The TNGOP is pushing a story that Democratic House hopeful Flo Matheson spoke in favor of a state income tax.

But Steven Hale finds that maybe we need to hear the whole audio first.

From the CP:

TNGOP executive director Adam Nickas told The City Paper that the state party did not cut or edit “in any way” the audio provided to them, but would not reveal where the audio came from.

The release, which does not identify Matheson by name, included an eight-minute audio recording of some of Matheson’s remarks at the Monday morning candidates forum in the East Tennessee district. In the tape, Matheson can be heard expressing support for a living wage, and opposition to the repeal of the estate tax. However, her remarks about an income tax begin with less than ten seconds left in the tape and are quickly cut off.

"Also, I support a progressive income tax, which would mean, you know, more taxes on the wealthy. I do know that fe...,” she can be heard saying, at which point the tape ends.

Forum organizers told The City Paper they did not have an official video or audio recording of the event. But a copy of Matheson’s prepared remarks, provided by Matheson, seems to provide the rest of the sentence cut off by the TNGOP audio.

“Support a progressive income tax,” her notes read. “Federal Income tax is not an issue that state representatives can resolve, but I can urge voters to remove legislators who work for the greedy super-rich, not for the middle class.”