Not much (nothing) has appeared on the local blogosphere about the firing of Senator David Vitter’s aide, Brent Furer. Furer, who had a domestic violence assault conviction in 2008 and has a history of DWI problems, has been in charge of women’s issues for the Senator.Just a couple of questions. Why wait until election year to finally do something about this? Was Furer released only because Vitter sensed political problems on the horizon?
Vitter, who was accused in his first run for the senate by Vincent Bruno, a Republican State Committee member, of being involved with a French Quarter Hooker, confessed to a "very serious sin in my past" after his phone number was found on a Washington Madame’s phone records. Of course, Vitter claimed that the New Orleans charges were untrue. Probably just a strange coincidence.
Vitter, who teamed up with ex-senator Larry ‘toe tapping’ Craig in sponsoring the ‘defense of marriage act’ a couple of years ago, has long been a supporter of ‘traditional values’. He has quieted down somewhat on this front since he got caught, instead spending most of his time on other, more traditional conservative causes.
If Furer was a top aide to Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, Louisiana’s ‘Christian Conservatives’ would be running in circles having hissy fits. Strangely enough, they have been very quiet about Vitter and his aide.
It just comes down to one question – does personal character count in the people we elect to serve us? In Louisiana, this is generally a rhetorical question, because we all know the answer.
Although several top Republicans expressed interest in the seat, in the end they lacked to courage to stand up to the power of a sitting senator.
No doubt Vitter’s voting record appeals to many Louisianans, and Rep. Charlie Melancon, his Democratic opponent, generates very little enthusiasm.
But there are alternatives, and we will explore them in a future post.
Jim, I like the man's politics, but quite frankly he is getting more and more creepy to look at. Maybe its just me.
ReplyDeleteIt is not just you, Pamela. He has mannerisms and facial expressions that creep me out also. I wish a good experienced Republican that we could trust would run against this piece of work.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised John Kennedy didn't go for it, but then he's not really a Republican. I thought maybe Jay Dardenne would, but he tested the water and didn't like it. I can't help but remember that when Eliot Spitzer went through basically the same thing when he was governor of New York. Very similar, it was proved that he had contact with a prostitute. The Democrats in New York insisted he resign, which he did. Does that mean that New York Democrats have higher moral standards than Louisiana Republcians do? Just asking.
ReplyDeleteJim, I know Vitter's got warts. But dangit! He's been a reliable vote to do what's right on almost everything.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, he will never be a powerful Senator (even if the Republicans ever control the Senate again). But at this point, I really can't see anybody that could do better...or anybody that can beat him.
I don't know, though. This deal with his aide is very disturbing, and Melancon & crew are likely to make some hay of it.
Character does matter. Vitter had handled that all with his wife years before the news broke. No excuse for it, mind you. But, it is different when a man fesses up to the offended party BEFORE it is even widely known. In my mind, his wife/family were the ones damaged by his whoring around. It has not been an issue for me with Vitter.
But, keeping a guy like Furer around certainly shows bad judgment. Tough call.
Vitter says he came clean with his wife earlier, but who knows? She is ambitious too, not just some meek little housewife. She was a tough as nails New Orleans prosecutor. She is as capable of posturing as he is.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote something like a 2,000 word comment and erased it. I get frustrated. Suffice it to repeat what I wrote in the blog post, "It just comes down to one question – does personal character count in the people we elect to serve us? In Louisiana, this is generally a rhetorical question, because we all know the answer."
Jim, you shouldn't have deleted it, man! I'd have been interested in all 2,000 words.
ReplyDeleteWho knows? Maybe their story doesn't jibe with the truth. I don't take infidelity lightly, and none of us should. Vitter's failure/sin/whatever is one of the most complicated political ones I've seen.
You might be right. But we'll never know whether it was really all handled long in the past. Regardless, I don't see him losing to anybody...he's got anti-liberal sentiment on his side this cycle.
Oh, he'll win, I just don't think it speaks very well for Louisiana and particularly for Louisiana Republicans, who failed to offer an alternative.
ReplyDeleteI'll give you that.
ReplyDeletehe's in town tuesday for a town hall, soes he can tell us how he's a gonna keep all them brown folks outta louisiana. i.e., to "discuss" immigration issues.
ReplyDelete