SHAME, DOING NOTHING ILLEGAL, I HAVE BEEN HONEST
1
“I am ashamed to be here today and I accept full
responsibility for my action. I lost my
way morally and developed a sense of entitlement and arrogance.”
2
“I did nothing illegal.”
3
“I have been honest, forthright and acted with integrity, I
made mistakes, but not one with malicious intent.”
Can you name the authors of the above statements, what they
have in common, when it was said and the circumstances under which it was said.
All three are Republicans.
All three were highly regarded leaders in the Republican
Party
The misconduct of all three involved money.
Statement 1 was made by John G. Rowland on March 8, 2005 after he pled guilty to
accepting more than $100,000.00 in gifts, cash and vacations while Governor of
Connecticut and was sentenced to one year in prison.
Rowland, one of the Republican Party’s brightest stars was
elected to the Connecticut State House of Representatives at age 23 in 1980
where he served until 1984. In 1984 he
was elected to Congress from the 5th Congressional District and was
re-elected in 1986, and 1988. In 1994 at
age 37 he became the youngest Governor in Connecticut
Statement 2 was made by Bob McDonnell after he was indicted January 10, 2014 on 14 counts of
corruption in office alleging he traded his influence as Governor of Virginia for
more than $165,000 in loans and gifts from Jonnie Williams of Star Scientific
Inc. The indictment sets out a long list
of gifts and loans which included designer clothes, shoes and accessories, a
Rolex watch, $15,000 in catering expenses for McDonnell’s daughter wedding, golf outings,
vacation house stays and use of Williams Ferrari.
McDonnell another rising star in the Republican Party was
considered a potential presidential candidate and a possible running mate of
Mitt Romney in 2012. McDonnell was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from 1992 to 2006, was Attorney General of Virginia from 2006 to 2009 and was
Governor of Virginia from January 16,
2010 to January 11, 2014 .
McDonnell denied any illegal conduct and said he had been
falsely and wrongfully accused.
McDonnell contends the GIFTS weren’t bribes because he never
gave Williams anything that wasn’t a ROUTINE COURTESY DOLED OUT BY EVERY
POLITICIAN FROM THE PRESIDENT ON DOWN.
Statement 3 was made by Mark Darr announcing his resignation
as Lt. Governor of Arkansas February 1, 2014 .
On November 2, 2010
Mark Darr was elected Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas and became the youngest
Republican to win a statewide race.
The Arkansas Ethics Commission on December 19, 2013 found Darr guilty of 11
violations of ethics and campaign finance law and fined him $11,000.00. the
largest fine in history. The Commission found Darr spent campaign
funds for personal expenses, kept incomplete financial records and did not
examine several campaign finance reports before he signed and submitted them,
improperly used a state issued gas card and improperly claimed more than
$9,000. for travel expenses.
On December 30,
2013 Darr signed an agreement with the State Ethics Commission admitting his guilt and agreed to pay the
$11,000. fine.
Darr held a press conference on January 7, 2014 saying “it was an oversight.” “I erred in how I
reported payments and fundraising activities.”
“Over the past three years I improperly collected almost $10,000 in
travel reimbursement.” “I misused state funds by using the state federal credit
card for personal expense” but such activities are “not worthy of my removal from office.”
Which of the these Republicans expressed the Republican
Party’s position on Republican officials who are found guilty of wrongfully
accepting cash or favors or who improperly handle campaign or public funds.
Rowland who expressed “shame.”
McDonnell who said he did “nothing illegal.”
Darr who said “I have been honest.”
Does the Republican Party have one policy for Republicans
found guilty of official misconduct and another policy for Democrats found
guilty of official misconduct?
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