This morning I saw
this article in which my congressman, Rep. John Shimkus (whom I prefer to refer to as
Rep. Shamekus), says the last week of the swirling Foley scandal have been a "learning experience" (presumably because he repeatedly was
angry and sarcastic to various reporters daring to question him about his role in the whole mess).
So, what is it that Rep. Shimkus has learned? Did he learn that he should've involved the entire Page Board when faced with allegations of inappropriate contact between a congressman and a page? Did he remember back from his days as a high school teacher, that something was quite possibly not right? Indeed, did he learn that he did even one little thing wrong in this matter?
Of course not. (more below...)
A former school teacher, Shimkus was asked how he would have reacted to a situation involving a gay teacher sending e-mails messages to a male student and if messages deemed 'overly friendly' would be taken more seriously than the ones Foley sent.
"That's an interesting point, but you just can't make those broad assumptions. You just can't say that every single guy is gay," said Shimkus. "I didn't know Foley was gay, but I'm pretty clueless sometimes. I don't hang out in gay bars; I don't hang out in that arena, so I didn't know. Even if he is gay that doesn't mean he is a pedophile. Is this anything different if a 52-year-old single guy is asking for a picture of a 16-year-old or 17-year-old female? I can look at this hypothetically but all I know is what I did. People can say I should have been smarter but once again, I erred on the side of the parents."
Somehow I'm quite confident I'd never run into this congressman of mine at any of the gay bars in our district, although I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.
Of course, Speaker of the House Denny Hastert said, "Could we have done it better? Could the Page Board have handled it better? In retrospect, probably, yes."
So, what so you think Rep. Shamekus has to say
In hindsight, Shimkus said, based on the information he had, he would have reacted the same way.
"Here was the balance, an overly friendly e-mail that didn't rise to the level of a sexual predator," said Shimkus. "I had a confrontation with Foley, which is not easy to do considering he is a peer, but I did because that is my job. And then there's the explicit desire of the parents to not be dragged into this. I erred on the side of the parents."
You almost feel bad for Shamekus, having to have a "confrontation" with Foley (which, incidentally, he refers to as an "intervention" several times throughout the article), don't you?
Despite the difficult week Shimkus said he looks at the situation involving Foley as a learning experience.
"There is a saying that says what don't kill you makes you stronger," said Shimkus. "I think I've grown professionally and in how to deal with the media. You have to tell the truth and you have to print the facts. It the media prints something that is not accurate I have to call them on it, just like they call us on a misstatement. There have been some tough times this week. I think every emotion you could have I have felt this week. I would say emotion-wise it has been the whole gamut."
This poor guy. He's not used to the limelight. He's not used to dealing with reporters. In fact, I can tell you from personal knowledge, he's not used to making himself available to anyone at all, especially those whom he represents.
So please, help me take Rep. Shamekus out of the limelight by supporting his opponent, Danny Stover, and giving him his justly deserved retirement.
Oh, and please recommend my diary! This story needs to get out.