John Boehner sex scandal

[Cisco]

Anyone heard of the possible sex scandal brewing for John Boehner?

Not a lot of major news sources have picked it up yet.

Capitol Hill insiders and political bloggers have been buzzing about an upcoming New York Times probe - detailing an alleged affair that the 61-year-old married father of two had with pretty Washington lobbyist LISBETH LYONS.

-From here.

The first thing you'll notice is that this story broke in the National Enquirer, but before you dismiss it, remember that the John Edwards scandal broke in the Enquirer too.

If this turns out to be legit, will it cause any uproar? Will/should he step down?

Personally, I don't give a damn what anyone does in their personal life, except for the enraging hypocrisy of how often this stuff comes out of "the party of morals."

[Simplicio]

The first thing you'll notice is that this story broke in the National Enquirer, but before you dismiss it, remember that the John Edwards scandal broke in the Enquirer too.

Well, they've broken lots of stories that were BS, to. And the language is kinda weird, a "New York Times probe?". I usually associate the word "probe" with legal investigations, the newspaper equivalent would be a "story" or an "investigation". I'd be surprised if this turns out to be true, though I guess you never know. And the opportunities for puns on his last name would keep latenight comedians supplied with easy jokes for the rest of the year.

If this turns out to be legit, will it cause any uproar? Will/should he step down?

I imagine he'd step down from the leadership, anyways.

Personally, I don't give a damn what anyone does in their personal life, except for the enraging hypocrisy of how often this stuff comes out of "the party of morals."

Well, a Congressman having a secret relationship with a lobbyist is immoral for reasons beyond hypocrisy, IMHO.

[sleestak]

Originally Posted by Cisco

Personally, I don't give a damn what anyone does in their personal life, except for the enraging hypocrisy of how often this stuff comes out of "the party of morals."

I actually DO care what politicians do in their personal life if they lie about it. Pretty much by definition an affair is going to involve lying. If a pol is into goat felching, hey whatever as long as it is legal and they are open about it. However, chasing every skirt in sight while being married and lying about it shows a distinct lack of character. Unless, of course, the pol has an open marriage and is honest about it (like any pol would ever admit that.... )

The people we elect should be honest. And smart. Having an affair is dishonest and dumb.

My theory is that any politician caught lying about anything* should be run out of office. The problem, however, is that voters tend to ignore this kind of behavior if 'their' guy does it. The other side has a field day if someone in the opposition is caught doing this kind of crap yet we all know that a large portion of politicians on both sides of the aisle are full on lying bastards.

Caught in an affair? Kick 'em out. Caught cheating on taxes? Throw 'em out. Caught doing dirty business deals? Toss the bastard out.

Slee

*Of course, this can get tricky for a pol who honestly changes their opinion on an issue. But they should be able to justify their change of heart.

[Marley23]

If it's true, he would probably be "asked" to step aside. But there's not very much to go on here. (EDIT: To put another way, nobody has provided any reason to think this story is true.) We'll see if anyone else thinks it's a credible story.

[Johnny L.A.]

Did John Boneher?

[Simplicio]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

Did John Boneher?

And so it begins......

[Johnny L.A.]

Couldn't resist.

[Argent Towers]

I imagine his chickie on the side must have been a Guidette who loved his orange skin.

[Kolga]

Originally Posted by Argent Towers

I imagine his chickie on the side must have been a Guidette who loved his orange skin.

Snooki?

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Argent Towers

I imagine his chickie on the side must have been a Guidette who loved his orange skin.

Hey, there must be somebody out there who thinks Oompa-Loompas are hot.

[Locrian]

deleted

[gonzomax]

He can pray it away. Or he may appear on TV and cry so much ,we will all feel sorry for him and forgive his sins.
I really don't expect much in the personal lives of politicians. They have some spectacular groupies who think sleeping with a politician will give them some of his power and respect.
The kind of ego required to run for office and the ability to lie to everyone are not the characteristics of person who will not take advantage of everything that comes their way.
It is different when you are a member of a party that proclaims it is the bastion of religion and values.
Thom Hartmann has had a contest this week. The best email by a person who is willing to sleep with Boehner for 350,000 bucks. that is the beginning rate for a lobbyist. That is what he says the girl is.

[BobLibDem]

Whenever I think of Orange Boehner I can't help but think about the old joke about the guy eating cheetos and watching porn. The first thing I'd like to know is if it is orange, too. The second thing I want to know is if the what motivated the girl. I'm sure if it's true, our resident Republican apologists will bog down Google searching for Democrats who were unfaithful. If there's anything to it, he'll step down as Speaker and they'll find another right winger to step in and start fighting for jobs, just as soon as they finish fighting against health care, abortion, and homosexual rights.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

I could not possibly care less about what skeezy sexual situations a politician gets into with consenting adults. Even if it's a homophobic politician illegally hiring gay male prostitutes, other than being worth a few snickers, it's not my business.

However, I do care about what relationships politicians carry on with lobbyists, for much the same reason that I care about what relationships diplomats carry on with diplomats from other countries, or what relationships judges carry on with people who appear before them. These relationships should be solely professional: any personal relationship at all has the potential to bias their judgment unacceptably.

[Bricker]

Well, the Enquirer story has him as "ruggedly handsome."

Not sure I believe that enhances their credibility, but what do I know?

[Ludovic]

Originally Posted by gonzomax

He can pray it away.

You must have mistaken this charge with a homosexual affair.

[Bayard]

In a blog post about the Chris Lee story, FoxNews.com says this:

Originally Posted by FoxNews.com

Dating back to his time as House Minority Leader, current Speaker John Boehner has enforced a no-shenanigans policy among the GOP rank-and-file. But Wednesday night, Boehner said he did lean on Lee to resign. In 2008, Boehner persuaded former Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) to resign after a drunk driving arrest revealed that the Staten Island Republican had a secret family in Virginia. Boehner also got former Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) to step down quickly last spring after he admitted to an affair with a Congressional aide. Initially, Souder wanted to finish out the balance of his term.

Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) is Souder's successor and says Lee did the right thing.

"If someone is willing to lead a secret life away from their spouse, how can the general public trust you?" Stutzman asked.

So, I guess if the Enquirer story is true, it's going to be tough for Boehner to stick around, claiming the "no shenanigans" standard doesn't apply to him.

[Onomatopoeia]

Originally Posted by Bricker

Well, the Enquirer story has him as "ruggedly handsome."

Not sure I believe that enhances their credibility, but what do I know?

Whatever he's doing to his skin to cause the unnatural coloration is ridiculous, but you have to hand it to Boehner in the looks department; he's actually pretty attractive and has held up well for a guy his age. It is sometimes difficult to see, what with his pact with evil and all...

The Enquirer story will probably go nowhere, but I would be surprised if Boehner hadn't a few dalliances over the years, putting aside the potential deliciousness of yet another dish of Republican hypocrisy for the moment.

[BobLibDem]

Originally Posted by Bayard

So, I guess if the Enquirer story is true, it's going to be tough for Boehner to stick around, claiming the "no shenanigans" standard doesn't apply to him.

Now I want to cue Stubby Kaye: "Shenanigans, we'll have a lot of fun, shenanigans..." (you gotta be 50+ to remember this one).

[j666]

Originally Posted by Cisco

If this turns out to be legit, will it cause any uproar? Will/should he step down?

Personally, I don't give a damn what anyone does in their personal life, except for the enraging hypocrisy of how often this stuff comes out of "the party of morals."

I'm torn on this one. I understand that it is inappropriate for a member of congress to have an affair with a lobbyist, but with whom in Washington would it be appropriate? A staffer? A journalist? Some one from a foreign embassy?

I really do not care what two consenting adults of the same species do, as long as their spouses don't, and I certainly don't expect them to announce private arrangements to the world.

I don't even care very much if their spouses DO care. Or if it's three of four adults. It's just not my business, as long as no-one is running for office at the time. (I do stick at that species issue, though.)

So, without evidence her clients affected his votes, I'm leaving my pitchfork and torch at home.

(Where I will chuckle gleefully about petards.)

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Onomatopoeia

Whatever he's doing to his skin to cause the unnatural coloration is ridiculous..

How do you know he's doing anything?

[Capitaine Zombie]

Originally Posted by John Mace

How do you know he's doing anything?

You think it's a natural condition to glow orange?

[Jonathan Chance]

Originally Posted by Bricker

Well, the Enquirer story has him as "ruggedly handsome."

Not sure I believe that enhances their credibility, but what do I know?

The problem is, and I just had to define this for my journalism students, is that it's the Enquirer, sure, but they've had at least a certain track record of success in breaking these things.

All the way back to Gary Hart they've been trying to chase these things with a reporting staff that specializes in tracking down the tawdry details. Toss in the fact that they're generally willing to pay for sources and it's not so easy to dismiss them.

God knows they're not hard men and women of letters. But they get their teeth into something like this often enough that one can't easily just dismiss them out of hand.

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Capitaine Zombie

You think it's a natural condition to glow orange?

He doesn't "glow orange". Skin tones come in a wide range of colors. If someone has some actual evidence that he does something to his skin, it would be relevant to see. News reports I've seen have stated that his skin tone is seen on several of his relatives, and appears to be simply something that runs in his family.

In other news, Rep Lee (R-NY) resigns after a photo surfaces of him, shirtless and flexing his muscles, that he sent to some chick he meant on Craig's List. What are these people thinking...?

[Simplicio]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Chance

The problem is, and I just had to define this for my journalism students, is that it's the Enquirer, sure, but they've had at least a certain track record of success in breaking these things.

Googling, they're actually not the only place to have reported this. A reporter on Daily Kos heard the same rumors last year and asked both Boehner and the putative mistress about it and got "non-denials" and the NY Post repeated the rumor that the NYTs was looking into it. Granted those aren't really much better sources then the Enquirer, but its not something the Enquirer made up whole cloth, anyways.

I kinda wonder about the orange thing to. He claims he doesn't use any tanning products, which would be my first guess. But his amount of "orangeness" seems to vary a lot, which is kinda weird if its a natural skintone, and I can't think of anyone IRL I've seen thats that color. OTOH, I usually see him on my crappy old TV, so maybe I just need a better television and he's not really that orange.

[Don't Call Me Shirley]

Originally Posted by John Mace

If someone has some actual evidence that he does something to his skin, it would be relevant to see.

No it wouldn't. Who the hell cares what he does to his skin?

[Simplicio]

Originally Posted by Don't Call Me Shirley

No it wouldn't. Who the hell cares what he does to his skin?

Pretty sure he means "relevant to the conversation he and Captaine are having about Boehners skin color", not "relevant, as in particularly important to the world at large".

[Mr. Excellent]

Just to play devil's advocate - we tend to assume that a romantic relationship with a lobbyist would skew an elected official's judgment, or that it may do so. But is this realistic? I mean, I'm a liberal Democrat, and the most stunningly attractive woman I've ever met was a Republican. She wasn't into me, alas, but even if she had been, I doubt she'd have turned me Republican. Hell, I *like* disagreeing with friends politically - makes for interesting conversations.

And I'm just some random guy on the Internet. For a career politician, I have to think that the skill at distinguishing the personal and political would be well-developed indeed. Would an affair with a hot lobbyist really skew Boehner's political judgment?

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Originally Posted by j66

I'm torn on this one. I understand that it is inappropriate for a member of congress to have an affair with a lobbyist, but with whom in Washington would it be appropriate? A staffer? A journalist? Some one from a foreign embassy?

Appropriate in terms of not creating a conflict of interest? A waitress? Bus driver? Dietician? Veterinarian tech? Gardner? Musician? It's a real city; they do things other than write laws and govern. Literally hundreds of thousands of women to have an affair with and not suggest an improper relationship in a professional sense.

[mlees]

Originally Posted by John Mace

In other news, Rep Lee (R-NY) resigns after a photo surfaces of him, shirtless and flexing his muscles, that he sent to some chick he meant on Craig's List. What are these people thinking...?

They're not.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Mr. Excellent

Just to play devil's advocate - we tend to assume that a romantic relationship with a lobbyist would skew an elected official's judgment, or that it may do so. But is this realistic? I mean, I'm a liberal Democrat, and the most stunningly attractive woman I've ever met was a Republican. She wasn't into me, alas, but even if she had been, I doubt she'd have turned me Republican.

You're comparing two people shooting the breeze and talking politics to the Speaker of the House sleeping with a lobbyist. These are not the same thing. Lobbyists don't try to talk politicians into changing parties. They try to convince them to adopt specific policies, or introduce laws, or vote for or against them, based on how it affects the lobbyist's company or industry. (Lyons is a lobbist for the Printing Industries of America.) So yes, it is a conflict of interest if a hypothetical elected official is boinking a lobbyist who might try to influence his votes and legislative actions. That much more so, one might argue, if the politician is the single most prominent member of his party as the Speaker of the House, and oh by the way, has a vested interest in keeping the affair a secret because it would probably ruin his career.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Originally Posted by Mr. Excellent

Just to play devil's advocate - we tend to assume that a romantic relationship with a lobbyist would skew an elected official's judgment, or that it may do so. But is this realistic? I mean, I'm a liberal Democrat, and the most stunningly attractive woman I've ever met was a Republican. She wasn't into me, alas, but even if she had been, I doubt she'd have turned me Republican. Hell, I *like* disagreeing with friends politically - makes for interesting conversations.

It's not the "romantic relationship with a lobbyist" part. It's the "lobbyist having you by the short and curlies" part. Presumably this revelation, if true, will do little to harm Lisbeth Lyons' career. Hell, it'll probably get her a book deal and a lifetime movie. On the other hand, it could more or less end Boehner's career.

Now imagine what sort of influence Lyons could have exerted on Boehner with the threat of going to the press hanging over his head.

[Onomatopoeia]

Originally Posted by John Mace

How do you know he's doing anything?

Let me rephrase then. If he is doing something to his skin to cause the unnatural coloration, it is ridiculous.

I strongly suspect he is doing, or has done, something to affect his skin's pigmentation as the color is unnatural, and too even to be the result of skin disorders that can cause his type of coloration such as melasma or pigmentary purpura.

[spifflog]

Originally Posted by Left Hand of Dorkness

I could not possibly care less about what skeezy sexual situations a politician gets into with consenting adults.

I 100% care about what skeezy sexual situations a politician gets into with consenting adults.

Because there is general one non-consenting adult at home with the kids. And if he (or she) is so selfish and uncarring about what the skeezy sexual situation will do to their family, then they aren’t going to care about what's best for me and my family.

[filmore]

The problem with a politician doing anything immoral is that it becomes blackmail material. Politicians have power and that power can be coerced. If I know a politician is having an affair, I can put pressure on him to encourage legislation that is favorable to me.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

Originally Posted by spifflog

I 100% care about what skeezy sexual situations a politician gets into with consenting adults.

Because there is general one non-consenting adult at home with the kids. And if he (or she) is so selfish and uncarring about what the skeezy sexual situation will do to their family, then they aren’t going to care about what's best for me and my family.

I take it as a given that 99% of politicians don't give a rat's ass about me or my family: I'm not incorporated, nor do I work the phone banks during elections, nor do I work in a state with significant union protections. So I vote not according to their character, but according to my best prediction of the laws they'll vote for and the laws they'll vote against.

I have a very low opinion of the character of most people involved in politics. So low that, despite knowing about John Edward's sleaziness, it's possible I'd vote for him, depending on the race.

It's not what they do with their naughty bits that concerns me. It'd concern me if I were married to one of them, but I'm not, so it doesn't. It's what they do with their vote that concerns me.

And if they're literally in bed with corporate lobbyists, I suspect they'll be voting in a way I don't like.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

To be fair, having Googled Lisbeth Lyons, it looks like she works for the Printing Industries of America, which leads me to worry that Boehner might vote...

...er....

...in favor of keeping print textbooks instead of e-books?

So I don't give as much of a damn about it as I thought I would. I dislike Boehner for other reasons, but the fear that his corruption will cause him to approve more brochures than he otherwise would is fairly small potatoes.

[Marley23]

From the government advocacy section of the Printing Industries of America's website:

Printing Industries opposes all aspects of EFCA and is working in partnership with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) to oppose the bill in Congress.

Congress may soon consider legislation, known as the Healthy Families Act (HFA), to require companies with 15 or more employees to provide dedicated paid sick leave. [...] Legislation such as the Healthy Families Act would force employers to reduce wages or other benefits to pay for the leave mandate and associated compliance costs, thereby limiting benefit and compensation options.

Should Congress modify labor laws to extend the Family Medical Leave Act?
[...] Printing Industries of America supports the current employee limit of FMLA.

Pension Reform
With the economic downturn both single employer and multi-employer pension plans in the printing industry are at a severe unfunded levels. It is unlikely that investment returns alone will return these plans to full-funded status. Unfortunately, with the down economy, employers are not in the position to contribute additional funds to these plans. Board and realistic relief is needed to ensure these plans will survive.

My point being that the group does have positions on some major national issues.

[TruCelt]

My prediction: Tammy Faye Boehner will double the mascara and the crocodile tears, "Confess to the Lord" on national television, and then three days later inform the public that God and his wife have forgiven him, and the rest is none of our business.

Or simply move on to the lucrative profession he has always relaly been in - Evangelical Preacher.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

Originally Posted by Marley23

My point being that the group does have positions on some major national issues.

Good find--serves me right for being flippant. My pissed-offedness returns to previously-scheduled levels.

[Lobohan]

In honestly, I'm not horribly offended if this is true. I'm pretty sure Boehner would be on the wrong side of any possible issue, regardless of who is toking the Little Orphan Orange Otterpop.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Left Hand of Dorkness

Good find--serves me right for being flippant. My pissed-offedness returns to previously-scheduled levels.

Thanks. When I saw who she lobbies for, my first thought was "this is probably the only way to improve newspaper and book sales." But there are some significant issues here and you don't want Congressional leaders to be sleeping with people who are lobbying on this stuff - even if those positions sound pretty typical for Republicans anyway.

[spifflog]

Originally Posted by Left Hand of Dorkness

I take it as a given that 99% of politicians don't give a rat's ass about me or my family: I'm not incorporated, nor do I work the phone banks during elections, nor do I work in a state with significant union protections. So I vote not according to their character, but according to my best prediction of the laws they'll vote for and the laws they'll vote against.

I have a very low opinion of the character of most people involved in politics. So low that, despite knowing about John Edward's sleaziness, it's possible I'd vote for him, depending on the race.

It's not what they do with their naughty bits that concerns me. It'd concern me if I were married to one of them, but I'm not, so it doesn't. It's what they do with their vote that concerns me.

And if they're literally in bed with corporate lobbyists, I suspect they'll be voting in a way I don't like.

Not trying to kick a dead horse on this. But it seems to me that the only way we can predict on how they will vote (your criteria) is by how they have voted in the past, or how they say they will vote. And if they have absolutely no moral compass, as evidenced by their complete lack of concern for those the ostensibly care most about (their family) how do you think you'll be able to predict how they'll vote? They'll lie on the stump, and they'll sell out to the highest bidder.

We bitch that the country is broken, that Congress is broken, and then don't care that our Congressmen are scum bags. There is a relationship.

[Onomatopoeia]

Originally Posted by filmore

The problem with a politician doing anything immoral is that it becomes blackmail material. Politicians have power and that power can be coerced. If I know a politician is having an affair, I can put pressure on him to encourage legislation that is favorable to me.

I have a problem with anyone, including politicians, having affairs because it's wrong. Period. So Republicans nor Democrats will get a pass on that in my book.

The issue for me is hypocrisy. Republicans put themselves out there as the party of morality, yet, at this point, whenever I hear of a politician embroiled in a sex scandal it is usually a Republican, and I expect it to be, and am no longer surprised.

[Ca3799]

Did Boehner lean on Rep. Christopher Lee to retire after his recent Craig's List flirtation?

[Really Not All That Bright]

Originally Posted by Ca3799

Did Boehner lean on Rep. Christopher Lee to retire after his recent Craig's List flirtation?

From Faux News, via post #17:

Dating back to his time as House Minority Leader, current Speaker John Boehner has enforced a no-shenanigans policy among the GOP rank-and-file. But Wednesday night, Boehner said he did lean on Lee to resign. In 2008, Boehner persuaded former Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) to resign after a drunk driving arrest revealed that the Staten Island Republican had a secret family in Virginia. Boehner also got former Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) to step down quickly last spring after he admitted to an affair with a Congressional aide. Initially, Souder wanted to finish out the balance of his term.

[Marley23]

Cheating on your wife is a shitty thing to do, but you almost have to admire the balls and resourceful sliminess of the kind of guy who'd have a secret second family. I don't know where these jerkoffs find the time. It does make infidelity and compromised ethics look like small potatoes.

[j666]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Appropriate in terms of not creating a conflict of interest? A waitress? Bus driver? Dietician? Veterinarian tech? Gardner? Musician? It's a real city; they do things other than write laws and govern.

How do meet the Real People? Do they? I have never met anyone more than one degree from a government job in D.C.

Originally Posted by Onomatopoeia

I have a problem with anyone, including politicians, having affairs because it's wrong. Period.

Why? It is possible that an affair does not involve lying and cheating. If that is so, who am I to judge the marraige?

[BobLibDem]

If it was Jane Nobody, I don't really care if John bones her or not. I think it being a lobbyist holds some conflict of interest issues that probably warrants him stepping down as Speaker.

We'll know if this story has real legs when Fox starts to identify him with the graphic John Boehner (D-OH)

[Simplicio]

Originally Posted by Marley23

Cheating on your wife is a shitty thing to do, but you almost have to admire the balls and resourceful sliminess of the kind of guy who'd have a secret second family. I don't know where these jerkoffs find the time. It does make infidelity and compromised ethics look like small potatoes.

There was a thread a long time ago about men caught with hidden second families, and it was pretty crazy how many Dopers knew someone who had tried to pull it off. For something that seems a) really risky and b) not very much fun, its apparently much more common then I'd expect.