Rough
Ah yes, if you have to step down as governor because of accusations of sexual assault, it’s ok because you can just run for the Senate instead. Nobody cares what senators do to women.
The former Missouri governor Eric Greitens, a Republican who stepped down amid allegations of sexual assault, is reportedly considering a run for US Senate next year – prompting concern among Republicans that his candidacy could tip one of the state’s two seats to the Democrats.
But no concerns among Republicans that a guy who steps down amid allegations of sexual assault maybe shouldn’t just start over as a senator? Or that it makes Republicans look kind of sleazy?
Greitens, a former Navy Seal, resigned as governor in 2018, less than two years into his first term, over allegations of sexual assault.
A woman with whom he admitted having an extra-marital affair told a Missouri house investigative committee Greitens restrained, slapped, shoved and threatened her during a series of sexual encounters that at times left her crying and afraid. He was alleged to have taken a compromising photo and threatened to blackmail the woman.
In other words she kink-shamed him. Isn’t she the one who should have stepped down and been punished?
Greitens said the allegations amounted to a “political witch-hunt” but eventually bowed to Republicans and Democrats who called for his resignation.
Because hey there’s always the Senate.
Since we had one of our own political scandals (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Finnigan), I’ve thought that if you can’t pass a police check, you shouldn’t be allowed to run for elected office.
Then we had a run of various members of parliament turning out not to have been eligible to even run (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E2%80%9318_Australian_parliamentary_eligibility_crisis) and then I thought you should probably prove you were at least eligible before getting elected.
It honestly seems like a very, very low bar to say “never assaulted anyone” as the base requirement for a lawmaker. Are political parties so bereft of talent that they have to reach for this candidate?
Greitens’ TV spots during the gubernatorial election featured him spraying the landscape with a machine gun. With broad hints about his readiness to use such toys on his opponents.
So I suppose we’ll start seeing “Cuomo for Senate” signs popping up in the near future.