Married Congresscritter caught screwing around with a staff member. Keeps his job but fires her.

[riqster]

The Fundie hypocrisy is being covered quite well on other threads. I find myself more outraged at the economic injustice here (and in other cases): these men refuse to step down from positions of power, but ruin the lives of the women they are fooling around with.

"And of course, he’s a big “family values” guy. “Representative” Vance McAllister, a “Christian” with a wife and five kids was caught on camera canoodling with a married staff member. Depressingly common behavior for “Republican” Fundagelicals, you’ll agree. And after he got caught, he decided to keep his cushy job and fire the woman with whom he was f***ing around. Sadly, that too is common.

Here is the likewise-common “values” campaign statement:
McAllister ran on a faith and family-based platform and featured his wife and five children in campaign ads. “Here at the McAllister house, we have a big family breakfast every Sunday before church. Kelly does the cooking, and I do the dishes,” McAllister said of his wife during a campaign ad. “It’s here in this house that Kelly and I worked to instill the values of faith, family, and country in our five children. If you will trust me with your vote, you can count on me to take those values to Washington.”

Here is a picture of him living his real values with Mrs. Melissa Anne Hixon Peacock:



And here is (part) of what he said after getting busted:
Peacock has been “taken off the payroll in the past 24 hours,” according to The News-Star, who spoke with McAllister’s chief of staff. The congressman said that he will run for re-election, “unless there is an outcry for me not to serve, and so far there has been an outpouring of support, not for my actions, but for me to continue to represent the people.”

Dafuq? No, really, dafuq???? Two married people, both cheating on their spouses. One keeps his six-figure gig, and shit-cans the other. The Congressman keeps his gig and fires the woman he was using.

That, if you like, is “Republican outreach to women”. Females, you have been warned. The GOP will screw you big-time, whether or not they kiss you first."

Source info at the link: http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/married-congresscritter-caught-screwing-around-with-a-staff-member-keeps-his-job-but-fires-her/

[TreasonousBastard]

1. As I have said before...

screwing around should not be grounds for losing your job.

Claiming great moral superiority while screwing around might be a good reason to lose your job since you have lied about what you previously called depraved behavior.

While it might be craven and miserable to fire her, at least now he can not longer be accused of screwing an employee.

[riqster]

4. If her "moral failings" or whatever Fundagelicals call it require her firing,

So too do his. Or neither of them should be fired for fooling around (my belief).

But the gender inequity here really hacks me off.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Of course it does, but it's not so much gender as...

power inequality.

If the Congressman was found fooling around with a male subordinate, would said subordinate have any better chance of keeping his job?

I hadn't heard she was fired for any particular moral failings-- if she was, that would be beyond hypocrisy. I thought perhaps she quit because it would be tough to face the office after this.

And, what hotel was it that had in-the-room surveillance?

[riqster]

10. The canoodling took place in his office.

That's where the camera was.

Massive stupidity to not know about it.

[TreasonousBastard]

12. Oh. It looked like a hotel room...

Now the question should be asked not about the value of a congressman with shaky morals, but of one who is a blithering idiot.

[riqster]

13. Both questions are fair game IMNSHO.

[George II]

39. Well, if he didn't screw here before yesterday, he did now that he's fired her....

....did he fire her for kissing him or for not slipping him the tongue?

[abelenkpe]

2. Classic

Reminds me of the Scarlet Letter

[riqster]

6. Yeah, crossed with a bit of 1984

First they treat her unjustly, and later on MiniTru will quietly recreate the past.

[BlueCaliDem]

3. He's just displaying the TRUE face of Republican men (outright hypocrites)

but as long as corporate media keeps a lid on this scandal (something they'd never afford a Democrat!), he's sittin', well, pretty isn't a word I'd describe that bloated bastard, but you get the drift.

[gratuitous]

5. So, what should McAllister do?

If he resigns, Peacock loses her job anyway. He doesn't resign, is he going to keep her on staff? Not if McAllister's beloved wife has anything to say about it. Canoodling with the boss is a one-way ticket to the unemployment line, man or woman.

[Beaverhausen]

14. He should resign and some other congressperson can help out his constituents

like what happened with Gabby Giffords was shot. That way the office staff doesn't lose their jobs...at least not right away.

[gratuitous]

21. I don't disagree that McAllister should resign

But since we're talking about a Republican Family Values guy, we know that resignation's not in the cards. Peacock wouldn't have been kept on for any transition or continuity case of McAllister's resignation anyway, that's a near sure bet. The matter of a vacancy is different when an officeholder like Giffords leaves office due to illness or injury, because the staff isn't the reason for her departure.

Right now, it appears that McAllister is going through his Act of Contrition, but I suspect that soon enough he'll strike back at whoever leaked this into the public domain (remember, the video is four months old; why is it coming out now?).

Getcher popcorn ready. Could be a very good show.

[erronis]

31. Exactly - that would mean that he admits he's unworthy

And all of these self-appointed right-wing holinesses are never unworthy - perhaps mortal, but still on the godly track.

[arikara]

55. He won't resign

they never do. He'll call a press conference. He'll have his wife standing beside him and he'll tearfully admit to his sin, say it was a momentary lapse and ask for forgiveness. Then he will continue on as if nothing ever happened. If anyone ever asks about it again he'll say that its in the past and its time to move on.

Thats what they always do and they get away with it. The "media" will go along with it and it will be swept under the rug.

[LanternWaste]

15. One might think he should do the honorable thing and resign...

One might think he should do the honorable thing, accept the consequences, resign, and allow her to make her own decisions...


"Canoodling with the boss is a one-way ticket to the unemployment line, man or woman..."
Often, however not always-- politics or private sector.

[dawnie51]

8. This guy was featured in a Duck Dynasty ...

a couple of seasons back. Old Willie was hosting a campaign fund raiser for him in the show. And in the real world, this is the jerk who tool Robertson to the SOTU address in January. More family values from West Monroe, La.

[Xithras]

9. Do we actually know that she was fired?

Remember, she was married too, and I can't imagine that her husband would be too thrilled with the idea of her going back to work with the man she was screwing. The odds are probably 50/50 that she quit.

If she was fired, I hope she sues the hell out of him.

[riqster]

11. Fair point, but the inequality remains.

GOP Congresscritters almost never step down, even in situations like this.

[Xithras]

16. Yes, I agree with you 100% on that.

"The rules are made for thee, and not for me." - GOP

[Geoff R. Casavant]

18. Good point. My take:

The newspaper article quoted in the blog says she has been "taken off the payroll." My take is that, if she left of her own accord, the Congressman's chief of staff would be falling over himself to make sure he said, "she voluntarily resigned."

[riqster]

20. My take was similar.

[Major Nikon]

48. Her husband has said they are getting a divorce

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/08/husband-on-kissing-congressman-he-has-wrecked-my-life

[hfojvt]

17. what a system they have in Louisiana

he was elected in a Republican vs. Republican election.

So voters got to "choose" betwen two Republicans.

First they had a 14 candidate primary including 5 Republicans and 4 Democrats. Democratic candidates got 30% of the vote combined. But the run-off was between the top two candidates. This guy who got 32% and another Republican who got 17.8%. The top Democrat, Jamie Mayo, only got 14.8%. http://ballotpedia.org/Vance_McAllister

Well, Louisiana 5 is pretty solid Republican. It voted for Romney by 61% to 37.7%.

[riqster]

19. Ah, "non-partisan" runoffs, eh?

I see no way that could end badly.

[Berlum]

22. Republican values are disgusting

Republicans have no integrity or honor whatsoever as they prove once again

[Berlum]

23. "let he who is not into diapers sex with hookers

"cast the first Doody. smirk " - david vitter (R)

[DemoTex]

24. As Topol sings in "Fiddler on the Roof" ..

TRADITION!

[AtheistCrusader]

25. I love the use of religion to lend false credence to assholes.

Look at how easily people are suckered. Hook, line, sinker.

[usaf-vet]

26. Sound to me that she has a case for sexual harassment

sue the bastard for everything he has.

[rhett o rick]

29. Yes, she has a case if she claims she had to accept his advancement or lose her job. The

proof of course is that when she stopped, she did in fact lose her job.

[Brigid]

27. Ladies, keep in mind what our mothers always told us:

Want a sure-fire way to screw up your life? It's easy: Just get mixed up with the wrong guy. Unfortunately, some among us forget that.

[riqster]

50. A corresponding bit from my father:

"Only an idiot would want to romance more than one person at a time."

(He said "woman", but I think it applies regardless of gender or orientation.)

[SheilaT]

28. It's the hypocrisy.

Family values my left foot.

[BuddhaGirl]

30. LOL he's getting hammered on his FB page

"Just because you are deleting comments doesn't mean people aren't aware. You should have tried harder, Vance. It can't be that difficult to one-up Vitter's diaper."

https://www.facebook.com/RepMcAllister?fref=ts

[riqster]

49. "One-up Vitter's diaper", classic

[woodsprite]

32. Maybe Momma gave him an ultimatum!

Something like 'get rid of her or I'm going public'.

[Skittles]

33. LOL re: his Keystone comments

"Rumor is you're running your own pipeline."

[tanyev]

34. It was obviously her fault for luring him with her feminine wiles.

[DeSwiss]

35. Gawd required a 'sacrifice.''

- And she was handy......

K&R

[Bernardo de La Paz]

36. She's a woman. Conservatives drop their women when they aren't useful any more.

My first instinct is with you and affords her the benefit of the doubt -- he's shafting the woman in more ways than one.

But we must allow for the possibility that perhaps she was on the payroll and didn't do any real work except polish his knobs.

All the same, let's give her the benefit of the doubt and our support until more facts come to light and probably even beyond that.

[Niceguy1]

38. thats pretty much men in general

....

[Ino]

37. The woman's husband speaks out...

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/vance-mcallister-leaker-105480.html#ixzz2yKSvBYn1

Heath Peacock’s comments, first reported by CNN, are especially troubling for McAllister.

“I’m just freaking devastated by the whole deal, man. I loved my wife so much. I cannot believe this. I cannot freaking believe it. I feel like I’m going to wake up here in a minute and this is all going to be a bad nightmare,” Peacock told CNN on Tuesday. The two couples were close friends. Melissa Peacock began working for McAllister shortly after he won the special election in November to replace retiring GOP Rep. Rodney Alexander.

“He has wrecked my life,” Peacock added. “We’re headed for divorce.”

Oh, those Republican family values at work!

[riqster]

40. Another life wrecked.

And the rat bastard Congresscritter is staying in office.

[bottomofthehill]

41. Slutty Temptress, off with her head

you people do not get it. This goes back to the Garden of Eden, this temptress is trying to bring down a great man and protector of virtue.

I think she should be stoned, even if she and her husband donated $5000.00 each to his election campaign. What was she thinking... after all of his hard work, for her to act like that is shameful.

[riqster]

42. On the same token, we should cut down all apple trees. Nt

[genxlib]

43. What if....

I have another take on this.

What if the order was different?

What if they were having an affair and that's why she got the job in the first place?

It puts new significance on why she was so quickly cut loose.

[riqster]

44. Either way, either neither should be dejobbed, or both should.

[marions ghost]

45. Surveillance

adds to the thrill, right?

[Jim Lane]

46. Forget the sex part. McAllister's campaign manager is moving on the REAL problem here.

McAllister campaign manager Adam Terry told (a reporter) the office is sussing out who leaked (the video): "Clearly, what the congressman did was wrong and he's taking responsibility for his actions. However, a breach in security in a federal office is a grave concern for us."

from "Reports: McAllister district manager leaked kissing video, staffer's husband says it 'has wrecked my life'"

[riqster]

47. Oh, the old passive voice, third-person, shift the focus trick, eh, Chief?

(Say it in a Maxwell Smart voice).

[Jim Lane]

64. Would you believe... the old kill the messenger trick?

Either way, you're absolutely right, shift the focus is critical.

[B Calm]

51. He will ask god for forgiveness and they'll reelect him.

[riqster]

52. He has already done thing one,

and thing two will no doubt also occur.

[LonePirate]

53. Why isn't she filing sexual harassment or wrongful termination against him/his campaign?

It seems to me she would have a good case for one.

[riqster]

54. This shit just went down. Give it time.

[Major Nikon]

56. If she's a willing participant there's no sexual harrassment

[LonePirate]

57. In my world view, it is wrong for the boss to fire an employee for having an affair with the boss.

Surely consent does not overrule the employer/employee relationship given the power differential. I'm not saying she will win but a wrongful termination suit has some merit it would seem.

[Major Nikon]

59. We don't even know if she was terminated

All I've seen says she is no longer on the payroll, which could mean a number of things. However, even if she was terminated I don't see any laws that were broken assuming the relationship is consensual (which it certainly appears to be on the video). Unless you have a contract, your employer can fire you for any reason that doesn't violate the law and there's very little legal recourse.

I find it hard to gather much sympathy for her. She was a Republican staffer working for an asshole Republican congressman who was cheating on her husband with his friend. Except for the husband which appears to be an innocent victim, the whole lot seems rotten to the core.

[malaise]

58. He does more than that

He wants to know who leaked the video?

[Skittles]

60. he no longer wants her on his staff

[petronius]

61. FTW!

[riqster]

62. Naughty!

She used to like working under him.,,

[Hekate]

63. AFAIK she has no legal recourse, either

Affirmative Action and other employment laws do not apply to the legislators who wrote/passed them in the first place.

What a swine.