<p>As an aside: The thing everyone’s forgetting about McGreavy is that he didn’t resign because he was gay and that came out; he resigned because he put his gay lover on the payroll in a very important job for which he wasn’t qualified, and that came out. It was patronage at its worst.</p>
<p>“The thing everyone’s forgetting about McGreavy is that he didn’t resign because he was gay and that came out; he resigned because he put his gay lover on the payroll in a very important job for which he wasn’t qualified, and that came out. It was patronage at its worst.”</p>
<p>Yes and it looks like our new Luv Guv in New York did the same damn thing.</p>
<p>VeryHappy, not forgetting, but McGreevey cleverly threw out the “I’m a gay American” admission so he’d immediately have a teflon skin. The unqualified boyfriend heading security in the wake of 9-11 was never covered as well as it should have been because wimpy reporters didn’t want to be seen as gay bashers.</p>
<p>Which is why those of us who are smarter than wimpy reporters must work hard to keep this in the public eye.</p>
<p>It’s similar to Spitzer. He didn’t resign because he used prostitutes; he resigned because he prosecuted prostitution rings and increased the penalties for using a prostitute – and then he used a prostitute. It’s the hypocrisy, not the prostitute itself. Herself. Whatever.</p>
<p>No, VeryHappy – Spitzer resigned because he repeatedly BROKE THE LAW.
(The hypocrisy of it all just gave his fall an added ‘whump’)</p>
<p>I had completely forgotten about Larry Craig. Amazing how fast stories fall off the main page.</p>
<p>The Select Committee on Ethics resolved this matter through a “public admonition” of him on Feb 13th. He’s not going to seek re-election in 2008. Did the MN courts ever sentence him on his guilty plea?</p>
<p>BTW, a serious question for all you NY lawyers. (I know you’re out there.) </p>
<p>Governor Patterson, in admitting his and his wife’s extramarital affairs, claims that “he didn’t break the law.” I’m sure in some states adultery is illegal. Is New York one of them??</p>
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<p>WOW-- what is the fine in NY? Seems strict enforcment could help with budget issues.</p>
<p>Class B misdemeanors are punishable by up to 90 days in jail (talk about jail overcrowding ;)) and the fine ranges up to the 3 figures category. Revenue enhancement for the state?</p>
<p>Hmmm … governors resign & mayors remain on the job! Anyone familiar with what is happening in Detroit? The national coverage p****s me off. CNN states that Mayor Kilpatrick is under fire because of an affair. NO!!! He is under fire because he cost the city $9 million in order to keep his affair quiet. THAT is what people are mad about. Most do not care one way or the other about the mayor’s affair (although it WAS his chief of staff … there’s a pun there, but I’ll be good …). A couple police officers sued the city because they claimed retaliation for investigating an alleged wild party at the mayor’s mansion & the subsequent death of a stripper who supposedly had been at the party. During the court trial, both the mayor and his chief of staff flat out denied, under oath, that they had had an affair. The jury awarded the plaintiffs $8 million & the mayor announced his intention to appeal the verdict. Next thing we know, the mayor decided to settle for over $9 million! The local paper investigated & found out that the defendants’ lawyer had text message records (public paid for phones & thus records are subject to FOIA) proving mayor & COS lied under oath. Mayor had a secret settlement keeping the text messages under wraps … city lawyers knew about it, but it was kept from city council. This all came out & mayor claims his rights were violated when the contents of the secret settlement were disclosed … in other words, he believes he can lie, cover it up, and keep it from the public … even though public funds paid the settlement. He will not resign, though, because he is “on a mission from God,” and the latest — this is a race thing (this comment did NOT please many Detroit African Americans, who disagree).</p>
<p>Bottom line … we don’t care that you had an affair, Mr. Mayor. We care that the lying you did to cover it up cost the city millions of dollars (which it really cannot afford).</p>
<p>I’ve also been wondering why the transgressions of public officials from other cities receives so much press, but the audacity of the Mayor of Detroit receives little. Have we just come to expect that from him?</p>
<p>Detroit is sui generis. Yes, we have come to expect outrageous hubris from Kwame Kilpatrick, the Marion Barry of his time. Saying this as a person who has lived in and still loves Detroit.</p>
<p>Still, the lies of Kwame Kilpatrick and his paramour that cost the city big bucks should be getting more coverage. Perhaps it will next week after presumably the city’s lawyer will be saying there’s enough evidence of perjury for legal charges.</p>
<p>Ok. We expect it, but do we accept it?</p>
<p>The latest on Paterson, from Foxnews makes me wonder who’s next in line to be NY gov.:</p>
<p>"The Daily News on Thursday cited campaign finance documents that show Paterson made a $500 payment to a woman with whom sources said he had an affair. The payment was listed in campaign documents as “professional services.” Paterson said he was reimbursing the woman for a campaign event.</p>
<p>Paterson also told the Daily News that he recalls using a campaign credit card to pay for a liaison in a hotel room, but he recalls reimbursing the campaign for the $103 charge. There is no apparent record of the reimbursement, the Daily News reported.</p>
<p>The News found that Paterson also used $1,400 of campaign cash in March 2004 to pay off a credit charge listed as “constituent services,” although it was not clear what the specific charge was for. He reimbursed the campaign a few weeks later."</p>
<p>Northstarmom, I am seething. But that’s what a cesspool New York politics is, particularly the democratic kind (since there is no republican party to speak of, you understand, not because they wouldn’t be equally sleazy if they existed.)</p>
<p>All kidding aside, I would give an awful lot to get the hell out of this ethics-forsaken city and state.</p>
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<p>LOL, and in any other states with these laws on the books!</p>
<p>NSM, it will be interesting to see what happens next week. It is the county prosecutor who will be bringing or not bringing perjury charges. She is extremely well respected as a tough, fair prosecutor with integrity. I would be very surprised if she does not press charges.</p>
<p>“NSM, it will be interesting to see what happens next week. It is the county prosecutor who will be bringing or not bringing perjury charges. She is extremely well respected as a tough, fair prosecutor with integrity. I would be very surprised if she does not press charges.”</p>
<p>Do you think there would then be sufficient pressure to make him step down?</p>
<p>NSM and others-in New York, the Senate Majority Leader, Joe Bruno, a Republican, is next in line after David Paterson. If I am remembering correctly, Mr. Bruno is under investigation by the FBI, for his “outside business interests.”</p>