Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) will resign today from his seat in Congress. In addition to the political pressure from his own party, Weiner had a couple of strong legal reasons to resign.
I have disagreed with those defending Weiner or opposing his resignation. I could care less about his bizarre fetish with exhibitionist acts. However, he engaged in a pattern of lies that included alleging criminal acts of hacking by others and attacking the media. He is further accused of harassing women with these pictures. I cannot understand the view that a member who showed such utter dishonesty and poor judgment should be forgiven because he is “good for the cause” or a loyal liberal. I agree with the double standard shown in the response of cases like Senator Vitter, but that does not relieve Democrats or liberals of their duty to hold their leaders accountable.
Weiner had two strong legal reasons for resigning. As mentioned in earlier posts, the greatest danger of criminal conduct is his alleged coaching women to lie if contacted by investigators. Yesterday, another woman stepped forward to say that she was pressured to lie by Weiner. Notably, the woman yesterday also said that her efforts to discuss political issues were met by responses from Weiner to get her to engage in sextexting. By resigning Weiner reduces (the admittedly low) chances for a criminal investigation.
Second, Weiner was likely to be investigated for this misconduct and there are risks of claims of false statements as well as the creation of new evidence that could be used against him. This includes possible civil litigation. It also includes possible investigation of Weiner for harassment of women who were contacting him to discuss his work as a congressman. It also includes incidents where Weiner could be charged with using official resources in engaging in this conduct.
By resigning, Weiner shuts down the main threat of investigation that he is facing. The result of that investigation would have likely made it difficult for him to secure a new position — or to come back later and run again as a “healed” individual. The new photos show that this was not a few racy shots but pictures taken from various locations, including the House gym and his office. It also includes claims by women that they tried to get Weiner to discuss his political work and views — not his body parts.
Source: Politico
Nate:
““Then they really werent your friends, were they. They say when the rubber meets the road is when you find out who your friends truly are.”
Made me smile sadly indeed.
Where life will take you you’ve yet to discover, some things you just can’t know ’till you get there.
What you believe now and what you’ll know then…”
Already been there, and done that. That is the reason I am more willing to help friends and family when they are in a bind. We lost a few friends during a trying time in our life who really werent our friends. It hurt pretty badly.
I am much more careful about who I choose for friends at this point in my life. I tend to try and associate with people who have also had some trying times, they get it. People who have had no tragedy in their lives are clueless for the most part.
But I certainly would like to go back to that state of blissful ignorance or innocence as the case may be.
Indeed.
Sometimes I wish wisdom didn’t come at such a hefty price 🙂
Nate,
I guess we’ve both been there and I’m happy you came through it as well. We are both wiser for the experience.
“A rich guy who is hiring does more for the poor in a day than anyone working in a welfare or government program office does in their lifetime.
Altruism is the problem.
“Then they really werent your friends, were they. They say when the rubber meets the road is when you find out who your friends truly are. I am sorry you had to learn that lesson so late in life and at such a harrowing time for you and your wife.
I imagine it was harder on her than on you”
Roco,
The point was that we ALL become comforted by a seeming realityand by the professsions of love by those around us. Many time never realizing that words of support are far easier than deeds. You believe that you have a good support network, perhaps you do, but you’ll never know until you need it. I’ve had and have friends and especially family who have proven through the years that they are there for me. All of them are at least 1,100 miles away. The new friends I’ve made in this southern clime, have proved to be superficial.
I’ve lived almost 67 years now and experience has taught me not to have expectations of anyone, but to take care of myself. It is so much sweeter then when my children and my brother have shown such love and support. Sweeter still when my wife of 3 decades proves over and again her love for me. And yes, thank you, she had it much harder than me. Being close to death for me was an experience of being in a state of reverie, which is akin to a mild form of psychosis. There was little fear and a preoccupation with minutia that in my particular case focussed on spending endless minutes answering a question, deserving a yes or a no.
As for your original statement about a hiring rich man, you are sadly mistaken. I alone in my 37 years in social services, was the equal of any rich man in helping people and I was only one instance out of thousands. You confuse jobs with help and philanthropy with caring. This shows your lack of insight. The Corporatists and the rich, have since Reagan fired people for profit or sent jobs overseas, where oppressed people could be found to work for literally pennies a day. They have sent money overseas to avoid their share of taxes while at the same time gotten untold benefits from government through targetted lobbying. Even their philanthropy is bot a tax write-off and a means of ego gratification.
As for job creation you are really talking about small businessman and small entrepeneurs. Their problem though is not to grow big enough to be snatched up by corporate sharks, their workers maltreated and their customer good will destroyed, replaced by a monopoly of service and actual lack of choice. Wal-mart comes to small town America.
The other place you go wrong is in the assumption that those who think like me are both altruists and/or Marxist. I hate altruism because it is a phony cover for someone’s deficiencies. I have emhacized throughout my life that I am not an altruist. I’ve spent my life helping the downtrodden because it gave ME pleasure to do so, not because of some misguided sense of duty.
I learned this early in my career and learned it from the welfare clients I assisted. By approaching the job altruistically, I was acting out of “noblesse oblige” and that was making the false assumption that I was doing them a favor. I helped them because acting on my empathy and compassion I was making myself feel good and getting paid in the process. Altruism in attitude demeans, empathy and compassion in assisting equalizes.
As for being a Marxist, something about which you know little more than cant, I abjure any ism. We need to help other human beings because helping them, helps society. We are all part of society and having a large part of it in poverty and misery brings us all down. I would think you would be aware of this as an avowed capitalist. The greater peoples incomes, the wealthier a society becomes throughout the population the less chaotic it becomes.
Your brand of capitalism has gone a long way towards destroying the middle-class, which is after all the backbone of any healthy society. The sad truth is that this destruction while professing “free markets” and “low taxes,” in fact meant the opposite for those who benefited the least and the former was a chimera foisted by an economic elite while they profited from the latter.
And Rocco,
“I know it is hard to believe but I have quite a few friends and family. Most would give me the shirt off their back if I asked. and I would do the same if they asked.”
Your comment made me smile.
“Then they really werent your friends, were they. They say when the rubber meets the road is when you find out who your friends truly are.”
Made me smile sadly indeed.
Where life will take you you’ve yet to discover, some things you just can’t know ’till you get there.
What you believe now and what you’ll know then…
Mr. Spindell,
“When I was dying my wife and I had some “friends” who volunteered to help, but in my and her greatest moment in need as I was close to death, they were unavailable and she had to bear the burden alone.”
That’s a terrible place to be. The perspective afterwards is forever altered. Can’t quite place it into words…
Those were the worst time(s) in my life, when those I loved utterly failed. Just no words for it.
Glad you pulled through and are still here with us.
@Roco: All you have to say are lies. I am not a Marxist, or a socialist, I’ve told you that before, and you continue to lie, about me, about everything. You are just making a fool of yourself now, you are a failure, and a coward that blames others for your failures. You are pathetic. But, we will take care of your ungrateful ass anyway, since you are obviously intellectually crippled. That’s just what we do.
tONY c:
All I have to say is you just dont understand a simple concept. And you are the one clueless about human nature. But that is understandable seeing as how most Marxist dont have clue, which is what is wrong with progressive ideology and why it doesnt work.
You have to force people to act like you want them to act. Your rant about arresting them is classic.