Sex for Votes Scandal

[The Fish]

According to a story in the San Diego Tribune (which won a Pulitzer for its coverage of the Duke Cunningham bribery case), lobbyists didn't stop at simply paying off Cunningham for his support, but also went so far as to provide him with prostitutes. Then, the reporter for the story went on Scarborough Country (an MSNBC news show) and further said that as many as 6 other members of Congress could also be implicated in the prostitution scandal. The implication is that these other Congressmen, like Cunningham, belong to a certain political party which overtly espouses a certain, strict view towards family values...

To add some (speculative) icing to this already large cake, there is a rumor that the FBI is even investigating CIA director Porter Goss's possible links to this sordid little story.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000494.php

[Red Harvest]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit. In my experience the most convervative types are the most vulnerable in sex related scandals. I've seen it repeatedly at work.

[RZZZA]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit. In my experience the most convervative types are the most vulnerable in sex related scandals. I've seen it repeatedly at work.

And that is word. Anyway this doesnt seem like as big a deal to me as leak scandals and funding scandals, this is just sex, we're not gonna hold it against people for having sex AGAIN are we? Americans just cant seem to get past the idea that its none of your business who politicians sleep with. You'd think we'd have learned that with the clinton BJ thing, but no...

"Asked whether that meant he knew where bin Laden is, Goss responded: "I have an excellent idea where he is. What's the next question?""

Uhh...geee...lemme see here...the next question would be...are we doing anything to capture/kill him?

[removeduser_487563287433]

That is awesome.

[Garbarsardar]

"When you go to the question of dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play," Goss said. "We have to find a way to work in a conventional world in unconventional ways."

Asked whether that meant he knew where bin Laden is, Goss responded: "I have an excellent idea where he is. What's the next question?"

The next question is : Do you think it's time to join him?

Looking for a sanctuary would be an excellent idea indeed, for Goss right now

[removeduser_487563287433]

I thought killing prostitutes was needed to get into the Senate anyway?

[The Fish]

@ RZZZA:
Clinton getting a BJ from an intern is very different (and a LOT less serious) than a House member voting the way a lobbyist wants and getting paid (=bribed) with prostitutes in the process. This isn't just a sex scandal, it's a bribery scandal, too.

[RZZZA]

Well, the prositution thing is secondary to the bribery thing, imo. Anyone ever see that movie Striptease, with Demi Moore? And how she'd always have to dance for that senator because he wanted to F her? Well it turns out that movie is based on real life. Amazing.

What do you suggest though? There are already laws on the books that are just waiting to be enforced, werent a ton of anti-lobbyist laws passed just a little while ago?

[The Fish]

This tale just keeps getting better.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12521205/

So it looks like the lobbyists arranged for the prostitutes via a limo company, which would pick up the Dukester (and the other mystery congressmen), and deliver them to hotels with the prostitutes. Chris Baker is the head of this limo company, and apparently has a very substantial criminal record (62 pages long). Nonetheless, Baker somehow managed to secure a $24 million contract for his company from...the Departmen of Homeland Security (which apparently doesn't conduct background checks on its contractors). So now, in addition to this being a scandal about congressmen paid for votes with sexual favors, it has now taken on the added dimension of being another example of rank incompetence at DHS.

So just about a week after there was speculation that Porter Goss may have been involved in the Duke Cunningham Hookergate scandal, Porter Goss resigns.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/05/w...artner=homepage

This despite the fact that, a few days after the speculation arose about his involvment, he vehemently denied having anything to do with the scandal (which occurred when he was a Congressman). Though noone has officially tied him to the scandal yet, I think this sudden resignation foretells a serious revelation in the days to come.

Merged double post-Valus

[Habelo]

Damn if i found out that the swedish politics was the corrupt(i think they are) i would form a terrorist group and kill them. But first i have to join the army