Faison's flippant response mean-spirited

Faison responds to wife's complaint
Representative: Mediation to divide property failed

September 06, 2010 9:03 AM

BY BETH VELLIQUETTE
bvelliquette@heraldsun.com; 419-6632

HILLSBOROUGH -- Lindy Faison, who filed a complaint against her husband, N.C. Rep. Bill Faison on Tuesday, did so after negotiations failed between the couple on Monday, according to a press release from Bill Faison's law office.

In Lindy Faison's complaint filed in Orange County Criminal Superior Court, she asked for post-separation support alimony, and equitable distribution. She claimed that her husband left her without money to pay taxes on a home or to take care of the 30 horses her husband bred and then left in her care.

Faison did not return calls or an e-mail asking for comment Tuesday, but on Wednesday, Mary Powell, a paralegal with Faison & Gillespie, sent a press release to The Chapel Hill Herald giving his response.

"Two years ago, in July 2008, we agreed to separate by the end of the year and to work together to divide our property and dissolve our marriage in a way that would best promote the interests of our children,' " the press release states. "We separated 20 months ago, in January 2009. Unfortunately we were not able to work out an amicable property division. On Monday of this week, we tried mediating those issues without success."

On Tuesday morning, Lindy Faison filed the complaint, the statement says.

"When Bill was asked why he thought the negotiations broke down, he said, 'I think she thought my name was Bill Gates, not Bill Faison,' " the press release states.
Faison said in the statement he is most concerned for his children.

"Unfortunately, in these kind of cases people sometimes say things that are really ugly and not true in an effort to cause harm," the statement quoted him as saying. "Often the folks that are hurt the most are the innocent bystanders, the children."

"The Court will deal with the legal issues," Faision said in the statement. "I know folks in the community will be understanding and supportive of my kids and me as we work our way through this process."

Faison, a Democrat who is serving his third term as a representative of Orange and Caswell counties in the N.C. House of Representatives, is running for re-election against Republican challenger Richard Rex Smith of Blanch in the General Election on Nov. 2.