By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, Mo. – A Republican Amtrak conductor was suspended without pay for suggesting passengers vote against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Conductor Leslie Farr is challenging Democratic Congressman William Lacy Clay in the November election.
On Thursday Farr was on a Kansas City-to-St. Louis train that was delayed about an hour and a half while waiting for Kerry's train to leave St. Louis for a rally in Jefferson City.
Farr says he told passengers they would be delayed because of Kerry, then quipped that they should vote accordingly in November.
A formal investigation letter by Amtrak alleges Farr violated company rules by making "inappropriate announcements" that "caused embarrassment" to Amtrak and made passengers upset.