Should David Vitter Resign? - Updated
July 10, 2007 by Laura | Trackback URI
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Senator David Vitter (R-LA) admitted using the services of prostitutes via the DC Madam when his phone number was discovered on the list.
“This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible,” Vitter, 46, said in a statement, which his spokesman, Joel DiGrado, confirmed to the Associated Press.
“Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling,” Vitter continued. “Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there — with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.”
That was a pretty decent apology - he admitted fault and the word “if” wasn’t included, unlike typical political apologies. Is it enough? What laws, if any, did he break? Should law breaking be the deciding factor, or will we hold him to a higher standard?
I have been a big fan of Vitter’s and I’ve voted for him. Just last month, I wrote how delighted I was to have Vitter as my Senator. This quote of Vitter on the Senate floor over a year ago is one reason why -
Talk is cheap. And if it is cheap anywhere, perhaps it is cheapest, quite frankly, in the Congress. We talk a good game about this issue. We talk about enforcement in the context of this debate. But the simple fact is that we have never proven ourselves on the issues of enforcement and border security.
Talk is cheap. When we talk about authorization language, we all know authorization language is one thing, but appropriating the money to have true border security and true enforcement is quite a different and more challenging step. So let’s not just talk. Let’s act and let’s prove ourselves. Let’s do that before we run headlong into other provisions that are being debated, such as provisions that would be tantamount to amnesty.
But it wasn’t just immigration - I agree with him on a whole host of issues, and I think he’s done a good job as a Senator. Now… this. I’m very disappointed. I’m not completely shocked. As WaPo notes, similar allegations were made during his campaign.
Vitter is in his first Senate term after serving six years in the House. During his Senate campaign, Vitter was accused by a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee of carrying on a lengthy affair with a prostitute in New Orleans’s French Quarter.
In a radio interview, Vitter then called the allegation “absolutely and completely untrue” and dismissed it as “just crass Louisiana politics.”
I kinda-sorta believed him but overall it just wasn’t a priority for me at the time. I’m disappointed that he’s committed what he rightfully classified as a sin. I’m dismayed that he may have broken the law, and I’m waiting to see what legal repercussions there may be for that. What shocks me is his poor judgment. I don’t expect an elected official, even a Christian, to be more moral than I am, but I DO expect him to have better judgment and self-control. Naive of me, doubtless, but I’d rather have high standards than low ones.
As to whether he should resign - the politicians and pundits are naturally lining up along party lines. Democrats are calling him a hypocrite, Republicans are invoking Clinton. Whatever… other people’s bad behavior doesn’t excuse our own. I’m withholding judgment for the moment to see how it shakes out - if laws were broken, were they felonies or misdemeanors, and so on. That there should be consequences for this is indisputable. What those consequences should be is very much up for debate.
UPDATE: Because of something I noticed in search engine referrals - David Vitter wasn’t in the Senate when Clinton was impeached, moonbats. If you want to play Gotcha! you need to find somebody else on the phone list.
Updated again: Heh, not so fast, evidently - from a comment at this thread on Hot Air.
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) first got his start in Congress after replacing former Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA), who “abruptly resigned after disclosures of numerous affairs” in 1998. At the time, Vitter argued that an extramarital affair was grounds for resignation:
“I think Livingston’s stepping down makes a very powerful argument that Clinton should resign as well and move beyond this mess,” he said. [Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 12/20/98]
Another Louisiana blogger has posted on this, h/t to MM: Owen Courrèges at Lone Star Times.
UPDATE - for those of you who missed the quote earlier in this article and insist that Vitter had no signs of contrition or humility, who think that Vitter hid this until just now:
That, together with his earlier quote:
“Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling,” Vitter continued. “Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there — with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.”
sets the timeline for when he confessed and began to make amends for this. And lest you now excoriate him for lying about the reason for the marriage counseling - I’m more than willing to give him a bye on that. What did you expect him to do, shame his wife and children publicly? He had to name a reason so the press would leave him alone, so he picked a very innocuous lie. I’m very much okay with that.
Should Vitter step down? No. He’s a good Senator. None of the Democrats on that list were outed - only the Republicans sleezebag Larry Flint wanted to expose. He should, however, retract his earlier moralistic pronouncements.
Senator Vitter’s conduct has been far worse than Clinton’s; it was regular, ongoing, frequent and occurred during and after public excoriations of others’ sexual behavior. Despite that, we see no signs of contrition or humility, just political butt-covering.
One wonders: did he use condoms, or did he believe his own propaganda that they are useless? Despite the impressive scientific evidence that condoms save lives, Vitter and his fellow travellers have denied both American students and Africans this knowledge. Moralistic, but not moral.
Even after his alleged repentance, the senator has carried on his attacks on gays, even monogamously coupled ones.
Furthermore, Vitter is a hardline law and order conservative and thus, to be consistent, must demand his own prosecution on numerous counts. In view of what he said of Clinton, he must also resign.
Any attempts by conservatives to let him off the hook can only be special pleading. It’s time for him to go.
Are you suggesting that Clinton’s conduct included only a one-time BJ in the Oval Office? Vitter’s behavior was far worse than sexual harassment of a subordinate? Far worse than the rape of which Clinton was accused? Far worse than serial infidelity over DECADES? And repentance for cheating on your wife just doesn’t count unless it includes endorsement of homosexuality? Please!
The fact that Vitter voluntarily confessed this to his wife several years ago and has not done it again since is ample evidence of contrition.
Please provide a linked quote in which Vitter said condoms are “useless.”
Should Vitter resign? Yes.
I have a very simple reason that cuts to the heart of the question.
The man cheated on the very person that that he publicly swore allegiance to. The one person in the world that he was supposed to be loyal to at all times. His wife.
He then did all he could to hide what he did.
That gives me pause. If he in effect can steal the trust of the ONE person he swore to love forever, what more is he capable of? How can we trust him to protect the Constitution of the United States if he willingly betrayed his wife.
If Vitter had come forward or even admitted privately to his wife his indiscretions and it can be shown that he had attempted to clean up his mess I could then find reason to “forgive” him. But he did not. He perpetuated the lie till he got caught “with his pants down”.
I laugh at those that say, well it is only sex and what he does with his own time is his own business. Really? I ask only one question… Do you trust the person that betrayed your best friend in this way?
Off topic comment.
Yep, they do. But not on a blog. The Constitution clearly states that “Congress shall make no law”. The Constitution does not put restrictions on “blog owners” ability to govern what is said in their domain.
This is an important distinction that must be remembered otherwise the “free speechers” will be damanding from SCOTUS that we are no longer controllers of our own domains. Do not give Congress or the judiciary the power to control our blogs.
Thanks
Squawk
1. He DID confess to his wife and clean up this mess long before this came out publicly. It’s in this very post. ‘”Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling,” Vitter continued.”‘ So, luckily, you can now forgive him and move on.
2. You’re not disagreeing with me re: free speech. Please re-read what I wrote about it - I’m very clearly saying that I have control over this domain - and for that matter, the server, as it is reserved only for my use - and that I do and will control what is said on it by commenters and everyone else.
Moving on
DAVID VITTER SHOULD NOT STEP DOWN. HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN REPRESENTING ME IN THE SENATE AND I WILL VOTE FOR HIM AGAIN. I SUPPORT HIM AND PRAY THAT GOD GUIDES HIM IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE.
Yes - on the basis of sheer and massive hypocrisy if nothing else.
You see, the Republican Party is actually two parties. A minority in the party really believes in a Christian Moral Agenda. A majority in the party is mostly what I would call “money Republicans”; essentially big business pro-Iraq-War pro-government spending with social morals like Democrats. These “money Republicans” have learned that when you are campaigning for office, you need to let “Mr. Social Conservative” drive the car. Then, after you are elected, you toss “Mr. Social Conservative” into the trunk and let “Mr. Business Interest” drive. Karl Rove, who is an admitted agnostic by the way, has called Christians “the greatest get out the vote machine in American History”, and said that he has “always had success harnassing them for his candidates”. Just like Vitter is cheating on his wife, he is also cheating on true Christian Conservatives, and just as Vitter’s wife comes crawling back, so will the Jesus people to the GOP!
“Voluntarily confessing” …are you kidding me Laura?! He confessed because he was caught! His name was on the list released to the public. THAT is when and why he confessed.
He voluntarily confessed to his wife in 2002. He dropped out of the governor’s race and got into marriage counseling to straighten himself out and salvage his marriage. As far as confessing to the public; five years after the fact I don’t see the need.
Wow, God forgave him? How does he know that? Did God tell him personally? And why does he get forgiveness when other people don’t? I guess it all depends on your political beliefs. If you’re a Republican, Vitter gets forgiveness and Clinton doesn’t. Vice versa if you’re a Democrat. Well, I’m an independent and believe both parties are just two flavors of the same rotten garbage. Regardless of what party anyone belongs to, if they are a public figure who advances their career on a platform of morality and family values, and then they do this sort of thing — the only honorable thing for them to do is to step down whether they have been forgiven or not.
he’s full of it. he definitely had a long time sexual relationship (11 months) with wendy cortez and was also frequenting at least FOUR other prostitutes in the French District in N.O. and he knows it. make him take a lie detector test. he’d flunk the crap out of it. his wife looked PITIFUL at that press conference. it was deer in the headlights “i cannot believe he did this to me” hypocrisy. what if he didn’t use protection? she’s screwed. she could have any number of diseases. i mean that picture of wendy looks like she got around although i think she’s more attractive than given credit for by others. and he’d been doing this nonsense since the mid to late 90’s. i mean a LONG time. over 10 years. jesus. that’s ridiculous. i cannot wait for larry flynt to put out the list of other senator’s names and bust them. hahaha. they have it coming. f-ing hypocrites.
The French District? You obviously have not lived in Louisiana or even know much about it, and since you’re dead wrong on that MAJOR detail, I have a hard time giving you much credence on the rest.
Added after I checked emmarose’s IP: North Carolina State University. I’m betting she’s not teaching there.
Emmarose, why imply you have inside information? “Definitely” - please! What you know about Vitter is what you read on DU or Kos. You probably never heard the name before this, or possibly the immigration debates. French District, indeed.
Laura please get over yourself. I am from baton rouge, LA and I know for a fact that it was a long time affair. Lot’s of congressman, and state representatives have long going affairs with madam’s. You are so nieve if you think that this happenend once or that it has stopped. Ask yourself one question. How many normal men have sex with prostitutes? I think that he may have some kind of sexual addiction because that’s just not normal. I feel that if you are a state representative you should be held to a higher standard. It causes great shame for my state of Louisiana to have this prevert representing it. He sinned and god my forgive him, but he still have to suffer the consequences to his actions. You don’t think while he was cheating on his wife and state he didnt know the consequences of his actions?
I don’t need to get over anything. I’m not the one making unproved assertions. If you know it “for a fact,” explain HOW you know, otherwise I call BS. If your family is giving you this info (since you may be from BR but you’re not there now) then how do they know? But the more important issue here is has anything happened since he dropped out of the governor’s race and gone into marriage counseling? What, if anything, has occurred in the last 5 years since Vitter confessed this to his wife?
Added - Mind you, I’m not demanding provable-in-court kind of proof here - just a reasonable explanation. For example, who told you he had an 11 month affair? On what is their credibility based? Do they have anything to gain by saying these things about Vitter? All factors to take into account. If you say your mom-en-em told you the neighbor’s second cousin once removed worked with the guy who knew somebody in Vitter’s campaign who said this, then I call BS. If you say that Vitter’s former campaign staffer is publicly stating these things - with a link - then I’m going to take it seriously.
What? I did not say anything about an 11 month affair, And I currently live in Baton Rouge now. The whole point is that he is a prevert. You say what if he went to counseling or got the help he needed. That still good on his behave but he should not be allowed to represent my state. Louisiana is number one on political scandals. It’s time to say enough is enough. His wife my forgive him but I don’t. Convicted felonys when let out of jail can’t even find a job paying over 7.00 an hour. And they are supposed to be reformed. Why should he be allowed to keep his job when he is no better. He lied and deceived to get into office. Fire this hyprocrit
Oh, I see, Juno’s BR IP addresses are set to California even though you’re posting from BR. Sorry about that.
You say “long time affair,” and the previous poster, whom you seemed to be defending, said “11 months.” My larger point stands. What’s your explanation for how you know “for a fact” that he had a long time affair? What makes it more believable than what the papers have reported - and NOT reported? Because believe me, if there was any kind of evidence he’d done more than what he’s admitted, the media would be on it like white on rice. His going to counseling is not an “if” it is an established fact - it happened when he dropped out of the Governor’s race in 2003.
Louisiana is my state too, and based on the facts in evidence, I want him to stay. I guess our votes will just cancel each other out.
[Edited by Laura - if the best you can do is personal attacks against a total stranger, I suggest you get a life. Oh, and you're banned from further commenting. I would love to have constructive, civil discussion with folks on the left - and believe me, I've tried it at other websites - but it all seems to come down to personal attacks instead of reasonable, civil discussions about policy and points of view. I avoid websites like that (on both the left and the right), and I don't have to put up with it here on my own server.
Edited upon reflection: in my frustration I wrote, "it all seems to come down to personal attacks" and that's not true. If often does - and I suppose that is also true for extremely partisan sites on the right as well, but I don't frequent those sites - but I've had some very interesting and civil conversations with liberals and leftists on this site and on a few others. Not many, but it's a start.]