While some Republican governors’ behavior is criminal, others are morally and ethically wrong. Below are some of the choices made by our brilliant elected officials…
Hardworking California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger not only impregnated his wife with their fourth child, but did so while having an affair with his maid, Mildred Baena, and impregnating her.
In June 2009, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford simply disappeared for six days. A bewildered spokesman said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. But what he did was fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina to be with his mistress, Maria Belén Chapur. He elected to abandon his position without notice or communication with his office, for almost a week. Apparently some voters don’t think extramarital affairs are that bad. After his term as Governor ended, the voters chose to elect him to Congress to serve SC’s first district. What message are they sending by electing him again?
During the 2012 election cycle, Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett bragged about implementing a new voter ID law that would ensure Mitt Romney was elected president. Since then, he has done nothing to help PA’s economy, the law was overturned by a federal court, and Romney did not win the Presidency.
Florida Governor Rick Scott, who has been mired in corruption associated with his tenure as CEO of Columbia/HCA, cut education funding and a high speed rail project. He also publicly denied global warming and the impact it will have on his state. In spite of his unpopularity, he vowed to spend $100 million to hold onto his job...makes you question his motives?
Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan pushed through a “right to work” law in his union-dominated state and enacted a tough abortion bill – both laws passed in a lame-duck session in late 2012. I wonder: do laws that can only pass in a lame duck session really serve the people who elected them?
John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, ruled with conservative ideology that led to an unpopular law restricting collective bargaining rights for public workers. The restrictive law was subsequently overturned by Ohio voters.
In 2014, a number of Republican Governors faced problems
Governor Chris Christi’s “Bridgegate” involved the closure of the George Washington Bridge to get back at a political opponent. While this scandal hasn’t been directly linked to him…it makes one question how and why it happened under his rule.
Just this month, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, was found guilty of 11 counts of bribery, fraud and corruption; his wife Maureen, guilty on eight counts. Convicted of accepting lavish gifts from businessman Johnnie Williams for political favors including Williams paying for their daughter’s wedding, going on shopping sprees together and borrowing his Aston Martin “James Bond car” for vacations.
While the GOP might love Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s actions against labor and unions, not everyone agrees. He is marred by prosecutor investigations for illegally coordinating with conservative groups, special interest groups and a campaign committee. Charges were brought against a major campaign donor, one of his appointees and three of Walker’s close aides were indicted on felony embezzlement charges.
In August, Texas Governor Rick Perry was indicted for one count of abuse of official capacity and one count for coercion of a public official. Perry, both ignorant and arrogant, when asked “what his charges were?” answered his question, with a question: “bribery?” Afterwards, he created t-shirts with his mug shot. Are these responses presidential?
Democrats aren’t saints either
Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy had a prolific and brilliant career. He was on the path to the presidency. But, when he was involved in the car accident and drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne, he chose to leave the scene of the accident, and not report it until the next day.
In 1987, Gary Hart was the frontrunner to win the democratic nomination for president. Unfortunately, when his extramarital affair with model Donna Rice surfaced, that goal was unachievable.
John Edwards had dreams of being president, but poor judgment and sexual indiscretions crushed that ambition. Edwards, not only had an affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter, as his wife was dying of cancer, but he fathered a child with her. Later, in an attempt to cover up an extramarital affair following his 2008 campaign, a North Carolina grand jury indicted Edwards in 2011 on six felony charges of violating multiple federal campaign contribution laws. Edwards admitted the affair, was found not guilty on one count, and the judge declared a mistrial on the remaining five charges.
Bill Clinton had his alleged affair with Monica Lewinsky and Congressman Anthony Weiner texted unwanted photos of “his wiener” to multiple women.
New York’s Eliot Spitzer had at least seven liaisons with prostitutes over a six-month period. Investigators estimated Spitzer paid up to $80,000 for prostitutes over a period of several years, while serving as both attorney general and governor.
Maybe it’s time to stop voting for incumbents. Maybe it’s time to use a moral compass rather than a high-dollar portfolio to decide who we elect to office.