Friday, May 18, 2007
Grand Old Pervert Party
If true, these allegations are really disturbing:
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A former state House member was arrested Friday on charges of rape and other sexual offenses against two teen girls.
Republican Ted A. Klaudt surrendered at the Corson County Sheriff's office. He did not enter a plea during two court appearances, and bond was set at $100,000. He was taken to jail and declined to comment as he left the courtroom.
The charges against him include eight counts of second-degree rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sexual contact with a child younger than 16, two counts of witness tampering and one count of stalking. Some of the rape charges carry penalties of up to 50 years in prison.
The accusers were aged 15 to 19 over the years the crimes are to have occurred. One girl was molested when she was a legislative page, authorities allege.
The girls told law officers that Klaudt touched their genitals during what he called exams for a purported scheme to have them donate their eggs to make money, Long said.
''He was convincing these girls they were candidates for donation of their eggs, that this would be a significant financial advantage to them and it was necessary for him to perform these acts on the girls to determine if they would be viable candidates for the procedure,'' Long told The Associated Press.
The two girls were among a number of children who were sent to foster care in Klaudt's home under a program that provides foster care for young people who have no safe home to return to after completing programs in juvenile corrections facilities. He had taken in participants of the program since 2001.
The Argus Leader has more:
He's accused of performing "ovary checks" and "breast exams" on one of the girls under the guise that he was helping her to donate her eggs, according to court records.
When the girl began to cry, he would give her beer or alcohol, the documents state.
On Feb. 2, when Division of Criminal Investigation agents interviewed Klaudt, he initially denied performing any tests on the girls, according to court records.
But when the agents confronted him with contents of emails he's accused of sending the girls, he changed his story, the records state.
Klaudt then stated that "maybe I did some things I shouldn't have," according to a court affidavit.
Creepy - and of course he was one of those "Family Values" kind of Republicans
They almost always are.
UPDATE: No_Slappz points out that Klaudt is the second SD lawmaker to be charged with improper sexual misconduct this year and the other was a Democrat (Dan Sutton).
Touche - sleaziness and criminality are not wholly partisan endeavors.
The difference between many of the Dems charged with misconduct and the Repubs charged with it, however, is that many of the Repubs run on platforms of "moral values" as members of Jerry Falwell's erstwhile "Moral Majority" coalition.
It's the "holier than thou" aspect of some of these guys that burns me up.
Speaking of which, remember Jim Gibbons, the Republican Congressman from Nevada who got elected governor of the state last year even though he was accused of attempted rape, attempted murder and criminal cover-up during the campaign? Well, he's back in the criminal blotter:
The new governor of Nevada, Jim Gibbons, is being investigated by the FBI because of alleged gifts and payments from Warren Trepp, a defense contractor whose Nevada firm received tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts.
The FBI wants to know if Gibbons, while a member of Congress, improperly used his influence to help Trepp get those contracts.
A witness says he saw Trapp give Gibbons $100,000 in cash on a lavish all-expenses paid Caribbean cruise that that Gibbons and his family were brought on by Trapp.
Just so we can all remember what a stand-up guy Gibbons is, here's Wonkette's post (in full, cuz' it's just that good) on the attempted rape/attempted murder charges made against Gibbons from last year:
A couple of mysterious 911 calls to Las Vegas police — all apparently made from the bathroom of a Starbucks on Paradise Road by a terrified drunk gal — have suddenly derailed Congressman Jim Gibbons and his campaign to be Nevada’s next governor.
The story is changing so quick we can’t even get a timeline in order, so let’s just randomly toss together some of the filthier details, after the jump.
* Casino waitress (or interior designer?) invited to join drinking party with Gibbons and some other gals at McCormick & Schmick’s, one of those upscale-chain seafood & steak joints at Paradise and Flamingo.
* Restaurant staff says the drunken party becomes “flirty.”
* Something happens, she makes three 911 calls over 45 minutes, claiming assault and the threat of rape. Also, she’s drunk.
* She mysteriously refuses to file charges at the last minute, and 24 hours later completely recants her entire story, sounding like she fears the old Bugsy Siegel Goodbye.
* Gibbons’ ever-changing claims are also totally different from what he told the cops and what’s on the 911 recordings, which you can enjoy here.
* Security cameras should have captured lots of interesting footage.
* Actual quote from her third 911 call: “I told him I survived cancer 11 years and I, someone assaults me … I don’t care about rape I care about survival and he says ‘survival ain’t going to do your problem a bit,’ so you’ll see this stuff on camera if they have a camera.” We’re not sure what it means, other than that Republican congressman and Nevada gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons allegedly threatened to rape and murder some drunken gal he picked up in Vegas.
* Hilariously, Gibbons told the gal his marriage was “boring” and his hotel was so close that they could “crawl to it.” Gibbons’ wife, Dawn Gibbons, is running for the congressional seat he’s abandoning to run for governor.
* PS, we mean she was running for his District 2 seat — pretty much all of Nevada north of Vegas/Clark County — because she came in third in the GOP primary. Even more hilariously, that is Wonkette’s guest editor’s district.
* Gibbons was leading Democrat rival Dina Titus by nine five points. If she can avoid threatening to rape and kill people between now and Election Day, chances are she’s the next governor.
Unfortunately, while Democratic rival Dina Titus COULD refrain from threatening to rape or kill people between then and Election Day, it wasn't enough for her to carry the day and Gibbons was elected governor.
POSTSCRIPT: Here's a picture of Gibbons on that Caribbean cruise "thugging" it up:
I would think Gibbons will be eligible for a "Medal of Freedom" from Preznut Bush any day now...and a prison cell next to Randy "Duke" Cunningham any day after that.
Comments:
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reality, you forgot to include the best part of the article:
"Klaudt's arrest is the second time in a year that the South Dakota Legislature has been rocked by allegations of improper sexual conduct..."
"...In January, the Senate censured Democrat Dan Sutton after he was accused of fondling an 18-year-old legislative page when they shared a motel room during the 2006 legislative session. Sutton denied the allegation and was re-elected."
Obviously Democrats are happy to elect and re-elect sex offender politicians who exploit young staff members. Sutton seems to enjoy the same good will that has kept Ted Kennedy in office since he killed Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969.
Of course voters showed less tolerance for Democrat Gary Condit after he murdered Chandra Levy.
"Klaudt's arrest is the second time in a year that the South Dakota Legislature has been rocked by allegations of improper sexual conduct..."
"...In January, the Senate censured Democrat Dan Sutton after he was accused of fondling an 18-year-old legislative page when they shared a motel room during the 2006 legislative session. Sutton denied the allegation and was re-elected."
Obviously Democrats are happy to elect and re-elect sex offender politicians who exploit young staff members. Sutton seems to enjoy the same good will that has kept Ted Kennedy in office since he killed Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969.
Of course voters showed less tolerance for Democrat Gary Condit after he murdered Chandra Levy.
I added the Dem accused of misconduct to the post.
The Dem, btw, didn't run on "moral values" the way the Repub did. Both (if guilty as charged) are creeps and sickos, but Klaudt, as a man who liked to lecture about morals, is a hypocrite too.
Kinda like Randall Tobias, the deputy secretary of state and "abstinence only" advocate who got caught schtupping hookers.
Or Mark Foley, the child advocate who liked emailing boys to ask how big their penises were.
The Dem, btw, didn't run on "moral values" the way the Repub did. Both (if guilty as charged) are creeps and sickos, but Klaudt, as a man who liked to lecture about morals, is a hypocrite too.
Kinda like Randall Tobias, the deputy secretary of state and "abstinence only" advocate who got caught schtupping hookers.
Or Mark Foley, the child advocate who liked emailing boys to ask how big their penises were.
reality, with your focus on the individual crimes of people who happen to represent the Republican Party, you are attempting to tar every member of the Republican Party with the same crimes.
It's your view that all Republicans are defined by the misdeeds of a few.
If criminal behavior is the defining characteristic of party membership, then you better look again at the Democratic Party. Ted Kennedy is a murderer who avoided prosecution because he is a Kennedy. Gary Condit avoided prosecution for murdering Chandra Levy by sheer luck. Her body remained undiscovered for a year after he killed her. By that time it was impossible for the forensic team to obtain useful evidence.
Based on your logic that the crimes of one or two party members reflect the criminal intent of the entire party, we can conclude that Democrats want to commit murder without consequences whenever possible.
You made me laugh when you stated that the crimes of individual Republican crimes are worsened because the Republican Party is the party of "Family Values".
In other words, the crimes of Democrats aren't as serious because the Democrats aren't hypocritical when they engage in sexual misconduct. With this you are implying that Democrats support any and all forms of sexual activity under any circumstances. Thus, in your world, sexual harrassment does not exist.
However, since you believe that Democrats aren't hypocrites because they don't take moral stands against the crimes they commit, that would also imply Democrats aren't opposed to murder. Democratic voters in Massachusetts have shown over and over that it's okay to re-elect a murderer.
Either Democrats believe murder has its place, which justifies re-electing Kennedy every six years, or Democrats are industrial-strength hypocrites.
The Kennedy-Kopechne story is especially interesting today. The country has been passing through a period of self-examination. Murders committed by anti-civil-rights whites in the early 1960s have been re-examined. Prosecutors found ways to subject these defendants to double-jeopardy. In the last few years the obviously guilty racist killers from the 60s were returned to the courtroom and convicted.
Democrats, as well as Republicans, applaud these moves.
Women have gained plenty of power in recent decades. Sexual harrassment lawsuits have affected actions and beliefs at every level.
Yet Democrats remain the ultimate hypocrites on this issue. Re-electing Ted Kennedy says that Democrats don't want to revisit the scene of the crime.
Trent Lott was driven from his leadership position after praising Strom Thurmond with words about a hoped-for Thurmond presidency decades ago.
But Dems won't boot Kennedy for murder. If the same crime were committed today, the culprit would find himself locked up for negligent homicide. No doubt about it.
It's your view that all Republicans are defined by the misdeeds of a few.
If criminal behavior is the defining characteristic of party membership, then you better look again at the Democratic Party. Ted Kennedy is a murderer who avoided prosecution because he is a Kennedy. Gary Condit avoided prosecution for murdering Chandra Levy by sheer luck. Her body remained undiscovered for a year after he killed her. By that time it was impossible for the forensic team to obtain useful evidence.
Based on your logic that the crimes of one or two party members reflect the criminal intent of the entire party, we can conclude that Democrats want to commit murder without consequences whenever possible.
You made me laugh when you stated that the crimes of individual Republican crimes are worsened because the Republican Party is the party of "Family Values".
In other words, the crimes of Democrats aren't as serious because the Democrats aren't hypocritical when they engage in sexual misconduct. With this you are implying that Democrats support any and all forms of sexual activity under any circumstances. Thus, in your world, sexual harrassment does not exist.
However, since you believe that Democrats aren't hypocrites because they don't take moral stands against the crimes they commit, that would also imply Democrats aren't opposed to murder. Democratic voters in Massachusetts have shown over and over that it's okay to re-elect a murderer.
Either Democrats believe murder has its place, which justifies re-electing Kennedy every six years, or Democrats are industrial-strength hypocrites.
The Kennedy-Kopechne story is especially interesting today. The country has been passing through a period of self-examination. Murders committed by anti-civil-rights whites in the early 1960s have been re-examined. Prosecutors found ways to subject these defendants to double-jeopardy. In the last few years the obviously guilty racist killers from the 60s were returned to the courtroom and convicted.
Democrats, as well as Republicans, applaud these moves.
Women have gained plenty of power in recent decades. Sexual harrassment lawsuits have affected actions and beliefs at every level.
Yet Democrats remain the ultimate hypocrites on this issue. Re-electing Ted Kennedy says that Democrats don't want to revisit the scene of the crime.
Trent Lott was driven from his leadership position after praising Strom Thurmond with words about a hoped-for Thurmond presidency decades ago.
But Dems won't boot Kennedy for murder. If the same crime were committed today, the culprit would find himself locked up for negligent homicide. No doubt about it.
I am highlighting the hypocrisy of the "morals party" - the party that ran on morals in 2000 and 2004 and instead has brought corruption (Randy "Duke" Cunningham, Bob Ney, Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, J. Steven Griles, John Doolittle, Rick Renzi), sex scandals (Mark Foley, Ed Schrock, Randall Tobias, Don "I didn't choke my mistress" Sherwood) and all around abuse of power (Scooter Libby, Alberto Gonzales, Karl Rove.)
On the Dem side of the crooked ledger, you have Bill Jefferson and perhaps Alan Mollohan. The fact that you have to go back 35+ years and use Ted Kennedy as your big Dem corruption case underscores my point - the current Grand Old Party is full of crooks, perverts, liars, and scumbags. Dems have some too, but having been out of power for so long, the Repubs sure have a lot more of them. And of course Dems don't call themselves the "moral majority."
On the Dem side of the crooked ledger, you have Bill Jefferson and perhaps Alan Mollohan. The fact that you have to go back 35+ years and use Ted Kennedy as your big Dem corruption case underscores my point - the current Grand Old Party is full of crooks, perverts, liars, and scumbags. Dems have some too, but having been out of power for so long, the Repubs sure have a lot more of them. And of course Dems don't call themselves the "moral majority."
reality, you wrote:
"The fact that you have to go back 35+ years and use Ted Kennedy as your big Dem corruption case underscores my point..."
You've got to be kidding. There are few murder cases involving our represntatives in Washington. But Democrats hold the lead for committing them. But your comment minimizes the outrage of murder. Murder at the highest levels of American life. Kennedy and Condit aren't street punks. But your cavalier attitude suggests you're not concerned with a little murder among friends. Hell, Kennedy and Condit killed women they were involved with sexually.
Meanwhile, if you want a list of Democratic miscreants, it's available. Marion Barry is one of my favorites.
Meanwhile, all of Brooklyn is dominated by the Democratic political machine. It had been run by Clarence Norman. But he's now in jail for selling judgeships. If you think Democrats in Brooklyn are honest, you haven't spoken to any of them. They're proud to admit their strategies for illegally controlling the politics and patronage in the borough.
You wrote:
"...the current Grand Old Party is full of crooks, perverts, liars, and scumbags."
As is the Democratic Party.
You wrote:
"Dems have some too, but having been out of power for so long, the Repubs sure have a lot more of them."
Your claim is not supported by a single fact. It is nothing more than your assertion of a condition you hope is true.
One of my favorite Democrats is Yvette Clarke, who was recently elected to the House, replacing Major Owens. She lied about graduating from college.
Lying about graduating from college isn't a capital crime. But her lie proves how untrustworthy she is. Ambitious crimes are sure to follow.
"The fact that you have to go back 35+ years and use Ted Kennedy as your big Dem corruption case underscores my point..."
You've got to be kidding. There are few murder cases involving our represntatives in Washington. But Democrats hold the lead for committing them. But your comment minimizes the outrage of murder. Murder at the highest levels of American life. Kennedy and Condit aren't street punks. But your cavalier attitude suggests you're not concerned with a little murder among friends. Hell, Kennedy and Condit killed women they were involved with sexually.
Meanwhile, if you want a list of Democratic miscreants, it's available. Marion Barry is one of my favorites.
Meanwhile, all of Brooklyn is dominated by the Democratic political machine. It had been run by Clarence Norman. But he's now in jail for selling judgeships. If you think Democrats in Brooklyn are honest, you haven't spoken to any of them. They're proud to admit their strategies for illegally controlling the politics and patronage in the borough.
You wrote:
"...the current Grand Old Party is full of crooks, perverts, liars, and scumbags."
As is the Democratic Party.
You wrote:
"Dems have some too, but having been out of power for so long, the Repubs sure have a lot more of them."
Your claim is not supported by a single fact. It is nothing more than your assertion of a condition you hope is true.
One of my favorite Democrats is Yvette Clarke, who was recently elected to the House, replacing Major Owens. She lied about graduating from college.
Lying about graduating from college isn't a capital crime. But her lie proves how untrustworthy she is. Ambitious crimes are sure to follow.
Your using a 35 year old scandal and a Rep who lied about going to college as your big proof that Dems are crooked?
Pitiful.
Take a look at my list and take a look at yours and tell me which party currently wins the "crime sweepstakes."
Pitiful.
Take a look at my list and take a look at yours and tell me which party currently wins the "crime sweepstakes."
reality, I don't have any personal animus against Clinton. However, it's easy to get stats on his years in office. The following is interesting but not current:
"This list was compiled at the end of the Clinton administration.
Our Clinton Scandal Index
RECORDS SET
- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court
* According to our best information, 40 government officials were indicted or convicted in the wake of Watergate.
A reader computes that there was a total of 31 Reagan era convictions, including 14 because of Iran-Contra and 16 in the Department of Housing & Urban Development scandal. 47 individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine were convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes with 33 of these occurring during the Clinton administration itself.
There were in addition 61 indictments or misdemeanor charges. 14 persons were imprisoned. A key difference between the Clinton story and earlier ones was the number of criminals with whom he was associated before entering the White House.
STARR-RAY INVESTIGATION
- Number of Starr-Ray investigation convictions or guilty pleas (including one governor, one associate attorney general and two Clinton business partners): 14
- Number of Clinton Cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 5
- Number of Reagan cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 4
- Number of top officials jailed in the Teapot Dome Scandal: 3
CRIME STATS
- Number of individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes: 47
- Number of these convictions during Clinton's presidency: 33
- Number of indictments/misdemeanor charges: 61
- Number of congressional witnesses who have pleaded the Fifth Amendment, fled the country to avoid testifying, or (in the case of foreign witnesses) refused to be interviewed: 122
SMALTZ INVESTIGATION
- Guilty pleas and convictions obtained by Donald Smaltz in cases involving charges of bribery and fraud against former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and associated individuals and businesses: 15
- Acquitted or overturned cases (including Espy): 6
- Fines and penalties assessed: $11.5 million
- Amount Tyson Food paid in fines and court costs: $6 million
CLINTON MACHINE CRIMES
FOR WHICH CONVICTIONS
HAVE BEEN OBTAINED
Drug trafficking (3), racketeering, extortion, bribery (4), tax evasion, kickbacks, embezzlement (2), fraud (12), conspiracy (5), fraudulent loans, illegal gifts (1), illegal campaign contributions (5), money laundering (6), perjury, obstruction of justice.
"This list was compiled at the end of the Clinton administration.
Our Clinton Scandal Index
RECORDS SET
- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court
* According to our best information, 40 government officials were indicted or convicted in the wake of Watergate.
A reader computes that there was a total of 31 Reagan era convictions, including 14 because of Iran-Contra and 16 in the Department of Housing & Urban Development scandal. 47 individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine were convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes with 33 of these occurring during the Clinton administration itself.
There were in addition 61 indictments or misdemeanor charges. 14 persons were imprisoned. A key difference between the Clinton story and earlier ones was the number of criminals with whom he was associated before entering the White House.
STARR-RAY INVESTIGATION
- Number of Starr-Ray investigation convictions or guilty pleas (including one governor, one associate attorney general and two Clinton business partners): 14
- Number of Clinton Cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 5
- Number of Reagan cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 4
- Number of top officials jailed in the Teapot Dome Scandal: 3
CRIME STATS
- Number of individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes: 47
- Number of these convictions during Clinton's presidency: 33
- Number of indictments/misdemeanor charges: 61
- Number of congressional witnesses who have pleaded the Fifth Amendment, fled the country to avoid testifying, or (in the case of foreign witnesses) refused to be interviewed: 122
SMALTZ INVESTIGATION
- Guilty pleas and convictions obtained by Donald Smaltz in cases involving charges of bribery and fraud against former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and associated individuals and businesses: 15
- Acquitted or overturned cases (including Espy): 6
- Fines and penalties assessed: $11.5 million
- Amount Tyson Food paid in fines and court costs: $6 million
CLINTON MACHINE CRIMES
FOR WHICH CONVICTIONS
HAVE BEEN OBTAINED
Drug trafficking (3), racketeering, extortion, bribery (4), tax evasion, kickbacks, embezzlement (2), fraud (12), conspiracy (5), fraudulent loans, illegal gifts (1), illegal campaign contributions (5), money laundering (6), perjury, obstruction of justice.
reality, your post included:
"* Something happens, she makes three 911 calls over 45 minutes, claiming assault and the threat of rape. Also, she’s drunk..."
and...
"...* She mysteriously refuses to file charges at the last minute, and 24 hours later completely recants her entire story, sounding like she fears the old Bugsy Siegel Goodbye."
Yeah. Or maybe she's as reliable as the Duke stripper. You're taking the Politically Correct route of believing a drunk female who claims she was the victim of a crime. Perhaps she was. Perhaps she's lying.
But based on your willingness to wave off Ted Kennedy's murder of Mary Jo Kopechne simply because he killed her 35 years ago, I'm sure you'd do the same today if the accused person in this Nevada case were another Democrat.
Post a Comment
"* Something happens, she makes three 911 calls over 45 minutes, claiming assault and the threat of rape. Also, she’s drunk..."
and...
"...* She mysteriously refuses to file charges at the last minute, and 24 hours later completely recants her entire story, sounding like she fears the old Bugsy Siegel Goodbye."
Yeah. Or maybe she's as reliable as the Duke stripper. You're taking the Politically Correct route of believing a drunk female who claims she was the victim of a crime. Perhaps she was. Perhaps she's lying.
But based on your willingness to wave off Ted Kennedy's murder of Mary Jo Kopechne simply because he killed her 35 years ago, I'm sure you'd do the same today if the accused person in this Nevada case were another Democrat.
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