Flickr/Congressman Darrell Issa
A couple of years ago, Scott DesJarlais, then a Republican congressional candidate in a competitive Tennessee district, was confronted with troubling allegations from his past. During a messy break-up with his ex-wife, DesJarlais allegedly held a gun in his mouth for three hours, "dry fired" a gun outside his wife's locked bedroom door, and was accused of other forms of spousal abuse.
A few months later, DesJarlais nevertheless defeated incumbent Rep. Lincoln Davis (D) in a landslide.
Two years later, the Republican lawmaker has a new, related issue that may be slightly harder to overcome.
A pro-life, family-values congressman who worked as a doctor before winning election as a Tea Party-backed Republican had an affair with a patient and later pressured her to get an abortion, according to a phone call transcript obtained by The Huffington Post.
The congressman, Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, was trying to save his marriage at the time, according to his remarks on the call, made in September of 2000. And, according to three independent sources familiar with the call and the recording, he made the tape himself.
When the Huffington Post provided a copy of the tape's transcript to DesJarlais, the conservative congressman did not deny its contents, but dismissed its relevance, accusing his opponents of "gutter politics."
Overcoming these revelations, however, may require a little more. The materials "paint a more damning picture of a man who was a serial philanderer willing to push one of his lovers -- whom he met as a patient with a foot problem -- to terminate a pregnancy, even when he suspected he was the father."
To put it mildly, it's quite a sordid tale. DesJarlais committed adultery by sleeping with a patient, then pressured his mistress to have an abortion in the hopes of hiding his misdeeds from the wife he allegedly abused. Why he deliberately recorded the conversation is unclear.
The affair was one of "at least four" extra-marital relationships DesJarlais admitted in court documents.
The conservative Republican freshman is seeking re-election this year, and local polling suggests he's a strong favorite to win, though it remains to be seen whether this new report will affect his chances.
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Fella is a shoe-in for re-election; this is Tennessee, remember?
Besides, he has an R next to his name, and that absolves him of any missteps he may have had.
When I read about this entire sordid saga, my first thought was that this will reduce his victory margin to around 10 percentage points. Gawd, what kind of people live in this district, anyway?
"Gawd, what kind of people live in this district, anyway?"
People who want a byGod WHITE MAN in their WHITE HOUSE! (eye roll)
Well, it was an adult of the opposite sex, so there's that.
Pfft. As if a little thing like this would cause Bible-believing Tennessee Republicans to vote for a Democrat.
Yeah, what's gonna happen when all the girlfriends become pregnant? Maybe they'll join their friend in jail.( I can't think of his name.) Hush, hush keep it down now words can carry.
IOKIYAR!
Hubris of Shakespearean proportion. Reminds me a bit of the Scottish Play.
This was a case of an unwanted pregnancy, not rape or incest, so it's okay to kill the culture!
I think we should not only let the south secede, we should insist that it do so.
How about if we sell the south to Mexico - then all those Redneck Republicans will no longer be able to vote in our elections and many of those "illegals" will be back in their own country without having to go anywhere. Two problems solved.
Excuse me, y'all, some of us are not willing to go and perfectly willing to acknowledge that the Civil War ended in 1865.
I have, however, often suggested that we build a bulletproof, air conditioned dome over Texas and let IT go its merry way...
Are you sure you don't mean 'air-tight dome'?
Alternatively, if I remember correctly the treaty that brought Texas into the union allowed the state to divide itself into up to four separate states without Congressional approval (even though that actually violates the Constitution). That being (I think) the case, if anyone can figure out how to draw and quarter a political entity, I would be all in favor of that.
"...whom he met as a patient with a foot problem -- to terminate a pregnancy, even when he suspected he was the father."
It's because he "suspected that he was the father" that made him push for her to have the abortion - now that's better.
Do you really expect that the "family values" crowd won't accept him, you're kidding right?! The "bible thumping" crowd will "accept his sins" and forgive him of his transgression, all he has to do is say "I've asked the Lord for forgiveness" and it's a wrap!
"sleeping with a patient" - I think in stodgy old California, that is what is known as "professional misconduct." But it's probably just a doctor being "manly" with a woman who was "asking for it" back in the manly state of Tennessee.
Hypocrisy is the greatest principle of the tea party republicans...that and blaming all problems on Dems. Was this patient also his step sister cause that's a double gold star in tea party town.
TC
Yes "sleeping with a patient" is profession misconduct and it used to get a doctor's licence to practice revoked for life. I guess IOKIYR.
And you are absolutely correct. It is the craziest thing I have ever witnessed. I live in the district.
I smell "new director of the house ethics committee",,, even though he is a shoe in for the science board.
Finance committee since it was a free-market abortion.
Let me guess--he's a ranking member of the Ethics committee...
The conservative Republican freshman is seeking re-election this year, and local polling suggests he's a strong favorite to win
IOKIYAR
just love those "family values" republicans. seriously, being a native tennessean and former baptist, i'd bet and give good odds that this p.o.s. will win in a walk. i mean, its like these people (voters) are victims of body snatchers or stepford wives. case in point, the right reverend jeffress of f.b.c., dallas, one of the baptist megachurches. he's spent a career damning the mormons as cultists. now, guess who he's flogging.
For Republicans, family values means they have more than one family with more than one woman.
I think that most of his constituents would consider this to merit more than a slap on the wrist.
Perhaps a slap on the back?
What he needs is a kick or ten in the fork.
MM, you're more generous than I am.
If that's his picture, he's disgusting.
I'm wondering, based on his history, if any of his mistresses really gave consent.
Probably should throw his ass in jail, they have "activities" for people like him, there.
There - fixed it for you. Doesn't matter what his picture looks like.
Monstrous behavior by him, as well as the electorate and the media.
We put the wrong people in our prisons.
No story here. Just more examples of how to be a politician.
So in his mind it is OK to commit murder (abort a living person fetus) to try to save his marriage?
Not ALL Tennesseans are knuckle dragging mouth breathers and there are even fewer in the Fourth Congressional District. We inherited this whacko when the new redistricting replaced our last whacko. Eric Stewart is the Democratic candidate for this seat and has been running a grass roots campaign centering on ethics, courage and co-operation. Mr. Stewart has challenged Scott "Moonfloss" to debate issues on several occasions .... Mr. Buttwipe has repeatedly declined to discuss the issues. VOTESTEWART.COM
It goes without saying that this guy is opposed to legal abortion, right? You didn't mention it, but I feel confident in that claim without even looking it up.
Depending on how effectively this is used, there's a good possibilty that the non-insane Republicans, a dying breed I know, may decide not to vote for this creature. That doesn't mean they'll vote for Mr. Stewart, but it would certainly increase his chances of winning.
It seems to me he is a typical Republican. He is trying to control a women's reproductive options to his advantage. Where is the outcry from all the righteous right wingers that called for the resignation of Dem. Rep. Weiner for posting his covered parts on the internet?The internet posting certainly didn't rise to the action of this Republican.