New York's 20th Congressional district race got even nastier and less issue-related as it was rocked by allegations that incumbent Rep. John Sweeney was involved in a domestic violence incident late last year.
The Albany Times-Union reported that emergency call to a police dispatcher triggered a visit to the couple's residence by a state trooper from Clifton Park, who filed a domestic incident report after noting that the congressman had scratches on his face, according to a purported State Police document obtained by the paper.
The Sweeney campaign's spokeswoman attacked the document as "a piece of campaign propaganda" without commenting on whether police were called to the Congressman's residence. Nor would Sweeney himself discuss details of the evening.
Some have attacked the paper for running the story less than a week before Election Day. But the daily explained:
In the past 10 months, at least three news organizations, including the Times Union, have filed formal requests seeking disclosure of police records about the incident. State Police denied those requests and, according to agency sources, ordered that all inquiries about the matter be directed to headquarters, where officials have declined comment.
Early Tuesday, copies of the document obtained by this newspaper were provided to State Police headquarters and to Sweeney's offices in Washington, D.C., and Clifton Park.
It is not clear how The Times-Union obtained the document, since release of domestic incident reports are generally exempt from Freedom of Information requests.
The Glens Falls Post-Star reported that Sweeney's wife authorized the State Police to release what she calls 'the real report,' though a State Police official noted that they cannot release the report without a notarized waiver from the Sweeneys.
(The paper also ran complete statements from the Sweeney's and Democrat opponent Kirsten Gillibrand)
Many Democrats jumped on the incident as further proof that Sweeney is unfit for public office. Presumably, many of them also attacked Republicans for making then-President Bill Clinton's private life a public issue. Granted, there's an important difference between consensual sex between two adults and alleged assault and battery. But it seems that if charges weren't pressed, then the matter should remain private.
As much as I am not fond of Sweeney as a politician, I think it's sad that politicians are no longer allowed to have a private life. No one is allowed to have a family dispute. No one is allowed to have kids doing stupid stuff. Nothing is off limits any more, not even family. Public scrunity is 24/7... and not just for the candidate but for everyone related to or associated with the candidate.
We wonder why the calibre of politicians continues to decline. Maybe it's because the most able leaders are way too smart to subject themselves to this masochism.
Update: Though in that spirit, I have to tip my cap to Warren Redlich, the Republican challenger to Albany-area Congressman Michael McNulty. If you think all races for public offices need to be sickening slimefests like Sweeney-Gillibrand, then check this out.
5 comments:
Those are actually allegations are actually quite tame compared to "how they used to be."
The children of John Adams were characterized as "deranged drunks". Mary Todd Lincoln was "homespun, uncultured shrew." Grant's wife was an "incompetetant." Wilson's second wife was "a controlling, overbearing, powerfreak." Don't even get me started on Elenor Roosevelt. Carter's family took a lot of flack for being just who they are. Remember the heat that Nancy Reagan took because she consulted an astorloger or how vilified Hillary was for getting a less than stellar haircut.
Although it shouldn't, the fact of the matter is if you put yourself on a platform for public office not only your actions but those around you are fair game.
Oh you're absolutely right. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was vicious. The election of 1800 makes this year's races look Gandhiesque by comparison.
The main difference, though, is that back then you had to insult your opponent with your own mouth.
Though in fairness, the president's wives you mentioned all tried to take an active role in policy or decision making so I think that was more fair game.
Thanks for your kind mention of my apparently nice campaign. What did Leo Durocher say about nice guys again? :-)
Warren
Perhaps, though even though I'm not Yankee fan, nice guy Joe Torre seems to have done quite well in the job.
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