"Minn. lawmaker in rest stop scandal won't drop bid"

[RKP5637]

I don't think this is going to work out well.

More: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/08/22/minn-lawmaker-rest-stop-scandal-won-drop-bid/BvhxaXU19MDOImPdQ2cUiM/story.html

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota Democrat who had a rest-stop sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy said Wednesday he’s still running for re-election, defying party leaders who urged him to drop out as they battle to regain control of the state Legislature.

Rep. Kerry Gauthier, 56, told Northland’s NewsCenter in Duluth that he will let people in his district decide his political future, ‘‘rather than the political power base in St. Paul.’’ Gauthier told the news network he is ‘‘a better person than this incident portrayed me.’’

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said Gauthier’s decision would be ‘‘destructive’’ for his reputation, his district, his party and the state.

Police say Gauthier admitted engaging in oral sex with the boy on July 22 after the first-term lawmaker from Duluth advertised on Craigslist for ‘‘no strings attached’’ sex. Police declined to charge him because the boy was older than 16, the legal age of consent, and no money was exchanged.

[Brickbat]

1. Yeah, it's awkward and gross all around. Two other DFLers are running write-in campaigns. It's a

mess. It throws that seat into serious doubt.

[Politicalboi]

2. He should get out

This is disgusting, and probably not the first time he's done this.

[russspeakeasy]

3. Is being a freak a requirement for being a politician ?

[RKP5637]

4. It seems that way anymore. If I were a politician I would keep my life under wraps as best I

could. There are too many eyes watching everything anymore. To me that was dumb, dumb, dumb. Very frequently, anymore, we hear of one politician or another caught up in something or another. What is it these guys just don't get ...

[Brickbat]

5. Obviously, he was trying to keep things under wraps.

But yes, it was dumb. I feel bad for the kid, too.

[Brickbat]

6. Also, he *just* announced that he's dropping his bid for re-election.

Like, within the last 20 minutes he announced that.

[RKP5637]

7. Yeah, that's best all the way around. This is a bad situation to try to talk ones way out of with

constituents. It'll be forgotten quicker this way too, better for both of them IMO.

[Brickbat]

8. But he's staying in the position until election day. So he can keep his health benefits until the

end of the year.