Matt Gaetz

[DemocratSinceBirth]

During the Katie Hill brouhaha, Matt Gaetz came to her defense and said "she's different, so what ?" * Now I wonder if he thought she was some kind of kindred spirit or he knew he had some skeletons in his closet.

I would add the allegations against Gaetz are infinitely more grave.






*I would add that's a great way to look at people who are different.

[stopdiggin]

1. not to re-litigate

But the problem wasn't with Hill's sexual interests and identity -- but something a bit stickier than that. You might have a point in that maybe Gaetz's minimalist "she's different" response had more to do with a perceived affinity in values -- rather than a myopic understanding of the issues.

And to head off comments ...
NO -- Katie Hill did not sleep with a 17 year old! And no one is saying so.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. Hill was accused of having sex with a female staffer

Technically I don't believe Katie Hill violated House rules because the woman wasn't on her congressional staff but there was an appearance of impropriety. She's in the district next to me and would have held that seat that is now held by a Trumplican forever.

Sometimes I wish she toughed it out.

[stopdiggin]

3. at the time ...

I was perhaps a bit more black and white than my current feelings/thoughts. Position was, you just don't sleep with subordinates. Hard and fast rule -- pretty easy to understand -- and accepted as standard in a lot of the workplace. Having said that -- enough of a realist to understand that 'things' have been going on forever -- despite HR and the boilerplate. If the same issue came up again .... I'm still not 100% sure -- but overall I think the affair demonstrated a decided lack of judgement. And incidentally -- wasn't calling for her to resign at the time -- but thought people that were urging that course certainly had some ground to stand on.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. The Daily Mail picked up the story and the titillation factor was ten plus.