This is going to be one of the messy ones.
The basic details: Rep. Kildee – who is in his eighties, and who announced earlier this year that he is not running for re-election – is being accused by family members of sexually molesting his second cousin fifty years ago. The alleged victim was twelve at the time; Kildee would have been in his thirties at the time of the alleged molestation. Additional wrinkles: Rep. Kildee happened to chair (from 2007 to 2011) the House’s old Page Program – which was unexpectedly (and determinedly) shut down this year. And it’s alleged that both Kildee’s retirement, and the termination of the House Page program, are in response to an ethics complaint based on the charges and made against Rep. Kildee by Michigan Christian radio station president Jon Yinger.
Rep. Kildee is vehemently, and I mean vehemently, disputing the charges and accusing his accusers (and the GOP, of course) of cooking this scheme up to both blackmail and go after him. Why the Republican party would target a retiring Democratic Congressman like this simply to pick up a vacant seat was not really explained. I’d also like to note for the record that Rep. Kildee’s suggestion that these allegations were made in the last election does not jibe with either my memory (I believe that I would have remembered it if a Democratic Congressman was accused of raping a twelve year old boy) or, apparently, that of local Michigan reporters. Contrast this with the fact that these allegations are a half century old, and we have a very tangled problem.
So, did Rep. Kildee do it? I don’t know, and absent further information it’s not really seemly to even speculate too broadly. But one thing is clear: Congress honestly has no choice but to investigate the former House Page program and check up on the participants in it. For the last few decades.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
Moe Lane
Dan Spencer
Dan McLaughlin
Jeff Emanuel
No political gain here
tankertodd (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 12:47AM EDT (link)Looking at Wikipedia’s assessment of the 5th district it doesn’t seem like one that would be likely turning Republican. That plus his announced retirement would debunk any conspiracy, but, hey, we always can blame Dick Cheney?
It’s hard to lend much credence to allegations from 50 years ago. Memory is a funny thing in that it can be your master or slave. Hopefully no one else will come forward and some resolution can be reached. Hopefully no kids ever came to harm.
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The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race – Chief Justice Roberts
Perversion is bi-partisan
wennejunk (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 5:22AM EDT (link)As long as humans are elected to office, there will be scandals.
Sadly, just the Republican ones generate much outrage or exposure.
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ -C. S. Lewis
Jonrod Replys to wennejunk
jonrod Monday, November 21st at 10:40AM EDT (link)The quote by C.S.Lewis is the Democratic and unions mantra. And we need less if each. There should be no public workers union. They are in fact unconstitutional. As an arm of the frederal government they are supposedly working for us the taxpayer. The SEIU suport the Democratic ultimate theory of absolutism. When are the taxpayers going to wake up to this fact. And stop blaming Bush for the failior of a Congress who have failed to pass a Buget for three years, in which they held power in both the house and Congress. But they keep using malformation by refering to the Republicans as the cause of an unpassed budget. 2012 is the time to rectify this by getting rid of those who have been dragging our economy down by passing bills like Obamacare and a the stupid Stimulous Bill that did nothing bit waste taxpayer’s (Or should I say Chinese) dollars.
Dude
wennejunk (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 11:40AM EDT (link)Switch to decaf. Then get off the LSD and to a rehab center.
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ -C. S. Lewis
Che cassino...
nathanalbright (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 5:25AM EDT (link)That sort of disaster would make the whole Jerry Sandusky mess pale in significance if that is even remotely true. This year just keeps getting worse and worse. Soon anyone who shows any interest whatsoever in children is going to be assumed guilty of molestation, if it’s not already at that level. And how to prove such allegations is a terrible matter. I don’t even want to think about all the stories that could come out of something like this.
DEMOCRATS---Stop blaming Republicans--getting old
sowa1 Monday, November 21st at 5:59AM EDT (link)so sick of hearing it I could scream! If BlueDog Democrats and Tea Party Republicans (all new to Congress) would have been on the Super Committee, we would have had a deal that would help the American People, not the Democrat party or the Republican party. A deal will never become a reality with Kerry or Murray on it.
Sounds like a resume builder
boonerdan (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 7:02AM EDT (link)I bet you don’t find this story anywhere near the front-page for the MSM. Even if you do, the Dems will simply consider this validation of a glorious career in public service. I offer you the canonization of William Jefferson Clinton as my proof.
Be careful getting distracted by the hubris and watch they other hand.
WE ARE THE EMPLOYER
allen081644 Monday, November 21st at 11:02AM EDT (link)It is way past time for these bone heads to do the peoples business instead of doing their monkey business. The Super committee is a joke. My rep is not on he committe so therefore they took away my representation.
ALLEN RYAN SR.
WE ARE THE EMPLOYER
allen081644 Monday, November 21st at 11:02AM EDT (link)It is way past time for these bone heads to do the peoples business instead of doing their monkey business. The Super committee is a joke. My rep is not on he committe so therefore they took away my representation.
ALLEN RYAN SR.
The New Standard
kmpesq (Diary) Monday, November 21st at 12:13PM EDT (link)In light of the new standard established by way of the Sandusky/Penn State case, all members of congress should be thrown out of office because they surely knew about it, yet did nothing. Also, anyone who has ever contributed money to this guy, worked phones for this guy, etc. support child molesters.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan
History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.
Ronald Reagan
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
George Washington