician, defeated Democratic Representative Lincoln Davis in 2010. Davis said his campaign was aware of the transcript during that race, but he wasn’t able to confirm its authenticity until a recent conversation with DesJarlais’ ex-wife.
DesJarlais faces Democratic state Senator Eric Stewart this year.
