CT-05: Rep. Esty retiring after top aide's abuse allegations

[KingSweden]

Really, really conflicted here. On one hand, Esty is an enabler of sexual assault and threats against another person's life. On the other hand, I'm not sure if we can afford to lose yet another faceless corporate drone whose own family probably doesn't even know their name. Tough choice, but I think we need her to stay.

*applauds*

That was very funny, thank you

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Really, really conflicted here. On one hand, Esty is an enabler of sexual assault and threats against another person's life. On the other hand, I'm not sure if we can afford to lose yet another faceless corporate drone whose own family probably doesn't even know their name. Tough choice, but I think we need her to stay.

*applauds*

That was very funny, thank you

Agreed, but mainly because it's hilarious Wolfentoad is now seemingly convinced this is about ideology. I don't think Esty's political beliefs are really relevant. Let's for a second imagine she is instead representing CT-01. She could a DSA member, someone on the level of Barbara Lee, and I would still be saying more or less the same things in regards to the moral question of whether she should resign. For me, this isn't about ideological leanings. This is about averting stupid precedent. Stupid precedent has the potential to hurt everyone, regardless of where one stands on the left-right spectrum.

[IceAgeComing]

so what you are telling us Tim is that when you are wrong you are at least consistent about it?  That's something; I suppose.

I don't care what the standard acts of the time were; I don't care whether Esty was following procedure or whatever, the fact is that when you know that an employee of your was committing sexual harassment and sending death threats to people what you don't do is let them go on their way with a glowing reference from you in their pockets.  I'm not saying that she should have called the police or anything - that's up to the victim in all cases - but covering the thing up and letting them go find work with an endorsement from you is just plain wrong and shows a character flaw that I would rather politicians didn't have.

[The Other Castro]

It's hard to see Esty remaining a member of Congress this time next year. The most likely outcome is probably her declining to run for reelection and serving out the rest of her term.

[DemocraticKing]

It's hard to see Esty remaining a member of Congress this time next year. The most likely outcome is probably her declining to run for reelection and serving out the rest of her term.

Yeah, this would be my bet. Who runs for this seat if she retires?

[choclatechip45]

It's hard to see Esty remaining a member of Congress this time next year. The most likely outcome is probably her declining to run for reelection and serving out the rest of her term.

Yeah, this would be my bet. Who runs for this seat if she retires?

I feel like Donovan might. This district probably has the weakest bench for democrats in the state.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

so what you are telling us Tim is that when you are wrong you are at least consistent about it?  That's something; I suppose.

I don't care what the standard acts of the time were; I don't care whether Esty was following procedure or whatever, the fact is that when you know that an employee of your was committing sexual harassment and sending death threats to people what you don't do is let them go on their way with a glowing reference from you in their pockets.  I'm not saying that she should have called the police or anything - that's up to the victim in all cases - but covering the thing up and letting them go find work with an endorsement from you is just plain wrong and shows a character flaw that I would rather politicians didn't have.

She did what she did after asking for the advice of the House Ombundsman. Who was in the job at the time? Why is Esty taking all the blame?
No man or woman is an island. The US House of Representatives is a governmental institution. Institutional standards (good ones and wrong ones) exist and so do procedures for enforcing and maintaining them. Esty clearly made a mistake in retrospect, but the circumstances here are not entirely her fault.

These standards followed by Esty were simply normal at the time and some blame must lie on all the other 434 members of the House, as a group in common.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This thread:

Some people: Esty should resign.
Esty defenders: Well what about these other people who did the same thing and didn't resign?
Some people: They're terrible and should resign too.
Esty defenders: ....

Seriously, don't even bother with whataboutisms as a defense.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This thread:

Some people: Esty should resign.
Esty defenders: Well what about these other people who did the same thing and didn't resign?
Some people: They're terrible and should resign too.
Esty defenders: ....

Seriously, don't even bother with whataboutisms as a defense.

You see my arguments as 'whataboutism'. I see your arguments as lunacy. There's little to no overlap between these mutually irreconcilable viewpoints.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This thread:

Some people: Esty should resign.
Esty defenders: Well what about these other people who did the same thing and didn't resign?
Some people: They're terrible and should resign too.
Esty defenders: ....

Seriously, don't even bother with whataboutisms as a defense.

You see my arguments as 'whataboutism'. I see your arguments as lunacy. There's little to no overlap between these mutually irreconcilable viewpoints.

"People who enable sexual harassment and abuse do not belong in public office" is "lunacy"?

Also I wasn't even referring to you, but the people who kept bringing up Mark Meadows and Andrew Cuomo (not to mention the bizarre mention of Franken, as he DID resign.)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This thread:

Some people: Esty should resign.
Esty defenders: Well what about these other people who did the same thing and didn't resign?
Some people: They're terrible and should resign too.
Esty defenders: ....

Seriously, don't even bother with whataboutisms as a defense.

You see my arguments as 'whataboutism'. I see your arguments as lunacy. There's little to no overlap between these mutually irreconcilable viewpoints.

"People who enable sexual harassment and abuse do not belong in public office" is "lunacy"?

Also I wasn't even referring to you, but the people who kept bringing up Mark Meadows and Andrew Cuomo (not to mention the bizarre mention of Franken, as he DID resign.)

It's not inherently lunacy. It's just not a universal rule like you suggest. Case-by-case basis is a superior approach.
As for Mark Meadows, I am not as knowledgeable about the specifics of his case. But I'm not going to say that it's inherently bad to call for his resignation here. Because 1) as noted earlier I do not know as much about his case and 2) from what I know his sins are worse than Esty's.
Any detective knows that not everyone who kills another person gets the same sentence - it depends based off the case. This wave of revelation of sexual assault scandals on the Hill is no different in that regard.
What we need as a first step is not a wave of resignations per se as much as, say, a wave of new investigations from the House Ethics Committee. The House Ethics Committee needs to investigate these complaints especially because this is its duty - to investigate the conduct of the members of the House. It needs extra staff to cope with said investigations and be ready for the increased workload. An honest, public, and transparent investigation is necessary. Anything less is an insult to #MeToo and to those who have been victimized by sexual harassment.
Kihuen needs to be one of the first people to investigated, since he's been comparatively shameless about his actions.

Alternatively, one could create a Special Committee on Sexual Misconduct to deal with this to spare the Ethics Committee of having to do all this work. Either course of action would be fine. What matters is that this is investigated.

[choclatechip45]

This thread:

Some people: Esty should resign.
Esty defenders: Well what about these other people who did the same thing and didn't resign?
Some people: They're terrible and should resign too.
Esty defenders: ....

Seriously, don't even bother with whataboutisms as a defense.

You see my arguments as 'whataboutism'. I see your arguments as lunacy. There's little to no overlap between these mutually irreconcilable viewpoints.

"People who enable sexual harassment and abuse do not belong in public office" is "lunacy"?

Also I wasn't even referring to you, but the people who kept bringing up Mark Meadows and Andrew Cuomo (not to mention the bizarre mention of Franken, as he DID resign.)

I brought up Mark Meadows because it is the most similar case to Esty’s and Meadows is a lot more powerful than her in congress. If he introduced legislation to change the system so these terrible incidents  won’t happen in the future it would pass. Also I know someone who worked in Meadows office so it’s always amazed that it never got more publicity. I don’t care if Esty resings what she did was terrible the focus should be so this never happens again. Since both the Meadows incident and Esty incident would have been preventable if congress had an HR department. I except she will not run for re-election since the democrats in the state are calling for her to resign.

[RogueBeaver]

She's retiring. https://twitter.com/RebeccaRKaplan/status/980907613335556097

[Tekken_Guy]

Safe D for sure.

[KingSweden]

Inevitable

[choclatechip45]

No surprise. No way would the CT Dems let her run if they thought she would lose.

[politicallefty]

It's probably the right decision (though unfortunate, because she seemed like a pretty good Congresswoman overall), but we're not losing this seat in a Trump midterm.

[Mr.Phips]

Another Dem retirement where thank goodness it's happening in a midterm of an unpopular GOP President rather than another 2010/2014 type year with a Dem President.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Cook has this seat at Likely D.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

*If* he gets in, Lean D --> Tilt R

https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/980915110159011847

Likely D --> Likely D

[Landslide Lyndon]

LOL Limo "Liberal".

[Free Bird]

Cook has this seat at Likely D.

This is fair. Tossup but closer to Tilt D if Petit runs.

[LimoLiberal]

LOL Limo "Liberal".

Tilt R means that I think he would win by a couple of points. He would be an amazing candidate with a compelling backstory - him winning a Clinton +4 district could happen simultaneously as a Democratic wave.

[choclatechip45]

*If* he gets in, Lean D --> Tilt R

https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/980915110159011847

They’ve recruited him almost every cycle. His reasoning has been he doesn’t want to spend time away from his wife and child. I believe his son is now 5.

[Free Bird]

*If* he gets in, Lean D --> Tilt R

https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/980915110159011847

They’ve recruited almost every cycle. His reasoning has been he doesn’t want to spend time away from his wife and child. I believe his son is now 5.

That is true. He doesn’t seem like he’s partisan enough to become a nigh-absentee father just to give his party the chance to pickup a seat.