Sunday, September 15, 2013

Congressional Democrats Target David Vitter on Prostitution

Louisiana Senator David Vitter: Hypocrite and Sex Crimes Criminal




There are few bigger hypocrites in the U. S. Congress than GOP Senator David Vitter.  Vitter pretends to be a "family values" Republican yet has a documented history of using prostitutes both in Louisian and the District of Coumbia even though he is a married man.  y of using prostitutes both in Louisiana and in the District of Columbia even though he is married.  Sadly, it is all too typical of today's GOP where one can pretty much count on the GOP elected officials who bloviate the most about "family values" or rails the most against gay marriage are the ones you'll see cheating on their wives or seeking out gay sex trysts like former Virginia 2nd District Congressman Ed Schrock. Politico looks at a Democratic push to penalize such hypocrisy and the hypocrisy of Vitter in particular.  Here are excerpts:


Senate Democrats have had all they can take from David Vitter and his fixation on Obamacare — and they’re dredging up his past prostitution scandal to hit back.

Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, has infuriated Democrats this week by commandeering the Senate floor, demanding a vote on his amendment repealing federal contributions to help pay for lawmakers’ health care coverage.

But Democratic senators are preparing a legislative response targeting a sordid Vitter episode. If Vitter continues to insist on a vote on his proposal, Democrats could counter with one of their own: Lawmakers will be denied those government contributions if there is “probable cause” they solicited prostitutes.

According to draft legislation obtained by POLITICO, Democrats are weighing whether to force a Senate vote on a plan that would effectively resurrect Vitter’s past if the conservative Republican continues to press forward with his Obamacare-bashing proposal.

Such a hardball move could bring back uncomfortable memories of the 2007 “D.C. Madam” scandal in which Vitter’s phone number turned up in a Washington-based prostitution ring. Vitter apologized for committing a “very serious sin” but did not elaborate. In 2008, the Senate Select Committee on Ethics decided not to move forward with the matter because the alleged conduct occurred before Vitter became a senator.

There are three options Democratic senators are weighing in response to Vitter’s proposal.

Under one scenario, no federal contribution may be given to a lawmaker or an aide if a congressional ethics committee has “probable cause to determine” that the individual has “engaged in the solicitation of prostitution.”

Another option includes broader language that would deny contributions to those found to have engaged in “improper conduct reflecting discreditably on the congressional office involved.”

And a third proposal would deny coverage to lawmakers who vote for the Vitter plan, even if it doesn’t become law.

Since the prostitution scandal erupted in 2007, Vitter has methodically tried to move past it. He won reelection in 2010 and now serves as the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

While Vitter never admitted to having used prostitutes, he did offer a public apology for the incident. His wife Wendy stood next to the senator during a high-profile press conference a week after the scandal broke.

In virtually every state, soliciting a prostitute is a criminal offense.   It's interesting how Vitter's friends saved him from criminal prosecution.

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