More of the most ethical Congress in history

Remember how Mark Foley was the poster child of the unethical Republican Congress in the month leading up to the 2006 midterm election? Well, his opponent in that election is now suffering the same malady according to ABC News;

West Palm Beach Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-FL), whose predecessor resigned in the wake of a sex scandal, agreed to a $121,000 payment to a former mistress who worked on his staff and was threatening to sue him, according to current and former members of his staff who have been briefed on the settlement, which involved Mahoney and his campaign committee.

Mahoney, who is married, also promised the woman, Patricia Allen, a $50,000 a year job for two years at the agency that handles his campaign advertising, the staffers said.

And of course the Democrat leadership in the House is more than willing to come with the American voters;

Senior Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives, including Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), the chair of the Democratic Caucus, have been working with Mahoney to keep the matter from hurting his re-election campaign, the Mahoney staffers said.

A spokesperson for Emanuel denies that account, but said Emanuel did confront Mahoney “upon hearing a rumor” about an affair in 2007 and “told him he was in public life and had a responsibility to act accordingly.” The spokesperson added that it was a “private conversation” that had nothing to do with Mahoney’s re-election prospects.

The Hill writes;

Mahoney won that race by stressing family values and morals.

An ad run by Mahoney’s campaign stated: “Congress is a mess. Corruption. Waste. Incompetence. Tim Mahoney is a common sense businessman who believes in faith, family and personal responsibility.”

Were Mahoney to decide not to seek reelection, Democrats could be in the same situation as Republicans were two years ago, unable to remove him from the ballot.

That karma is a real bitch.

Category: Politics