"Taxation without representation" - Is it true George Bush had that removed from his motorcade license plates?

Question

I've heard that George Bush requested that the DC license plates on the presidential motorcade vehicles be modified to remove "Taxation without representation". Does anyone know of that's true or is it just a rumor?

Answer 1

Yes. President Bush removed the "Taxation without Representation" tags from the presidential limousine. See the New York Times article below.

Answer 2

To clarify, he did not have the DC plates modified.  Instead, they were removed and "US Government" license plates were installed in their place.  As official US Government vehicles, it was appropriate for them to have those new plates.  If you're never seen them, US Government license plates are very plain--they have a code number indicating the size/weight of the vehicle, and an identification number, with the words "US Government".  While I don't agree with his lack of support for DC representation, he was certainly within his rights as President to make the switch.

Answer 3

The plates were removed, yes.  Bill Clinton had them installed in the last days or weeks of his presidency.  I get the cynical sense that if it things had gone Al Gore's way, he would never have put the plates on.  He put them on, knowing Dubya would take them off and look bad for doing so.

I wouldn't call it a modification, but changing license plates.

Answer 4

"...President Bush removed local license plates declaring "Taxation Without Representation" that President Bill Clinton put on his limousines." -- "As American as Baseball, Guns and Voting Rights" by Carl Leubsdorf, Dallas Morning News, July 7, 2005.

"...Clinton, of course, did nothing as president to advance this cause- besides affixing the new D.C. license plate, featuring the statehood motto "Taxation Without Representation," to his presidential limousine in December. (President Bush removed it right after his inauguration.) " -- "Hail, New Columbia?" by John J. Miller, National Review,  March 5, 2001.