The Clinton Impeachment Gang - A Trifecta Of Hypocrisy

Think Progress summarizes the events of nearly 17 years ago, and three of the key players involved in the impeachment of President Clinton:

On December 19, 1998, the House of Representatives impeached Bill Clinton on two charges related to his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. (The charges were for perjury and obstruction of justice.) The historic vote, and subsequent trial in the Senate, involved the work of three men who were elected Speaker of the House Of Representatives by the Republican majority, Newt Gingrich, Bob Livingston and Dennis Hastert.

Speaker Gingrich:  having an affair during the proceedings.

Speaker-elect Livingston:  having an affair during the proceedings.

Speaker Hastert:  allegedly covering-up sexual misconduct with a male minor when he coached high school sports.

Don't think for a minute that these publicly pious, moral midgets are not reflective of the rotten, hateful, destructive, hypocritical political party they were elected to represent.

Denny's Diddling Dilemma

Just 24 hours after the news broke that former Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was indicted for lying to the FBI and illegal money transfers for the purpose of paying blackmail, it's reported that Hastert was involved in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a male student from his days as a high school wrestling coach and teacher. What dilutes any sympathy one might have for the former Speaker, in addition to the obvious misdeed itself, is his abysmal record on LGBT issues, and his general Rethuglican-style sanctimony regarding social issues.  Hastert was also very slow in reacting to the House page scandal with former Republican Rep. Mark Foley that erupted during his tenure.  Makes some sense in retrospect.

In his 2004 memoir, Hastert wrote what has to be one of the most cringeworthy statements ever, in view of these allegations.  He wrote, 

“I felt a special bond with our wrestlers. And I think they felt one with me.”

 Ewww.

UPDATE 6/1: And then there were TWO.