Did David Vitter overstep on Ken Salazar pay?

“I will end my efforts to block your salary increase” only when the rate of permits for deepwater wells had been increased by Interior to six per month.

You mean Republican Vitter didn't resign after his illegal activity with prostitutes? Huh!

(06-23-2011 09:44 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  
Did David Vitter overstep on Ken Salazar pay?

“I will end my efforts to block your salary increase” only when the rate of permits for deepwater wells had been increased by Interior to six per month.

You mean Republican Vitter didn't resign after his illegal activity with prostitutes? Huh!

The difference between Vitter and Weiner:

1) Vitter stopped *long before he was caught* (six years by all accounts) and came clean to his wife before the media even knew who the DC madam was.

2) Vitter never out right lied and tried to smear his opponents when the actions came to light.

Now I think he *should* resign because a couple of the calls were going on during role call votes (I don't know if he voted and then left) but to compare him to Weiner or Spitzer is folly.

I never he compared him. But now that you have, Weiner never committed any crime (at least not that we know of yet).

But back to this topic...do you think this is a bribe attempt or not?

(06-23-2011 09:44 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  
Did David Vitter overstep on Ken Salazar pay?

“I will end my efforts to block your salary increase” only when the rate of permits for deepwater wells had been increased by Interior to six per month.

You mean Republican Vitter didn't resign after his illegal activity with prostitutes? Huh!

That's not bribery. That's how Washington works. Welcome to Earth.

(06-23-2011 10:19 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  I never he compared him. But now that you have, Weiner never committed any crime (at least not that we know of yet).

But back to this topic...do you think this is a bribe attempt or not?

Miss the part where I said I think he should step down.

I just put more weight on *why and when* a person changes their ways, and how they go about confrontation.

Congressman lee was outed before he confessed to his wife and before he corrected the behavior. He left office in a day and did not blame anyone but himself.

Vitter quit without being caught. Told his wife before the media spotlight was on him and changed his ways without blaming anyone else.

Should he be gone? yes! were his actions more legally dubious than weiner? yes! where the more morally dubios? I don't think so.

Who handled their failing with more grace and dignity?

And I am one who defended Weiner before he started blaming the world and lying about it..

I don't think its really a bribe, I think its politics. I don't agree with it but there is a lot of politics that I find distasteful.

Not more morally dubious? Really?

(06-23-2011 10:47 AM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  Not more morally dubious? Really?

No... Both had sexual relationship with other women while they were married. Because one paid hookers and one did it over the internet makes the situation no more morally acceptable within the framework of marriage.

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

That's why I separated out legal from moral.

Basically, in my opinion, husbands get a half second rule. Many times you cant stop your eyes from looking off to the side but you need to snap them back within a half second or you're in the wrong.

If Salazar's salary/compensation/pay-raise/etc. is something that Senators get to vote on, then I'd say Senator can legitimately support or oppose it -- or threaten to support or oppose it -- based on other partisan or political factors.

(06-23-2011 10:59 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  If Salazar's salary/compensation/pay-raise/etc. is something that Senators get to vote on, then I'd say Senator can legitimately support or oppose it -- or threaten to support or oppose it -- based on other partisan or political factors.

This!

I guess what surprises me is that Vitter made the statement "on record" in a letter directly to Salazar. I would think he would just meet with him privately and make the request.

But yeah...it's probably just sleazy politics as usual.

Bribery No. A wise thing to do, also no. Just goes to show how dire the situation has become.

I suppose your moral scale is more black and white than mine. I'd certainly say this is worse morally, but I guess that's just me. Legally, I wouldn't know the laws on what's worse or if either need to step down. Morally though, certainly what Vitter did is worse in my opinion. Both unacceptable mind you, but that doesn't mean I can't differentiate one from the other.

(06-23-2011 03:15 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  I suppose your moral scale is more black and white than mine. I'd certainly say this is worse morally, but I guess that's just me. Legally, I wouldn't know the laws on what's worse or if either need to step down. Morally though, certainly what Vitter did is worse in my opinion. Both unacceptable mind you, but that doesn't mean I can't differentiate one from the other.

Let be clear... AW did not wink at a woman or buy her a drink.. He was having intellectual sex with women on the internet... Not a huge leap at all to physical sex.

(06-23-2011 10:19 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  ...Weiner never committed any crime (at least not that we know of yet).

Aside from claiming someone committed computer forgery against him, impersonated him, etc. He's going to get out of any kind of slander allegations that might have come up because those he insinuated committed the crime were not harmed, but benefitted from it.