Peter Kinder & Tammy Chapman
You've probably already read about Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's
visit to a bar famous for its nightly "pantless parties," and you've also probably seen the picture at right. But now, the woman in the photo, Tammy Chapman, has come forward
to talk to the Riverfront Times about her past history with Kinder (warning: NSFW pic at link). Her story is quite amazing:
In fact, Chapman tells Daily RFT, Kinder had been obsessed with her nearly sixteen years ago, when she was a young stripper and he was an up-and-coming Republican state senator—to the point that she cut off all contact. Still, when he saw her at Verlin's last winter, after they hadn't seen each other in years, she says that Kinder—who is now widely believed to be mounting a challenge to Governor Jay Nixon—suggested she move into his Brentwood condo.
There's more—much, much more—at the link. A sample:
But even if she was unimpressed with the politician, he seemed very impressed with her. The never-married Kinder started coming every Monday, and then every Monday and every Wednesday. He showered her with attention, bringing her cookies, brownies and writing her at least a half-dozen letters. And, she says, he continually pestered to attend functions with him in his home town of Cape Girardeau. She declined.
But even though she estimates Kinder was spending an estimated $200 per visit, Chapman eventually cut off contact. "He became very aggressive with me," she says. "I couldn't tolerate what he was making me do."
Chapman alleges that while she gave the state senator private dances, he would grab her by the shoulders and aggressively try to force her head into his lap. "He'd pull me down to his groin -- really, really hard, to the point that it hurt me," she says. Alarmed by his conduct and the letters he was writing, she told him not to come in any more. "I was willing to give up the money he gave me," she says simply.
Even then, he'd visit. "He would show up and sit there and just ogle me," Chapman recalls.
I don't have much more to add, except to say that if Chapman's story is true—and it certainly sounds like it's in keeping with everything we know about Kinder's character—I'm not sure how his already-flailing campaign is supposed to survive the next year.