# A scummy child-molesting Republican. What a shock. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 9, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738 "2016-04-09T23:43:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/161 "2016-04-25T14:19:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why can’t you point out all the high-ranking Democrats doing the same thing, if you think that Republicans are being unfairly typecast in this thread? What does child molestation have to do with family values? How is child molestation any less family values than murder or rape? Are you seriously suggesting that Republicans are more likely to be child molesters than Democrats? I would love to see some data suggesting that child molestation correlates somehow with political affiliation. This is not self hating hypocrisy where Republicans demonize homosexuality and then turn out to be gay. This is not like the cynical opportunistic hypocrisy where Republicans condemn abortions and then try have them in secret when their mistress gets pregnant. This is not disingenuous positioning like their stance against racism while pushing things that are bad for minorities and then clutching their pearls and condemn their fellow Republican when they are shown to be racist. The anti-child molestation platform of the Republican party is pretty fucking universal across all parties and I believe it is a genuinely held belief by the vast majority of Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/162 "2016-04-25T14:20:14Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > . . . . . . . . Because _that’s_ what wakes him a hypocrite! > > Hastert is a hypocrite _because he is a “family values” politician_ who has been exposed as a child-molestor. > He’s not a hypocrite _because he’s a Republican_. I don’t think anyone here has suggested that, and if anyone has, they’re a twit. > > What the OP and other posters _have_ suggested is an apparently strong pattern of hypocrisy among self-proclaimed family-values Republican politicians. > Refute it if you believe it to be untrue. I can see how anything related to children might be perceived to be a family values issue but I just don’t see how child molestation is any more of a family values issue than rape or murder. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/163 "2016-04-25T14:25:58Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I can see how anything related to children might be perceived to be a family values issue but I just don’t see how child molestation is any more of a family values issue than rape or murder. [Lawmaker Hastert urged life sentences for repeat child molesters](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-lawmaker-record-met-20160413-story.html) [Dennis Hastert Promoted Himself As Crusader Against Sexual Abuse of Children](http://www.ibtimes.com/dennis-hastert-promoted-himself-crusader-against-sexual-abuse-children-1944886) [Dennis Hastert Boasted Of Effort To Combat Child Abuse As A State Lawmaker](http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/dennis-hastert-boasted-of-effort-to-combat-child-abuse-as-a) ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/164 "2016-04-25T14:53:04Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I can see how anything related to children might be perceived to be a family values issue but I just don’t see how child molestation is any more of a family values issue than rape or murder. The whole point of family values is raising children in a healthy environment. Therefore, being a “family values”-focused politician and molesting children on the side is a bit hypocritical, wouldn’t you say? This really is not complicated. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/165 "2016-04-25T16:34:44Z")
‘Family Values’ politicians have made thier careers toting their values as superior to others. The have and have joined forces with people who have demoed homosexuals as child molesters. It is extremely hypocritical for some who claims superior values to not even meet the most basic values found throughout society. Some people in this thread have great difficulty grasping that. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/166 "2016-04-25T17:11:18Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > ‘Family Values’ politicians have made thier careers toting their values as superior to others. The have and have joined forces with people who have demoed homosexuals as child molesters. It is extremely hypocritical for some who claims superior values to not even meet the most basic values found throughout society. > > Some people in this thread have great difficulty grasping that. I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s more that some feel that lumping “not molesting children” in under “family values” reinforces the idea that child-molesting actually is on the same spectrum as homosexuality. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/167 "2016-04-25T19:24:42Z")
It’s on the spectrum of observed human sexuality, certainly. That doesn’t mean it’s the same thing, or a benign thing, or something that liberals are obligated to “tolerate”, except in the minds of people too damaged to understand why consent is important. It also doesn’t excuse another Family Values Republican, Tom DeLay, trying to protect Family-Values Republican and Child-Molester Dennis Hastert from the consequences of his crimes by insisting that Hastert is a man of integrity, who does the Lord’s work. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/168 "2016-04-25T19:50:56Z")
The man is a scumbag and hypocrite. But that says diddly squat about Republicans as a whole, many of whom, _horribile dictu_, actually do have family values and practice what they preach. Hypocrisy knows no party affiliation. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/169 "2016-04-25T20:52:41Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > It’s on the spectrum of observed human sexuality, certainly. That doesn’t mean it’s the same thing, or a benign thing, or something that liberals are obligated to “tolerate”, except in the minds of people too damaged to understand why consent is important. I think the issue is that a lot of people think that on the spectrum of human sexuality, child-molesting is closer to “homosexual behavior” than to “heterosexual behavior”. To say a “family values” politician is especially hypocritical for molesting children seems to reinforce that idea. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/170 "2016-04-26T01:15:02Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > The man is a scumbag and hypocrite. But that says diddly squat about Republicans as a whole, many of whom, _horribile dictu_, actually do have family values and practice what they preach. > > Hypocrisy knows no party affiliation. It sure seems there are a LOT of Republicans who have a public persona of being morally pure, and railing against perceived “indecency”, while at the same time being guilty of moral transgressions themselves: Henry Hyde- Chairman of the house judiciary committee, going after Clinton. Was carrying on his own extra-marital affair for years with a married woman named Cherie Snodgrass. Newt Gingrich - famously cheated on both his first and second wives, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME leading impeachment proceedings against Clinton. Bob Livingston - succeeded Gingrich as speaker, but then suddenly regsigned, and admitted he cheated on his wife. Hastert see the OP Larry Craig - bathroom antics Mark Sanford - “hiking the appalacian trail” And on and on and on. All of them getting elected by being MORE MORAL than those disgusting democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/171 "2016-04-26T04:55:59Z")
I dunno. If Democrats get arrested for stealing public money are they bigger hypocrites for hurting the poor? The Democrats have had Marion Barry, John Edwards, and Gary Hart. Massachusetts, one of the more liberal states where the Democrats have a lock on the legislature, had [three straight Speakers of the House convicted of various felonies](http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/a_tale_of_3_speakers_--_salvat.html). Rod Blagojevich was convicted of of corruption trying to sell Obama’s seat. Democrats think they’re better (read: more moral) than Republicans. Republicans think they’re better than Democrats. I see no evidence that either can make that claim. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/172 "2016-04-26T23:49:48Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Democrats think they’re better (read: more moral) than Republicans. Republicans think they’re better than Democrats. I see no evidence that either can make that claim. I let the tie-breaker be which group is more likely to try to impose their morality, good or bad, on everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/173 "2016-04-27T02:35:19Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Democrats think they’re better (read: more moral) than Republicans. Republicans think they’re better than Democrats. I see no evidence that either can make that claim. The subject of this thread, Dennis Hastert, is a Republican who molested students in his care and covered up for another Republican, Mark Foley, when it was revealed that Foley was acting inappropriately toward the Congressional Pages. This thread is also about the way other Republicans, notably Tom DeLay, are supporting Hastert by not insisting on his resignation over his coverup of Foley and begging a judge for leniency in sentancing Hastert, on the grounds that DeLay believes that Hastert is a man of integrity who demonstrates God’s values. You will not find a comparable example of culpability and congressional support for a child molester among the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/174 "2016-04-27T15:23:09Z")
And the asshole showed up in court today in a wheelchair to try to gain sympathy ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/175 "2016-04-27T15:29:00Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > And the asshole showed up in court today in a wheelchair to try to gain sympathy He has been having medical problems though I don’t know the specifics. I did see a clip on the news of him arriving for the hearing and he did have some trouble getting out and into the chair. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/176 "2016-04-27T15:34:13Z")
Too effing bad. I don’t care if he’s in a wheelchair or not. This is clearly an attempt by someone to use their influence and powerful friends to weasel out of a just sentence. If he was some poor brown dude with no connections he’d have the book thrown at him regardless of age or physical condition. Give him the frickin’ five year max they can impose. If he dies in jail too bad - plenty of other old geezers in the same spot, they just don’t have money and influence. And about that 5 year max… maybe we should end the statute of limitations on rape and/or molesting the underage. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/177 "2016-04-27T16:31:06Z")
Two years supervised release. Blind justice has dropped her scales. Two years supervised release for a child molester who has publically stated that child molesters should be jailed for life. Excuse me, I have to go vomit now. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/178 "2016-04-27T16:33:33Z")
Two years of supervised release. Outrageous, he should be sent to do hard time with guys who’d love to do to him what he did to those defenseless boys. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/179 "2016-04-27T16:40:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I did see a clip on the news of him arriving for the hearing and he did have some trouble getting out and into the chair. I’d hate to see him try on a pair of bloody leather gloves. ---
**Author:** ![drew870mitchell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drew870mitchell/32/3946_2.png) [@drew870mitchell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drew870mitchell)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738/180 "2016-04-27T16:44:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You are presenting mere advocacy as analysis Slam fucking dunk. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > Two years of supervised release. Outrageous, he should be sent to do hard time with guys who’d love to do to him what he did to those defenseless boys. Somebody save this for the “Dopers wishing prison rape or threat thereof on dirtbags” compendium. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-scummy-child-molesting-republican-what-a-shock/751738.md?page=10)