Weiner Resigns But Vitter Keeps His Senate Job
Thanos @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:39 pm
LOL just another day for the defenders of all public morals in the GOP. And these guys are the ones that the Democrats keep losing all the significant poltical scraps to. 
Today at 2PM, Rep. Anthony Weiner is expected to announce his resignation from Congress following revelations that he sent lewd texts to women he met over the internet. The move comes after nearly every prominent Democrat — from Leader Nancy Pelosi to DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz to President Obama — called on Weiner to step down.
Nevertheless, the chairman of the GOP, Reince Preibus, attacked Democrats for inaction, saying, “We’ve got leadership and a Democratic Party that are defending a guy that deserves no defense.”
Today’s events stand in stark contrast to the treatment of Senator David Vitter, who admitted in 2007 to being a regular customer of a notorious prostitution service. Immediately following Vitter’s admission, McConnell was asked about Vitter on ABC News and flatly refused to address the issue or offer any criticism of Vitter’s conduct:$1: ROBERTS: Are you comfortable with him staying in the Republican Caucus?
MCCONNELL: Senator Vitter has addressed the issue that you’re referring to, and I’ll let him speak to that.
ROBERTS: Right. Is this something that you think he can recover from? I mean, does the Republican Party, the Republicans in Congress take a hit because of this?
MCCONNELL: Well, you’ll have to ask Senator Vitter about what he had to say about the episode that I think you’re referring to. He would be the one to address that.
McConnell wasn’t alone. Gannett reported that “few colleagues would go on record” following Vitter’s admission. One who did, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), offered only praise: “David Vitter is one of the most capable guys here. He was fabulous in the immigration debate. I think his constituents will respect that.” When Vitter returned to the Senate a few days later and addressed the GOP caucus, he was warmly received: $1: Applause could be heard inside the room. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who like most members wouldn’t disclose what Vitter said, reported that his comments went over well.
“People were very supportive,” Thune said. “People realize he has worked through this this past week. I think everybody is ready to move forward.”[...]
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, exemplified the forgive-and-forget view voiced by Senate Republicans.
“My attitude is he’s doing everything he can to rectify the mistake he made and should be allowed to do so,” Hatch said. “I’m a great believer in redemption.”
Despite moral transgressions that are more serious, from a legal perspective, than what is known of Weiner’s conduct, Vitter remains in the Senate with full seniority and committee memberships. When asked about Vitter’s potential legal violations, his GOP colleagues claimed ignorance of the law.
To this day, RNC chair Reince Preibus refuses to discuss Vitter’s conduct saying he doesn’t want to “relitigate” the situation.
(see main article for all significant links)
Thanos @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:42 pm
Just some good ol' boys,
Doing nothin' but harm....
Zipperfish @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:43 pm
What a weiner. Creepy weiner.
Pseudonym @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:07 pm
Gotta love that political hypocrisy. What's the minimum level of moral outrage before a politician loses his party's backing? We've seen some ridiculous scandals on both sides over the past several years.
DanSC @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:26 pm
Pseudonym Pseudonym:
Gotta love that political hypocrisy. What's the minimum level of moral outrage before a politician loses his party's backing? We've seen some ridiculous scandals on both sides over the past several years.
That minimum is very fluid. Weiner talks to hot babes on the internet all day, and he's out. Vitter calls ho's on the Senate floor, he's in. Barney Frank has a prostitute working out of his home, he's in. Chris Lee looks for babes on Craigslist, he's out.
xerxes @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:35 pm
Too bad really. He didn't do anything really bad, except for doing something "scandalous" as a Democrat.
I'm also really impressed how his own party ripped on him more than the GOP.
DanSC @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:44 pm
xerxes xerxes:
Too bad really. He didn't do anything really bad, except for doing something "scandalous" as a Democrat.
I'm hoping it's because he lied about it for 10 days, and not the actual act itself. I mean, if he had just owned up to this:
I think he would have been fine.
xerxes @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:50 pm
Good point, but if every politician had to resign because he lied about something, legislatures the world over would be empty.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:55 pm
xerxes xerxes:
Too bad really. He didn't do anything really bad, except for doing something "scandalous" as a Democrat.
Weiner's reportedly now subject to investigation by the FBI for sending inappropriate pictures of himself to a 17 year old girl.
Outside of that, I hate to say but what he did was more stupid than anything else. It's the fact that he opened himself up to being blackmailed is what's really hurting him with his fellow Democrats.
Were he single and openly cruising legal age women (and not posting embarrassing pictures of himself) no one would much care.