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This is a little thing, but I think revealing about the Republican bubble. So House Democrats have, throughout this work period, sought to disrupt the “pro forma” sessions of the chamber to force a return to work on what they describe as urgent priorities, from taxes to the farm bill to jobs measures. What happens is that some unlucky Republican Congressman has to gavel in and quickly gavel out the pro forma session of the House. While that takes place, a House Democrat stands in the well of the chamber and tries to get recognized by the chair. It’s an exercise in embarrassment meant to highlight the lack of activity in the House and the desire on the part of Democrats to get back to work.
This is a made-for-press-release event generally, so I haven’t been saying much about it. But who greeted Rep. Jim McGovern today when he tried to get recognized to reconvene the House? Scott DesJarlais.
DesJarlais was really only introduced to the nation outside his Congressional district this wee, when a tape emerged of the anti-abortion Congressman urging his mistress to abort their child. This occurred over a decade ago, when DesJarlais was a doctor and the mistress was apparently one of his patients, which brings up potential violations of law.
Why would DesJarlais be in Washington to serve as the face of the House Republicans today? It was actually a ruse to miss a debate back home.
In late September, before the scandal broke, DesJarlais had cited the pro forma duty as a reason he could not debate his Democratic opponent on Oct. 11, according to the Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
But once this scandal came to light, House Republicans couldn’t find anyone else to draw the short straw and gavel in this session? They had to stick with the guy who most epitomizes the situational ethics they display routinely on social issues?
This probably won’t register very heavily, not even in DesJarlais’ district where he remains favored for re-election. But I found it pretty revealing.
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Shameful or maybe shameless. Whatever – it’s sooooo
Republican.
Well of course he does.
Do I even need to say it?? IOKIYAR
Mostly, I could care less, but then again, I think about what happened to John Edwards, and then I get ticked off.
“This probably won’t register very heavily, not even in DesJarlais’ district where he remains favored for re-election.”
That’s because his level of sleaze is becoming so usual for Republicans that those in his district will say: “Abortion? Adultery? Ethics violations? Who cares?”
But I would so enjoy a news report by some enterprising reporter wandering around this turkey’s district with the tape and asking constituents to affirm for the public their support for this disgusting hypocrite. Someone needs to beheld accountable.
And he is one of Paul Ryan’s best buds, from what I hear.
Here’s a picture of the Congressman! What a geeky-looking loser!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_DesJarlais
John Edwards, Gary Condit, Jim McGreevey. Et cetera.
By the way, Ryan shares with DesJarlais an odd reluctance to debate his 2012 Democratic Congressional opponent.
I would not put Condit in the same category with Edwards and McGreevy.
Condit was guilty only of having a garden variety extra marital affair, which, IMO, is very different from what John Edwards did and what Jim what McGreevy definitely did to his unsuspecting wife (meaning marrying her and then impregnating her while knowing he gay, and without first disclosing that to her) and allegedly did (meaning sexually harassing an employee).
Edwards deceived so many people who donated to him and worked for him. Had he gotten the nomination, his middle of the night departure from that hotel room would have been the October surprise, costing the Democratic Party the election (which would have seemed much more important to me in 2008 than it does now, but that is another story).
I was upset that Obama’s D of J prosecuted Edwards, but that was not the fault of anyone but Obama.
Condit I would put in the category of Weiner and Rangel, except that, again, it was fellow Democrats who went after Weiner and Rangel.