The problem with Katie Hill's resignation

[diva77]

What a horrible, abysmal disappointment.

The problem is the FUX news echo chamber and Limburger, and all the hate-talk sadistic wingnut radio/teevee/blogs/social media out there. There is no rethug office holder who is NOT corrupt, IMHO, but a rethug office holder has the majority of the airwaves and dark money as added protection to any errant behavior and the protection of the rethug KKKlan.

One false move as a Dem and you're cooked.

It's the state of our media, stupid (rhetorically speaking).

[OliverQ]

1. Katie Hill resigns while Duncan Hunter is still in Congress after being indicted for massive

financial crimes and cheating on his wife with 5 staffers.

Why do Democrats always give in while Republicans just ignore their wrongdoing?

[Voltaire2]

2. Because we actually believe the values we advocate.

[uriel1972]

3. maybe they are human...

and don't need the pain?

[Kurt V.]

4. +1 um morals? and women vs man.

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Pictures.

[StarfishSaver]

21. We can't brag about having higher standards than Republicans and then whine

when we adhere to those higher standards.

[dustyscamp]

23. It really sucks

[Liberty Belle]

30. Actually 2 staffers and some lobbyists.

He charged his campaign for his overnight trysts with all the mistresses, too.

We need to have a moratorium on Dems resigning if they haven't been convicted of any wrongdoing. After all Republicans aren't quitting no matter how bad they appear.

Claim due process, and stay in there. The future of the nation right now matters, and we need every Democratic seat. If they did wrong, voters can replace them in the next election, or they may be removed through the legal process if they are convicted of crimes.

[dewsgirl]

5. If she was a Republican all would be well.

[LenaBaby61]

18. Yep ....

tRump's destroying this world, and all of us right along with him ....

I give thuglicans a begrudging huzzah, because they KNOW how to deflect REALLY horrible shit off of themselves and onto Dems when Dems show/admit how human they are, or when Dems suffer from a one of those horribly bad judgement moments in their lives. Don't get me wrong, sleeping with a staffer, is nothing I would have done, and for sure Hill's type of sexual activities in photo form is something I've never delved into in any of my adult years of life (I'm 58). But our collective hair is on FIRE--we as a world are living through one of those break glass moments because of tRump/thuglicans and because putin has Kompromat on the hog he helped rig into the White House, and because he owes putin tons of money, and because thuglicans don't give one fuck about what he does to this WORLD or to any of US--it's inhabitants. Meanwhile, Hill doesn't get to be human and admit to whatever she feels her wrongdoings were or attempt to make them right if she possibly can. She has to go like yesterday. Meanwhile you have so-called Christians thuglicans who are fine and dandy with all of what tRump and thuglicans do, as in hoping safe and legal abortions are taken away from adult women, but also not given as an option to little girls who may become pregnant because they're the victim of an incest or of a rape.

Hell, tRumputin won't EVER admit to anything that he's ever done wrong ....

I'm glad I don't live in Hill's district. I'd be madder than hell at her resignation, especially if someone like ineffective, for the rich, right-winged, tRumpthuglican Steve knight went on to take that redder than red district back .....

[dewsgirl]

20. I 100 percent agree. I am 42 and realize we are living in

a much different time than even 20 years ago. I think if she were a male, she may have been able to weather the storm. I know that sounds horrible, I can't help but feel for her.

[flotsam]

7. About that tattoo

In the 60's and 70's the Iron Cross was a symbol of rebellion adopted by surfers, bikers, hot rodders, and others...

SYMBOLISM OF THE IRON CROSS
Meanings:Heraldry, Loyalty, Honor, Faith, Courage, Bravery, Loyalty, Will, Liberation

The iron cross is redeemed when we see it in civic departments to acknowledge bravery on duty. Fire and Police organizations often utilize this cross to show commendable service and incredible bravery on the job. In these instances, the iron cross is a symbol of iron-will required to protect the community.

Often interchanged with the Maltese cross, the iron cross tattoo meaning has its roots with King Friedrich Wilhelm the third of Prussia in the mid 1800s. The King commanded this stylized cross as a symbol of bravery and honorary medals bearing the iron cross were awarded to brave soldiers during the War of Liberation.

Adolph Hitler adopted the iron cross as a medal for his own officers. In fact, it was the only major decoration awarded by the Nazis before the Third Reich.

The iron cross has some rebellious symbolism associated with it, and worn by certain people it conveys a message of non-conformity or a f*ck off message to the establishment.

So perhaps a tattoo once used as a sign of rebellion would be something an independent woman might have on her inner thigh? I kinda doubt a Nazi supporter would hide one there...

http://tattoosymbolism.blogspot.com/2012/03/iron-cross-symbolism.html

[Celerity]

15. [phone]

I see people on here repeating the Daily Mail's Nazi-era tattoo (with the inferences that come from that verbiage) rot

The Daily Mail libelled her by saying she has a Nazi-inspired tattoo on her body, which is utter bollocks. She has an Iron Cross that does NOT have a goddamn swastika on it, yet they outrageously showed a version that does have a swastika on it. The Iron Cross has been around for hundreds of years, long before the Nazi's co-opted it. The DM also tried to say that the KKK blood cross is the same as an Iron Cross, which is fucking ludicrous.

From the ADL hate symbol base:

https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/iron-cross

In the United States, however, the Iron Cross also became one of several Nazi-era symbols adopted by outlaw bikers, more to signify rebellion or to shock than for any white supremacist ideology. By the early 2000s, this other use of the Iron Cross had spread from bikers to skateboarders and many extreme sports enthusiasts and became part of the logo of several different companies producing equipment and clothing for this audience. Consequently, the use of the Iron Cross in a non-racist context has greatly proliferated in the United States, to the point that an Iron Cross in isolation (i.e., without a superimposed swastika or without other accompanying hate symbols) cannot be determined to be a hate symbol. Care must therefore be used to correctly interpret this symbol in whatever context in which it may be found.

Skateboard firm logo



Metal band (Motörhead) logo




I hope she sues the fuck out of the DM and wins. It is much easier in the UK to win these types of lawsuits.


The Daily Mail presented it (regardless of some buried disclaimer) as a Nazi era tattoo:

right in the headline:



right below the headline




and then THIS, which is a pure libellous association with a swastika style Iron Cross, which she does NOT HAVE and then compares an Iron Cross to a KKK blood cross




I am so sorry but one sentence (a semi-disclaimer partially citing the ADL), buried in the story after ALL that does not clear their arse. We (I grew up in London) have VERY strict libel laws in the UK. She so has a case.

[diva77]

17. Thanks for educating me about the iron cross.

I'll remove my comment from the OP.

[Celerity]

19. yw!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. it's sexual harassment -- don't care about photos and tattoos

There is a power differential between representative and staffer. That makes the situation ripe for sexual harassment. That's why it's against the rules.

I don't give a shit about the photos or any tattoo.

[diva77]

9. is the legal remedy, then, resignation? or is there some kind of other punishment/training

a congressperson has to undergo in such a situation? I confess I haven't read the rules.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

10. that's her decision

She may be anticipating the noise machine using this to distract from everything, and to hound her as long as she stayed in office. She may also have been advised that this could lead to the seat going red and staying that way.

I don't know the background to her decision to resign. It just seemed to me that some folks were blaming this on R action and ignoring the sexual harassment aspect. That power differential doesn't go away regardless of the gender of the persons involved.

[diva77]

11. I agree with you about the sexual harassment/power differential aspect.

My bad for not addressing it in my OP. The noise machine makes it nearly impossible for a Dem to choose any other alternative than to resign -- and that's what I blame rethugs for.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

13. here's the relevant "Code of Official Conduct"

Code of Official Conduct
RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - 116th CONGRESS
Rule XXIII - Code Of Official Conduct

18. (a) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner may not engage in a sexual relationship with any employee of the House who works under the supervision of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, or who is an employee of a committee on which the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner serves. This paragraph does not apply with respect to any relationship between two people who are married to each other.

(b) A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House may not engage in unwelcome sexual advances or conduct towards another Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House.
(c) In this clause, the term ‘employee’ includes an applicant for employment, a paid or unpaid intern (including an applicant for an internship), a detailee, and an individual participating in a fellowship program.

-- https://ethics.house.gov/publication/code-official-conduct

[diva77]

14. Thanks. Very helpful. I also found a link that lays out how Congress can discipline members for

violations.

https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Discipline/

Discipline & Punishment

“Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.”
—Article 1, section 5, clause 2

The Constitution grants the House broad power to discipline its Members for acts that range from criminal misconduct to violations of internal House Rules. While the constitutional authority to punish a Member who engages in “disorderly Behaviour” is intended, in part, as an instrument of individual rebuke, it serves principally to protect the reputation of the institution and to preserve the dignity of its proceedings.

Over the decades, several forms of discipline have evolved in the House. The most severe type of punishment is expulsion from the House, which is followed by censure, and finally reprimand. Expulsion, as mandated in the Constitution, requires a two-thirds majority vote. Censure and reprimand, which evolved through House precedent and practice, are imposed by a simple majority of the full House.
SNIP

So she could have stayed and possibly been censured or reprimanded.

So many people worked soooo hard to get her elected.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. thanks! was looking for something like that

I couldn't find anything about possible punishment.

All those volunteers have to be frustrated and pissed off about this.

Maybe we will learn more about her decision process -- it seemed to be pretty rapid.

[cwydro]

12. I really haven't kept up with this, so tonight started reading about it.

At the very least, this person has extremely poor judgement.

What a damn shame. Win a red district and then be disgraced in this manner.

[NCLefty]

22. It's tough with her nudes being out there. They would follow her everywhere.

People would show up protesting at her events with them on signs. How would anyone deal with that?

I think that's why Farenthold went too.

[PufPuf23]

24. Katie Hill made a poor decision when she resigned. Alas.

Hill should have gone through the process and been censured or whatever punishment her House peers determined best. We need to vet our candidates as voters and so does the party. Our party leadership needs to provide us with at least a whiff of choice too.

Extremely unlikely Hill would have been ejected from Congress however politically wounded. Hill could very well have still managed a long and successful career in office but one could reasonably expect if not the situation there would be another in the future impacting her service.

Hill made poor decisions to be in the situation and then responded in a matter that disrespected those that voted her into office when she resigned rather than staying the course.

There was a recent situation in my rural county where someone who appeared to be an extremely qualified Democratic candidate to face a known right wing whacko incumbent for County Board of Supervisors. The new Democratic candidate was not local but had a responsible job in the medical field and was a medical union leader from 5 or so years local, a real impact guy on the right side of issues from our perspective at DU. Turned out this guy had left a trail of tears and lies for nearly 25 years and several communities prior to building himself a platform and much positive attention locally. Then there was some exposure of his past and he took to lying and lying some more and was further exposed and dropped from running and his local house of cards collapsed in his career and down to his personal relationship. The right wing blatantly racist whacko incumbent is now running virtually unopposed.

[LenaBaby61]

25. I feel you ....

Roy "Mall Rat" Moore as of today, October 27th, 2019, is still planning to run for the US Senate.

We know from strong evidence that he's a child rapist and pedophile. Yet, he has a solid chance to win that Senate seat next fall, even though we KNOW he's what he is. thuglicans have no shame, because if they did they wouldn't be threatening to take every regular, everyday, working citizen's health care away from them with NO replacement after all these years.

Katie Hill is GONE and Roy "Mall Rat" Moore may be in the US Senate by the end of 2020. Seeing Mall Rat being a US Senator cheering on a total ban of Roe V Wade even in cases of incest/rape/life of the Mother/child is

[PufPuf23]

28. The Moore situation is far worse than my local anecdote

and far worse than Katie Hill.

We expect our candidates to be as lure as fresh snow while the GOP is full of actual criminals with no shame.

Yet people support and vote for total assholes degenerates like Moore.

[RandySF]

27. I hope the Incels at Red State enjoyed themselves

Probably the only way they get to see a naked woman.

[RestoreAmerica2020]

29. She should not resign We have a gdamn sexual predstor in WH with over

...20 women accusing him of sexual assault, at least 2 of rep, one of which one was only 13 at the time; apparently a new book coming out that will add even more allegation of sexual assalt [will iedit for source on book. ] SO, all she has to say is HELL NO im not resigning unless pussy grabber in WH resigns too. Leave it thst. If there was two g doing then investigate, allow due process. Frabken should have taken the same stance and fought for his seat.