Mel Watt: I heard 'unseemly rumor' about Hastert

[alp227]

Source: Politico

Former congressman Mel Watt acknowledged on Tuesday that years ago he heard a rumor about misbehavior by Dennis Hastert, but he said he had no direct knowledge about any specific behavior.

The statement from Watt, who is now head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, came after The Huffington Post reported that Watt was “likely aware” that Hastert had allegedly molested a former male student.

“Over 15 years ago I heard an unseemly rumor from someone who, contrary to what has been reported, was not an intermediary or advocate for the alleged victim’s family,” Watt said in an emailed statement. “It would not be the first nor last time that I, as a Member of Congress, would hear rumors or innuendoes about colleagues. I had no direct knowledge of any abuse by former Speaker Hastert and, therefore, took no action.”

Watt served in the House from 1998 to early 2014, while Hastert retired from Congress in 2007.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/former-rep-watt-says-heard-unseemly-rumor-about-hastert-118563.html

[xfundy]

1. Slime defends slime.

News at 11.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

2. No, it's "I heard an unsubstantiated rumor about Hastert

And didn't follow up because it was an unsubstantiated rumor".

[sofa king]

3. I heard it at about the same time.

Winter of '98/'99. There was a bar joke going around that Hastert got the Speaker job because he wasn't chasing women, because he was chasing boys.

Professionally, virtually the first time I heard his name in a meeting, some shocked attendee blurted out, "the fucking child molester?"

So yeah, we all knew, it's just that none of us wanted to believe that one of our political parties could be so evil as to overlook and permit such a person to rise to third person in line for the Presidency. Then George Bush came to town, and Hastert's crimes became an annoyance compared to the systematic destruction of the United States.

I'd also like to add that that was a great time for Democrats in Congress because Republican leadership never reacquired the diabolical (and, frankly, minimal) competence that Newt Gingrich brought. Dick Armey was as dumb as a post and interested in booze and food, and may have been the worst Majority Leader in modern times. Hastert was owned by someone stupid, that much was clear, and he wasn't creative on his own. Boehner was a traitor-on-the-ropes for participating in an early failed cabal against Gingrich and more or less on ice for the moment. His co-conspirator Paxson, who was a truly dangerous politician with a lot more talent than those other chumps, was tossed out of the closet and run out of town.

In the meantime Democratic leadership in Congress was powerful, knowledgeable, and effective by comparison to the Republicans, and they retained that critical edge all through the Bush years, so that at one point, even though the evil ones controlled every branch of government save one swing vote in the Senate, Republicans were unable to prize the screwed down furniture and steal that, too.

[Hoppy]

4. Watt says it would not be the first nor the last time that he heard innuendoes about colleagues.

Are there others that, maybe he should consider aren't just rumors? If they involve children, maybe drop a dime?

[Jim Lane]

8. Drop a dime? You mean, every time you hear a rumor, call the cops?

Even if the rumor involves children, that's not a sensible standard.

"Hello, police? Somebody whose name I'm not allowed to tell you, and who is not in a position to have any first-hand knowledge, told me that he heard that Denny Hastert has molested one or more children, whose name(s) I don't know. Please investigate." "Sure thing, Mr. Watt, we'll get right on it."

I'm sure there are plenty of rumors floating around Washington that have no basis in fact. It's like the old joke that the stock market has predicted eleven of the last five recessions.

[TexasBushwhacker]

5. Reminds me of Bill Cosby

There were rumors about Bill Cosby being a rapist for years.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/18/bill-cosby-sexual-assault-allegations-listening-women


http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/12/03/cosby_rape_joke_on_30_rock_hinted_at_allegations_five_years_ago_long_before.html

[yellowcanine]

6. But yet Tom Delay and Dennis Hastert had no problem using unsubstantiated rumors about Juanita

Broderick to help convince wavering Republicans to impeach Bill Clinton.

It seems that Republicans had no problem exploiting unsubstantiated rumors in what was essentially a grand jury situation.

[mfcorey1]

7. Pass the indiscretion away from Hastert and put the blame on Mel Watts. Brainwashing works so well

for the right.

[ToxMarz]

9. Seems odd the family thought the way to address their child's molestation

in Pennsylvania is to send someone to Washington DC and report it to a Congressman from North Carolina. They don't have police in Pennsylvania? If he heard something from a third party but the family had never come forward and reported to police, why would he get involved. What if it wasn't true or the family wouldn't cooperate, then he'd end up like Dan Rather.