Christian Science Monitor:
Rep. David Wu (D) of Oregon announced Tuesday that he will resign his seat, after allegations of an unwanted sexual encounter with a young woman.
“The well-being of my children must come before anything else,” said Representative Wu in a statement.
“With great sadness, I therefore intend to resign effective upon the resolution of the debt-ceiling crisis," said Wu, who was elected to Congress in 1998 as the first Chinese-American in the House.
On Friday, Wu's hometown newspaper, The Oregonian, broke the story about his alleged encounter with an 18-year-old over Thanksgiving weekend last year. Wu told his senior aides that the encounter was consensual, the story reports.
This is what the Oregonian reported over the weekend:
A distraught young woman called U.S. Rep. David Wu's Portland office this spring, accusing him of an unwanted sexual encounter, according to multiple sources.
When confronted, the Oregon Democrat acknowledged a sexual encounter to his senior aides but insisted it was consensual, the sources said.
The woman is the daughter of a longtime friend and campaign donor. She apparently did not contact police at the time.
One person who heard the voice mail described the woman as upset, breathing heavily and "distraught."
In the voice mail, the young woman accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior, according to sources with direct knowledge of the message and its contents.
Reporters could not verify the young woman's age. Notes on Facebook over the past 18 months indicate she graduated from high school in 2010. California records show she registered to vote in August.
I got a lot of flack back when I was saying that Anthony Weiner needed to resign, because people were arguing that what he did was consensual and not even really sex. I imagine this time everybody will agree that Rep. Wu simply needs to leave office as soon as possible.
Personally I do not think he will be of much use in getting past this debt ceiling crisis, but he is definitely giving his party a black eye as long as he stays around in his role as a Democratic Congressman.
I do not know the full story here, and of course everybody is innocent until proven guilty, but my instincts tell me that this girl is the more believable party. Which means to me that Wu is potentially a VERY bad guy, and he needs to not only leave politics but to face charges of rape or sexual assault.
When it comes to hurting young women, ideology does not even enter the equation. I don't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you are a predator you need to pay for your crimes.
No Yiffing in the Ocean!
ReplyDeleteAnd Diaper Dave Vitter will be leaving the Senate exactly when???
ReplyDeleteYou are so right G! Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny though, that only Dems resign after these incidents, not the guys from the "family values" party....
Enough of the "erotic leader" fascination. UGH.
ReplyDeleteO/T but where oh where has Sarah Palin and her dysfunctional family gone? No tweets about the Oslo massacre? Nothing to say about the stalemate on the debt ceiling? No snipes about Obama? How do we know she's out there?
ReplyDeleteWhen will Senator Vitter of LA be resigning? His behavior is much worse than the scandals portrayed recently.
ReplyDeleteI still remember the press conference where he demanded his wife be by his side. Good grief, what a creep he is.
I guess paying for sex is okay, but sending silly photos, texts or making calls isn't. To me, they all indicate people of questionable character and poor judgment - legal issues aside.
I find it so damned interesting that Dems will resign 'immediately' where fellow Repubs (their words/not mine) will stay in until they are going to be thrown out. Our governmental process continues to show how screwed up it is....I absolutely distrust the 'dealers' in Congress...they make me sick to my stomach. And, I hope this gets the voters out next election cycle before we have uprisings on the streets of America.
ReplyDeleteAt least the Dems resign after a sex scandal, unlike hypocrites like Vitter, Craig, etc
ReplyDeleteFar too many members of Congress feel they are more important than their constituents and have a very distorted sense of entitlement. A job for which there is absolutely no experience or skills necessary to get.
ReplyDeleteMac, the guys from the "Family Values" parties talk to their minister and get absolution. Besides "It's a private family matter" for "family values" guys. It seems that only people who work in the interest of the public whose private lives are public matters.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame, though. I hate to think of who we're going to come up with to represent Oregon.
Didn't sarah send inappropriate texts to someone named Christy ? What ever happened with that ? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt must be in the water of Wash. DC. Goodness, what is wrong with these guys? A little good sense would go a long ways. I agree party has nothing to do with and some of those "family values" guys should have been gone long ago.
ReplyDeleteWhat an ass he has become, I'd like to kick him where it hurts. We don't need any more crap like this happening with the democrats; first Weiner, now Wu. What happened to their brains and using common sense?
ReplyDeleteWu is my congressman, and it has been very sad to watch him deteriorate after his divorce and custody battle over his children. He just hasn't been able to cope, so the decision to resign is the correct one. It is ironic that David Vitter did not resign - what a hypocrite. At least Wu is doing the right thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the strong line with sexual predators Gryph. It is needed.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you are a predator you need to pay for your crimes.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
2:09 I think Palin has been told to keep her mouth shut until she truly has an opportune moment.
ReplyDeleteHer ratings have dropped horribly, her latest book went in the cellar, as did the recent movie about her (now moving to DVD ALREADY), Bristol's book has bombed as well as her credability and on and on and on. Sarah would never be the primary choice or win against President Obama. The same can be said for Bachman.
Sarah - leave Alaska and stay in AZ and fry in the sunshine!
David Wu is a mess! In May 2011 he plowed his car into a parked one on a quiet evening in an upscale Portland neighborhood. He asked the owner of the other car not to call the police, but she did. Eventually he attributed the car wreck to his mental health issues, his divorce, and/or a successful but very stressful campaign.
ReplyDeleteBut the car wreck was not the start of his personal and political troubles. He's demonstrated a string of bizaare behavior. I recall something about a photo of him in a tiger costume that he sent to some staffers. And now there is this alleged non-consensual sexual impropriety with a very young woman.
I agree with Oregon's major newspaper, this guy has got to go ... the sooner the better!
Julianne Moore is on Letterman tonight.
ReplyDeleteWonder if her playing Palin in Game Change will be discussed??? We know how much Dave loves Palin!! He doesn't miss a chance he gets for a zinger!! LOL
is wu a furry? creepy enough as it is without the possible sex assault/rape. i can't imagine too many 18 year old girls going for this dude.
ReplyDeletei think it is a reflection of the leadership in the dem party that guilty reps resign promptly. that, and dems seemed to get scorned in the news much more heavily than offending repubs - i am thinking of the c-street perverse crowd. they hold onto their office as long as they can until they are threatened with possible prison.
Looks like the PAC is running out of money faster than everyone thought:
ReplyDeleteAlaska Dispatch | Jul 26, 2011
According to ABC News, two on-again-off-again aides to Sarah Palin, Jason Recher and Doug McMarlin, have signed on with a speaker-brokering agency, The American Program Bureau. Since neither Recher, McMarlin, nor anyone from SarahPAC answered requests for comment, few details are known about circumstances surrounding the new gig, or even if Palin knows the two are taking to the stump circuit. The bureau tells prospective customers that Recher and McMarlin are available to speak on two topics: "From 9/11 to Katrina: Lessons for Leaders in the Face of Crisis" and "Designer Politics: A New Age of Political Power." Read more from ABC, here, and check out the duo's page at the APB, here.
I don't think this is true. Well, I do, for the twelve jurors. Everyone else can make an assessment of what they think. I, for one, despite the "not guilty" verdict (which is not the same as an innocent verdict, and no one has ever been found innocent by a jury in the history of America), would not let my kids spend the night with Michael Jackson, and I'd counsel them against entrapping Robert Blake, and I'd plead with them not to date OJ. I don't care what hte verdict is.
ReplyDeleteWHich isn't to say I feel free to believe whatever I want. I do think we should generally be slow to judge others. But that's not hte same as "innocent until proven guilty."
Lucy
Thank you Barbara. I live in Portland and was going to post the same thing. And even KNOWINNG he had these issues, he was re-elected.
ReplyDeleteAre we so beaten down, fearful, or disinterested as a society that that we care no longer? These people make LAWS for us.
I saw a comment on another site that stated (paraphrasing) "he won't leave until the debt ceiling issue is taken care of? That means he'll finish out his term."
What have we become?
I hate when things like this happen, no matter which party. What I can't wrap my brain around is why does he feel he can postpone stepping down until the debt cieling crisis talks are done?
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't Vitter and Craig get the same level of scrutiny and punishment?
Michele Bachmann's $4,700 Hair and Makeup Bill
ReplyDeletehttp://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/07/michele-bachmann-hair-make-up-bill
@ibwilliamisaid 2:39 pm
ReplyDelete@anonymous 3:06 pm
There's speculation that Dennis Kucinich is hunting for a congressional district in the northwest because his Ohio CD is being redistricted out of existence (due to 2010 census changes).
OT:
Because Tea Party candidates don't live in the real world, they will continue to provide a constant stream of hypocrisies to keep us entertained. The Washington Post reports that Michele Bachmann received federal home loan assistance when she moved to a new home in 2008:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bachmann-benefitted-from-federal-home-loan-program/2011/07/19/gIQAI12raI_story.html
Haha.
ReplyDelete"So, Sarah Palin Is Stringing Us All Along For Cash? Funny! Let’s Show ‘Em the Meaning of Cash, Shall We?"
And the post is all about how to donate to SarahPAC to show those who are NOT retarded they are by giving her more money.
Well played Bitch. Show us by showing Sarah the green...I do believe they missed the point again!
Oregon--Back in the news!
ReplyDeleteCongressman Wu was already the proverbial dead man walking, before the sexual abuse allegations. Two strong Democrats had already thrown in against him, with a third hovering in the wings. So, it was no surprise when he initially said that he wouldn't stand for reelection.
However, Wu is needed, if only just to give Nancy Pelosi another vote she'll really need on this debt ceiling bullshit.
What will happen now, is that Wu will give the Governor a fixed date when Wu will resign. The Governor will then set two dates: first, for a primary election, then a later general election to fill the seat. Where those dates stack up in relation to November 2012 and our primary (whenever that is--I can't ever remember, but it's way after Super Tuesday, so no one cares....), will depend on what Wu gives as his last day in office.....
What is going to be interesting is that Oregon just adopted a new redistricting plan, with the boundaries between the Third and First (Wu's) District slightly shifted. Will the special primary and general election use the old, or the new boundaries? No one really knows...........
There are rumours of powerful GOP people on the horizon, all ready to leap out of Zeus's forehead, fully armed & ready for battle....Only no one's mentioning any names. It may be expensive & bloody, but I'm almost certain this is still a safe Blue seat.....
Several people have commented on the difference in the two political parties when it comes to legislators resigning over misdeeds, but there is another big difference involving the voters that I've noticed in the past few years.
ReplyDeleteRepublican voters, who these repugnant legislators represent, will defend them with their last breath. They'll make the most outrageous claims of harassment, false charges, fabricated evidence, evil Democratic conspiracies, etc. because their guy just can't possibly have done anything wrong (and if they did, it's all okay because they confessed to the li'l baby Jeebus so all is forgiven)!
On the other hand, most Democratic voters will encourage the resignation, or even legal prosecution, of their legislators, regardless of how much political power said legislator may have. Guess we hold our representatives to a higher standard AND the motto of our party is not "Hypocrisy at its best".
If they're wrong, get 'em out!
Where has this girl been since last Thanksgiving?
ReplyDeleteExcuse me. You have an "unwanted sexual encounter" and decide you'll make it public 8 months later? Why wait? And why, after 8 months of dealing with it, are you so upset to report it?
IMO, it was consensual, and somebody's gotten at the girl to make her claim otherwise. And honestly, I'm not blaming her. I really don't give a rat's ass who a politician has sex with. This is like Bristol insisting that her virginity was "stolen" but Levi didn't rape her. This is an "unwanted sexual encounter" but evidently not rape. How does that work?
Yeah, I know, but
The wonderful thing about Tiggers
ReplyDeleteIs Tiggers are wonderful things
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, FUN!
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers
Is I'm the only one
Yes, I'm the only ONE!
Weirdo.
"Are you with me Doctor Wu
ReplyDeleteAre you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
Are you crazy are you high
Or just an ordinary guy
Have you done all you can do
Are you with me Doctor?"
Sure, he needs to go and is going. But it's routinely the "immoral" lefties that quickly resign while it's the sanctimonious, holier-than-thou family values xtian righties that get caught with their diapers down and just brush the hooker dust off of their ball gags and leather restraints and go back to work with their miserable heads held hypocritically high.