For many years Senators and Congressmen associated with the “Family” had lived at a house at 133 C Street, SE, Washington, DC, while it was exempted from property taxes as a religious property.

After a citizen complained to the Tax Fraud Hotline of the DC Government, the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) revoked the exemption.

It was first reported here at the Turley blog.

So, how is “C STREET CENTER INC C ST CENTER,” the listed owner of the property, doing now that their former “church” is classified as a residential, taxable property?

First of all, they have racked up nearly $1,200.00 in penalties for missing payment deadlines.

They have incurred nearly $500.00 in interest charges for late payments.

They are nearly six months overdue on $2,777.67 in taxes that were due on March 31st, 2010.

As of September 29, 2010, there is no online record that they have paid any of the taxes, penalties and interest that were due by September 15th, 2010.

The C Street house was nearly $8500.00 behind in its property taxes, as of September 26, 2010, according to records posted by OTR.

Here are details from down in the weeds.

DC Property Taxes are payable in two semi-annual payments, one due on March 31st, and the other on September 15th.

The online tax payment records for DC are searchable at OTR’s website, “Real Property Tax Database Search” at

http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/otr/cwp/view,a,1330,q,594345.asp

For tax year 2009, they owed $5053.85.
The penalty for late payment was $171.48.
Interest was $32.49.
The total paid was $5,257.

For 2010, first half, they owed $5116.92.
Penalty: $511.69.
Interest: $347.30.
The total owed was $5975.91
Paid so far: $3198.24
Still owing: $2777.67.

For 2010, second half, they also owed $5116.92.
The penalty is again $511.69.
Interest was 76.75.
The total due as of September 15, 2010, was 5705.36.
No payment at all was on record as of September 28, 2010, 4:01 PM.

(Payments made by other taxpayers by the September 15 deadline have already been posted).

Bottom line:

The “balance due for 2010 is $8483.03.

This looks like a great stimulus tax cut for the Members of Congress living there. It looks like the folks who vote to impose taxes on everyone else are pretty slow to pay their own taxes.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/ohio_pastors_file_irs_complaints_over_c_street_hou.php?ref=fpb

The first attack is by 13 minister, directed to the IRS:

[quote TPMMuckraker
Ohio Pastors File IRS Complaints Over C Street House
Rachel Slajda | April 1, 2010, 9:58AM

The C Street Center, a boarding house for Christian lawmakers made famous by its role in the Ensign and Sanford scandals, is facing two complaints from a group of Ohio pastors. The pastors allege that the center is improperly using its tax status to offer below-market rents to members of Congress -- a charge that could ensnare the members as well.

The 13 pastors, who say they're concerned about the separation of church and state, filed one complaint with the IRS arguing that C Street has improperly declared itself a "church" for taxation purposes on February 23. Their second IRS complaint, filed this week and obtained by TPM, alleges that C Street's rent is much lower than market price. The problem, according to the complaint, is that the members are either not paying taxes on that extra income, or that they're receiving unreported gifts.

Lawmakers who live in the house reportedly pay $950 a month in rent for a furnished room and housekeeping services. The complaint, written by the group's lawyer and former director of the IRS's tax-exempt department Marcus Owens, states that one-bedroom apartments in the area run about $1,700 a month. Corporate housing and hotels -- which, like C Street, offer amenities like housekeeping -- charge up to $7,000 a month, according to the complaint.

At the low end, that's a savings of $9,000 a year.

The IRS did not respond to a request for comment.[unquote]

The other front was opened by CREW before the House and Senate Ethics Committees:

[quote]The watchdog group CREW, or Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, followed the pastors today by filing similar complaints with the Senate and House ethics committees.

The complaints name Sens. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim DeMint (R-SC), and John Ensign (R-NV), as well as Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Zach Wamp (R-TN) as having received improper gifts from the C Street Center by paying below-market rent.

As a matter of policy, the committees don’t comment on complaints or confirm whether they are investigating.[unquote]

The story broke first on the Turley blog.

Boarders at the C Street Center currently include Senators Tom Coburn, R-OK; John Ensign, R-Nev.; and Jim DeMint, R-SC; and Representatives Zach Wamp, R-TN; Bart Stupak, D-Mich.; Heath Shuler, D-N.C.; and Mike Doyle, D-Pa.[20][21][22] (It has been reported that Joseph Pitts, R-PA, was a resident; this is in question.)

Other members, some of whom have lived at C Street Center or the Cedars, include Senators Sam Brownback, R-KS; Mark Pryor, D-AR; Charles Grassley, R-IA; James Inhofe, R-OK; Susan Collins, R-ME, and Bill Nelson, D-FL; Representatives Ben Nelson, D-NE; Frank Wolf, R-VA; Todd Tiahrt, R-KS; Mike McIntyre, D-NC; John R. Carter, R-TX and Ander Crenshaw, R-FL; as well as former Senators Pete Domenici, R-NM; Don Nickles, R-OK; George Allen, R-VA; Conrad Burns, R-MT; and Mark O. Hatfield, R-OR; and former Representatives Steve Largent, R-OK; Mark Sanford, R-SC; Chip Pickering, R-MS, Ed Bryant, R-TN, John E. Baldacci, R-ME, and J.C. Watts, R-OK.[16]

Senators Ensign, Inhofe, Brownback (a former C Street resident), and Susan Collins, R-ME, and former Senators George Allen and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have attended the Wednesday morning Senate Prayer Breakfast at the C Street Center. Former Attorney General Ed Meese under Ronald Reagan regularly presided over other prayer breakfasts.[16]

….

In 1980, Youth with a Mission, Washington, D.C., Inc. (also known as Youth with a Mission National Christian Center, Inc.) purchased a three-story, brick rowhouse 7,914-square-foot (735.2 m2) located at 133 C Street SE, behind the Madison Annex of the Library of Congress and near the United States Capitol. YWAM took a note from Alexandro Palau in the principal amount of $448,873.33 to purchase the property. A modification of the note recorded in 1981 was signed by Fellowship member Ron Boehme in his capacity as President of YWAM, Washington, D.C. and witnessed by Michael Davidson as its secretary.

When asked about YWAM, Richard Carver, a retired Air Force General and the President of the Fellowship Foundation, told the Washington Post that his Fellowship group is affiliated with the house, but that he has never heard of Youth With a Mission of Washington DC and that he did not have a phone number for it. Carver later said that he had spoken with someone who “at one time was involved with the house” and had “heard secondhand” that the organization that runs the house is “subscribing to the no-comment.”[59]

Sosurce: http://home.conservativebabylon.com/c-street-the-family-the-fellowship/

“* This post originally reported, based on online records for the city of Washington, D.C., that C Street is owned by Youth With A Mission (YWAM), an international Christian group, and that YWAM is affiliated with The Family. But YWAM official Ron Boehme told TPMmuckraker that the city’s records are inaccurate, and that his group sold the house to The Family in 1989. He also said that YWAM is not affiliated with The Family — though some reports suggest the two groups have close ties.”

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/c_street_house_no_longer_tax_exempt.php

Apparently referring to this, Concerned Citizen said that “According to a ‘Corrective Deed’ filed on September 28, 2009, the property was not sold to the Family as has been alleged” and that “Youth With A Mission, Washington, D.C., Inc. (YWAM-DC) currently holds title to 133 C Street SE.”

Actually, as of tonight at 8:47 PM, the DC Tax site listed the owner as “YOUTH WITH A MISSION WASHINGTON DC INC C ST CENTER,” which is almost, but not quite, what CC said is in the corrective deed. Legally, YWAM is the owner, as we said all along.

So why did Ron Boehme of YWAM tell Zachary that the property was sold to the Family?

Did he lie to TPM?

And, CC, what is your point?

The fundamental facts reported in this blog are correct. The property was classified as E-1 Religious until late 2009, even though used as a residence.

The portion used as a residence is now classified at Residential, and is taxed.

There was no allegation here that the property was sold to the Family. The complete online record, clearly showing ownership by YWAM, was posted last summer on another thread at this site:

Property Detail

Address: 133 C ST SE
SSL: 0733 0825

Record Details
Neighborhood: CAPITOL HILL Sub-Neighborhood: A
Use Code: 89 – Special Purpose-Misc Class 3 Exception: No
Tax Type: E1 – Religious Tax Class: 002 – Commercial
Homestead Status: ** Not receiving the Homestead Deduction
Assessor: LEIGHTON JONES
Gross Building Area: Ward: 6
Land Area: 3,466 Triennial Group: 2

Owner and Sales Information
Owner Name: YOUTH WITH A MISSION WASHINGTON DC INC C ST CENTER
Mailing Address:133 C ST SE; WASHINGTON DC20003-1807
Sale Price: Not Available
Sale Date: Not Available
Instrument No.:

Tax Year 2010 Preliminary Assessment Roll
Current Value Proposed New Value (2010)
Land: $682,800 $682,800
Improvements: $1,162,010 $1,151,700
Total Value: $1,844,810 $1,834,500
Taxable Assessment: * $1,844,810 $1,834,500

* Taxable Assessment after Tax Assessment Credit and after $67,500 Homestead Credit, if applicable. (Click here for more information).

The record for tax payments shows that “$0.00″ has been paid in taxes.

http://jonathanturley.org/2009/06/30/oklahoma-legislature-to-consider-proclamation-linking-the-economic-crisis-to-obamas-immoral-policies/

I will post this information at Jeff Sharlett’s site to see what he knows about this.

1. Youth With A Mission, Washington, D.C., Inc. (YWAM-DC) currently holds title to 133 C Street SE.

2. YWAMDC changed its name to Youth With A Mission Renewal Ministries, Inc. (YWAM-RM) in 1983.

3. YWAM-RM changed its name to FaithAmerica in 1984.

4. FaithAmerica changed its name to Youth With A Mission National Christian Center, Inc. (YWAM-NCC) in 1985.

5. YWAM-NCC changed its name to C Street Center, Inc. in 1992.

The document was executed on behalf of YWAM-DC and C Street Center, Inc. by Marty Sherman, as Secretary, on September 23, 2009.

dustbunny44, November 18, 2009 12:50 AM:

in reply to runfastandwin

“I suppose it’s a church because it’s full of people praying they don’t get caught.”

November 18, 2009 9:20 AM in reply to dustbunny44

“LOL”

Tip of the hat to citizenw.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/17/AR2009111703700_Comments.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34004536

Move slide over to 3:45 for start of C St portion.

I hope you saw the first segment of the Rachel Maddow Show tonight!

Kudos, again! I was so pleased to see that TPM credited you!:)

In the comments following TPM’s post Jeff Sharlet wrote he was going to be on TRMS tonight discussing this story…

They have to have somebody to blame. They certainly cannot take responsibility for anything the GOP has done. I guess they could blame Clinton who really started the economic decline by singling out one thing he did by abolishing the Glass Act. Which was really in play because of BushI.

http://jonathanturley.org/2009/06/30/oklahoma-legislature-to-consider-proclamation-linking-the-economic-crisis-to-obamas-immoral-policies/

http://michiganmessenger.com/30404/stupaks-dc-residence-no-longer-tax-exempt

QO
Stupak’s D.C. residence no longer tax exempt
By Ed Brayton 11/17/09 5:25 PM

The now-infamous C Street house in Washington D.C., owned by a mysterious Christian group called the Family or the Fellowship and home to numerous members of Congress including U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, is no longer tax exempt. The house, which was formerly a convent, has long been listed as a church with the city and was thus exempted from property taxes. That is no longer the case.

You can find the details here on the District of Columbia government website. It is now listed as residential and taxable and valued at $1,834,500. And here it shows that they paid their property taxes of $1,714.70 on October 21.

But it appears to have been only partially redesignated. TPM Muckraker reports:

Natalie Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Office of Tax and Revenue for Washington D.C., told TPMmuckraker that her office inspected the house this summer. “It was determined that portions of it were being rented out for private residential purposes,” she said. As a result, the tax exempt status was partially revoked. Sixty-six percent of the value of the property is now subject to taxation.

No word on whether the residents of the house may have to pay more in rent to cover the cost of the property taxes.
UQ

I also sent my comments directly to that reporter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062504480_Comments.html

“vtreacy wrote: The records are at:

https://www.taxpayerservicecenter.com/RP_Search.jsp?search_type=Assessment

“The other properties are taxable and have paid a lot of taxes.

“133 C St has paid none. It seems to be a shelter for depressed penniless Senators and Representatives far from home in need of counseling. Where can tax-deductible charitable contributions of nickels and dimes be sent for this worthy cause?
6/28/2009 4:28:30 PM”

And many more comments below that one….

Re: Message via washingtonpost.com: Tax exempt C St‏
From: Mary Jordan (jordanm@washpost.com)
Sent: Mon 11/16/09 3:49 PM
To: Vince Treacy (vtreacy@msn.com)

Thank you for sending this.

Mary Jordan
The Washington Post

Note that there is no credit to Turley or to TPM. They make it sound like they came up with this all by themselves: en quote!

Tax man comes for C Street residence
Updated 4:57 p.m. By Al Kamen

The famous rowhouse on C St. S.E., where disgraced South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford sought counseling after his affair — as did Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) after his affair — has begun paying D.C. real estate taxes, according to city officials.

At least four congressmen live there, renting upstairs rooms from a group affiliated with “the Fellowship,” a secretive group that organizes the National Day of Prayer Breakfast. Ensign, who recently moved out of the tidy brick home, lived there and Sanford, when he was a member of Congress, came by for what he called “a Christian Bible study.”

The downstairs part of the house, valued $1.8 million, is used for meals and prayer meetings, while the upstairs houses residents that included over the summer three House members, as well as Ensign and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) (see our colleague Manuel Roig-Franzia’s June report on the house).

It was there that Coburn, an obstetrician and gynecologist, met with Ensign’s friend and former top aide, Doug Hampton, the husband of Ensign’s mistress, for an emotional chat about forgiveness. Coburn reportedly advised Ensign to stop the affair but has said he would never reveal the details of those discussions, citing his religious privilege as an “ordained deacon” and his doctor’s privilege.

Last summer, the tax records show, the house paid no taxes because it received an E1 or religious exemption. It was coded: “89 -Special Purpose-Misc” and it was classified for tax purposes as a commercial property.

But the property now is classified “TX – Taxable” and is listed as a residential property. The owner, according to tax records, remains the same little-known “Youth With A Mission Washington DC Inc C St. Center.”

The current property records also show that there was a tax payment of $1,714.70 on the property on Oct. 21. The records page notes that “Only payments received on or after Jan. 14, 2005 are displayed on this page.”

It appears that, sometime after The Washington Post’s article on the house, the city took a look at the situation. “The property in question was inspected by our office,” a city official told our colleague Nikita Stewart, “and it was determined that portions are being rented to private individuals for residential purposes. As a result, the exemption was partially revoked and adjusted so that only 34 percent is now tax exempt and 66 percent has become taxable.”

The property “went 66 percent taxable Aug.1,” the official said, and the full taxable bill for 2010 will be $10, 234. Now, maybe if the lawmakers would stop paying rent, then the property would be fully tax-exempt. Of course, then the members would be questioned about accepting free accommodations.

By 44 Editor | November 17, 2009; 4:43 PM ET

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/11/tax-man-comes-for-c-street-res.html

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2009/11/c_street_house_no_longer_tax_e.php?utm_source=sbhomepage&utm_medium=link&utm_content=channellink

Another triumph for the site “VOTED THE #1 LEGAL THEORY AND LAW PROFESSOR BLOG OF THE TOP 100 LEGAL BLOGS BY THE ABA JOURNAL”(tm)(R)(C)!.

QUOTES ON

TPMMuckraker

C Street House No Longer Tax Exempt
Zachary Roth | November 17, 2009, 1:40PM

Residents of the C Street Christian fellowship house will no longer benefit from a loophole that had allowed the house’s owners to avoid paying property taxes.

Previously, the house — despite being home to numerous lawmakers — had been tax exempt, because it was classified as a church. That arrangement had allowed the building’s owner, the secretive international Christian organization The Family, to charge significantly below market rents to its residents. In recent year, Senators John Ensign (R-NV), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Jim DeMint (R-SC), and Reps. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) have all reportedly called C Street home.

Natalie Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Office of Tax and Revenue for Washington D.C., told TPMmuckraker that her office inspected the house this summer. “It was determined that portions of it were being rented out for private residential purposes,” she said. As a result, the tax exempt status was partially revoked. Sixty-six percent of the value of the property is now subject to taxation.

According to online records, the total taxable assessment is $1,834,500. The building’s owner last month paid taxes of $1714.70 on the property.

A commenter using the name Vince Treacy, posting on a blog run by George Washington Law professor Jonathan Turley, noted in June that the property enjoyed tax exempt status. In a comment yesterday, he wrote:

“Well, at least one complaint just happened to be filed a few months ago, by some anonymous citizen who will remain nameless “”wink, wink,” with the taxpayer hotline at the DC tax office.” QUOTES OFF.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/c_street_house_no_longer_tax_exempt.php

Coming, Dec. 19, 9 PM, Dr. Who: The Waters of Mars, along with some more new episodes.

Kudos!!! This is good news someone (wink,wink)has done a marvelous civic service! Someone (wink,wink) is a real inspiration!

I hope this news reaches a wider audience maybe someone (nudge,nudge) would consider contacting TPM, TRMS, Olberman, Colbert or TDS.

I would especially like to see Rachel get the update as she has covered The Family and might welcome more ammo on the good Bart Stupak *Democrat* from Michigan. Stupak a 7 year resident of the C street house, has previously denied any knowledge of the controversy.

From the Michigan Messenger: “When asked if there were any ethical concerns created by living in a house inaccurately listed as a church in order to evade property taxes; Stupak replied: “I don’t know own the building, I don’t know how the landlord has it listed, I pay for a room, I sleep there…”

http://michiganmessenger.com/23484/stupak-denies-knowledge-of-connections-to-mysterious-c-street-house

Vince, people are going to be very interested in this news!

On November 10, 2009 J. Welsh of the Talk 2 Action web site posted a story titled “Bart Stupak, Family ‘Minister’, Wrapped in C Street Like a Bug in a Rug” and reported the old tax status.

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2009/11/10/192635/30

P.S. I wonder if they are being investigated for what some could claim was an illegal gift, benefit or campaign contribution?
Do you remember how Rahm Emmanuel was taken to task by the right because he had “benefited” from living in a “basement” apartment in his friend Rep. Rosa Delauro’s house?

“No more living in a tax-exempt church for the top dogs.”

And the top dogmatists.

BTW, would that be a “fan” of top dogs?

I hope all this won’t be too taxing on the close-knit Family.

I feel better now, thank you.

No more living in a tax-exempt church for the top dogs.

A house in DC assessed for $1,884,140 paid $17,788 in taxes for 2009, in two semi-annual payments of about $8900 each.

So the annual property tax for 133 C St SE taxable residential property should be in the vicinity of $17,000 to $18,000 per year from now on.

The person who turned them in cannot change D.C. tax laws. See Art. I, Sec. 8 above. Congress is supreme. The D.C. Council only exercises delegate powers. All their enactments go to Congress, which can disapprove them. Abosolutely.

how is it my property is worth less than 1/2 their assesment but I pay about 5-6 times the amount of taxes?

I think the person who turned them in needs to change the tax law in DC. No wonder they don’t have any money. Although the county I live in is 300 million in debt so that pretty much disproves high taxation as a way of generating revenue works.

Last July, I asked a rhetorical question about the tax evaders:

“Why are these Representatives and Senators allowed to do this? The answer of course is in the Constitution itself, Article 1, section 8: ‘The Congress shall have power … To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States.’

“The courts have said that this clause is a unique and sovereign power, extraordinary and plenary, majestic in its scope, national in its highest sense, and part of the Article which granted all the other great powers which make the nation. The Clause does appear to grant Congress absolute power over the District. As Lord Acton wrote in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Great news, Vince. Good to see that C Street crowd eat it for a change. Now if we could just make the government start enforcing corporate tax laws we might be able to pay for Bush’s Illegal War and Obama’s Wall St./Insurance Company Giveaway.

”This does not even sink to the level of hypocrisy. It is pure, simple, unadulterated, unmitigated gall.”

So the right-wing residential “church” on Capitol Hill at 133 E St SE, where Mark Sanford and John Ensign mulled over their respective adulteries, used to be exempt from property tax as a religious property.

Well, at least one complaint just happened to be filed a few months ago, by some anonymous citizen who will remain nameless “”wink, wink,” with the taxpayer hotline at the DC tax office.

The property has now been reclassified as residential, with a taxable assessment of $1,834,500.

They paid their property tax on October 21, 2009, in the amount of $1,714.70.

https://www.taxpayerservicecenter.com/RP_Search.jsp?search_type=Assessment

(Just plug in the address 133 C St SE, then click on “square/lot” in upper left, then click on “view payments” in lower right. It is all there).

Owner Name: YOUTH WITH A MISSION WASHINGTON DC INC C ST CENTER
Tax Class: 001 – Residential.

Get your breaking news here, first, on the Turley blog, “VOTED THE #1 LEGAL THEORY AND LAW PROFESSOR BLOG OF THE TOP 100 LEGAL BLOGS BY THE ABA JOURNAL”!

“How Sweet It Is!” – Jackie Gleason.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082704163.html

I agree with that,case in point.
Just as Olberman has not shown O’Rielly on his show,he should do the same for Limbaugh.

And their is to much intelligent discussion here,to be side tracked by the “wizard of oz”.

However, let me give you my surmise as to what the true story is. Sanford’s wife is the heiress to the Skil Tool Company. She is also intelligent, well-educated. Sanford was born of wealthy parents, but Jennie’s were far wealthier. They married, made money and both decided that he would launch a political career. She had served as his campaign manager and chief booster. They both dreamed of the Presidency, with her coveting the immortality of being the “First Lady.” The rumors that at one point he wanted to quit politics and she made him continue are true. She became the keeper of their political dream. She discovered this letter to his girlfriend five months ago and went ballistic. She gave him ultimatum after ultimatum, but he was so lovesick and sick of politics that from love of this Maria came obsession and the need to see her. Jennie refused, warned him not to and punished him with a separation.

He decided to hell with Jennie, to hell with politics, he was going to Buenos Aires to see his love and ask her be with him after he divorced his wife. She told him that he was crazy to believe she wanted any more of him than to see him for a tryst every year or so and that she had other, younger lovers that she fancied. He cried and cried, the sex was great, but in the end she rejected him. He returned to the States distraught, but resolved to continue his marriage and his political career. Then he was met by a reporter at the Atlanta Airport and the jig was up.

I’ve no proof so I can’t guarantee this is what really happened, which we’ll probably never know, by my instincts tell me it is as close to the truth as we are going to get.
I find no sympathy for anyone in this, particularly Mark Sanford, because he was a self righteous hypocrite well befor this affair.

“Mr. Sanford is devoid of decent character and self-shame.”

Yeah, but I kinda like the way his soon to be ex-wife has been handling things. She could care less he’s screwed up his job as governor. She’s even forgiven him for failing as a husband (and she seemed genuine about it too). She’s mad at him for screwing up his job as father and making her job as a parent just that much harder as she considers parenting the most important job either of the them have. Stand up gal.

He should retire now. He’ll be hard pressed to hang around after doing wrong by both her and his constituents.

{Quote:

About an hour after Jenny Sanford talked of her pain and feelings of betrayal, her husband brushed aside any suggestion he might immediately resign, citing the Bible and the story of King David _ who continued to lead after sleeping with another man’s wife, Bathsheba, having the husband slain, then marrying the widow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/26/jenny-sanford-how-i-found_n_221785.html

End Quote}
____________________________________

Mr. Sanford is devoid of decent character and self-shame.

Rush said that Sanford was the republican party’s future Jack Kennedy.

Half the folks in S. Carolina want Sanford to step down.

Sanford asked his wife to grant her permission for his continuation of the affair once it was discovered.

Sanford compared himself to King David.

“yesterday. love was such an easy game to play.”

FFLEO,
Thanks for sharing. As someone who believes in taking/being
responsible for oneself, I had come to accept that the memory loss was payback for the excess and for which I then felt angry with myself for not being smart enough to moderate. The interesting thing about religion and guilt is how even in someone liberated from it, the old ideas still permeate.

By the way I’ve been to some cowboy bars out west, back then and you all seemed to be having a ton of fun, though admittedly on Bud, or Coors, rather than the other stuff, whose use I dabbled in. Contrary to the movies or TV, no one ever acted hostile to me because of my hair, beard or clothing. I’m talking the Dakota’s, Wyoming, Montana Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and even Utah. Never went to Texas or Oklahoma, the movie “Easy Rider” left me paranoid about those venues. The only cautionary tale from back then was that the woman with me at the time ordered frogs legs in a restaurant in Billings. Not a good idea.

GWLSM,
We probably never met, being from different coasts. I did spend chunks of time in California in ’73 and ’75, but was with a woman and so didn’t meet any on my own. However, we might have passed, like ships in the night in Seattle, San Francisco, L.A., or perhaps on that nude beach in the Big Sur? I’ve been a Deadhead since ’70 when I went to their concert in a minor league baseball park in New Jersey. All four of us took organic mescaline and I can still recall, through the haze of lost memory, that the mesc “came on” as I was walking down the aisle towards the infield, as they played “Sugar Magnolia.”

lottakatz,
Went to many a concert, but except for brief snatches like the above, while I know I was there, can’t remember the details. Can you really call it a concert attendance, when you don’t remember the music played? My clearest concert memory is of The Band playing “The Shape I’m In” as the opening act for Dylan at MSG.

I too was not of a collectivist mindset and the whole communal idea left me cold. Was constantly employed all through that time at a job that allowed me freedom, huge vacation time and had no dress code. My fellow workers were mostly of the same ages and mindsets. In fact, truth be told while I was in many demonstrations, picket lines and concert scenes, I’ve never personally felt comfortable in large crowds. Their potential unpredictability raises my alert levels.

To All,
Please forgive the romantic musings of an old fella, straight now through almost three decades of marriage and child rearing, who fondly sort of remembers his sort of “outlaw” life back in the day. It was great, but having and raising two children and now with two grandchildren, those three decades have been the best of my life. Sometimes wryly and ironically, I think of myself as Candide, living in the best of all possible worlds. Truly though, its the effort of trying to live in the moment and never looking back except to enjoy the nostalgia of years gone by, never to be re-lived
and/or experienced.