A new story is being picked up in the press - John McCain's mother, Roberta McCain, sued her former daughter-in-law, Carol McCain, in 1980, to "reclaim some personal property". And while neither John or Roberta remembers this happening - go figure - Carol does, and there's records of it. And both John and Carol filed suit ten years later seeking punitive damages for items thrown out by a property management firm - but he doesn't remember it.
Link to Article
Records clearly show that both John and Carol filed a suit together in 1990, but:
Curiously, although the records clearly list the plaintiffs, McCain's campaign says that the Arizona senator didn't know about or authorize the 1990 lawsuit with his ex-wife, Carol, and that his mother's 1980 lawsuit was filed "unintentionally." And McCain's 96-year-old mother, Roberta, says she never sued Carol.
Do they think we're stupid? John McCain wouldn't authorize a lawsuit where he's listed as a plaintiff, and that his mother would sue his ex-wife "unintentionally"? SERIOUSLY???
It gets better:
In the 1980 lawsuit, filed shortly after John and Carol McCain divorced, Roberta sued Carol to reclaim some personal property, including paintings, a needlepoint screen and a pair of earrings. A settlement was reached in 1981.
But in a brief telephone interview, Roberta denied filing the lawsuit.
"I have never heard of what you're talking about. ... I will put my hand on a Bible," she said, to attest that she had never sued Carol.
Roberta's denial prompted laughter from the ex-daughter-in-law.
"Yes, she sued me," Carol said in a brief phone interview.
Roberta's lawsuit sought personal property she claimed Carol was refusing to return. The disputed items included an "18th century Burmise Buddist Preist (Burmese Buddhist priest)" valued by Roberta at $2,000, and a "Butlers Tray for Liquor" she valued at $225.
So Carol confirms it - Roberta did indeed sue her former daughter-in-law. But McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds had this to say:
McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said in an e-mail, "Of course, by all accounts the divorce was completely amicable. After John and Carol McCain's divorce, there was apparently some confusion about belongings that were Roberta McCain's but we understand the court papers were unintentionally filed, and the matter never went further in the legal system. It went nowhere, and was of no consequence."
Um... you don't unintentionally file suit, Tucker.
As for John and Carol's lawsuit:
In the 1990 lawsuit, John and Carol McCain jointly sought $1 million in punitive damages after a property management firm mistakenly threw out some McCain family treasures from a garage the McCains shared with an adjacent townhouse. The lost items included letters McCain wrote to his wife as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
In his e-mail, Bounds said McCain "had no knowledge of the suit: He did not authorize the suit or participate in its filing."
But the lawyer who represented the McCains said she did indeed speak to McCain and get his permission to sue on his behalf.
"You can be sure that I talked to and got the permission of any client who is listed as a plaintiff," said attorney Barbara P. Beach.
It would be a serious violation to file an unauthorized lawsuit, and "I haven't been disbarred yet," Beach said with a laugh.
I have two observations - one, the Straight Talk Express has veered into a ditch, and two, McCain's losing his marbles. Take all the things he's said recently - Czechoslovakia; first conflict of the 21st century, etc. There's clearly something going on that they're trying to hide.