Paranoia grips Capitol Hill as harassment scandal spreads

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico




Lawmakers and aides are consumed by one question: Who's next?

By ELANA SCHOR and RACHAEL BADE 12/17/2017 02:19 PM EST

The details change almost daily, but the rumor won’t die: A credible news organization is preparing to unmask at least 20 lawmakers in both parties for sexual misconduct.

Speculation about this theoretical megastory is spreading like wildfire across Congress and beyond, a lurking bad-press boogeyman that’s always described as on the verge of going public. And it’s far from the only worry that’s seeped into the collective psyche of Capitol Hill, where members and aides are now perpetually bracing for the next allegation to drop.

Washington is also gripped by uncertainty over whether the nationwide awakening to workplace misconduct might be manipulated into a political weapon. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) went to law enforcement after being targeted last week by a forged harassment complaint against him, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) last month parried a false accusation of misconduct posted on Twitter.

Lawmakers and aides are consumed by one simple question: Who’s next? That and, in this turbocharged news cycle of the Trump presidency, can actual misdeeds be distinguished from false smears? “You want to have a welcome environment to report abuse — you don’t want to deter victims,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in an interview. “But you’ve got to have enough due process and scrutiny to make sure it’s accurate.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/17/congress-sexual-harassment-paranoia-298837

[Historic NY]

1. Man its even worse over that the WH,

now that they realize Mueller's had their emails since June.😂😂😂😂 I hope they're not sleeping at night wondering if the bedroom door will be busted open by a federal marshal.

[milestogo]

2. Melania would probably prefer a federal marshal to the donald at her bedroom door.

[Pluvious]

6. From the story today in cnn...

"I feel for these White House staffers that are caught up in these interviews because it's nerve-wracking," said Scott Jennings, who found himself embroiled in a special counsel investigation during his tenure as deputy director of political affairs under President George W. Bush. "The thing that nobody really knows, having really lived through one of these, is just how much of a toll this can take on staff in terms of stress, anxiety, personal legal bills."

For now at least, White House staffers are paying their legal fees out of their own pockets, a significant expense for government employees.

One source who has spoken with the President said he seems to be unaware of the anxiety among staffers. "Everybody needs a pat on the back, some reassurances that the President is loyal to them, and he just doesn't do that well," the source said.

[Miigwech]

3. This is some weird kind of bloodless purge

... probably most male office holders in the Senate or House have some skeleton to hide ... even the good ones.

[burrowowl]

4. Going to be INTERESTING!

[brooklynite]

5. My source on Capitol Hill says....

.....this is a real issue, and the results will be "50-50".....