Minnesota Republican ‘Made Some Mistakes and Errors in Judgment’

Posted on | December 22, 2011 | 18 Comments

The words “sin” and “adultery” evidently did not occur to former state Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch:

Amy Koch apologized [Wednesday] for “engaging in a relationship with a Senate staffer,” though she did not name the individual.

(We are left to wonder if “engaging in a relationship” can be roughly translated as “making the beast with two backs,” or “getting to second base,” or perhaps “kinda like Lewinsky, IYKWIMAITYD.”)

Koch declared in an official statement that she’s “made some mistakes and errors in judgment” and has “deep regret.” She apologized to constituents, the Republican party, fellow legislators, and her family.

(“Deep regret” = “Damn it, I got caught.”)

“The events of recent days have been very difficult for me and those close to me,” Koch said.

(It wasn’t “events of recent days,” but more likely “events of certain previous nights,” that caused the difficulty.)

Koch did not address the public speculation about the identity of the staffer with whom she was having the affair, widely rumored to be communications chief Michael Brodkorb, who was ousted from his positions with the GOP in the wake of Koch’s resignation.
Instead, she emphasized that what she did with her staffer was not a crime. Although she had an “inappropriate relationship” with a subordinate, Koch denied she had “violated any laws or Senate rules” or “misused any state funds or property.”

(“Love is not a crime!”)

Koch ended her statement by writing that she needs to focus on the “challenging days ahead” while she works through “some very personal issues.”

“Personal issues”? Lady, you were shagging the help, OK?

Your aide was hired at taxpayer expense, and “civil servant” cannot plausibly be translated as “love slave.” Whatever “inappropriate” acts transpired between you — c’mon, spare us the tidy euphemisms and start spilling the sweaty details — these carnal indulgences weren’t just a matter of two lonely souls who met by random chance. You were the Boss, he was your subordinate, and both of you were supposed to be selflessly pursuing the public interest, rather than gettin’ some action.

Scoring. Heavy petting. Frottage. Knocking boots. Whatever universe of imaginable erotic possibilities may be encompassed in that annoyingly vague phrase “inappropriate relationship.”

And so it’s mighty damned convenient, Senator, when after flagrantly abusing the office with which you were entrusted by voters (and for which you were paid with taxes collected from the citizenry) you deny that these misdeeds were illegal or unethical, refuse to name the government employee whom you made your amorous plaything, minimalize this sordid scandal as “errors in judgment” and appeal for sympathy as the wounded victim while you deal with “very personal issues.”

Sigh.

No need to guess what the Left is doing with this ugly mess:

The gay and lesbian community of Minnesota has issued a letter of apology to recently resigned Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch for ruining the institution of marriage and causing her to stray from her husband and engage in an “inappropriate relationship.”
“On behalf of all gays and lesbians living in Minnesota, I would like to wholeheartedly apologize for our community’s successful efforts to threaten your traditional marriage,” reads the letter from John Medeiros. “We apologize that our selfish requests to marry those we love has cheapened and degraded traditional marriage so much that we caused you to stray from your own holy union for something more cheap and tawdry.”

What Amy Koch and (allegedly) Michael Brodkorb have done is not merely “mistakes” or “errors in judgment,” but is in fact a shameful disgrace of the Republican Party. Yet when I look at the Memeorandum thread about this story, I don’t see a single conservative blogger denouncing these two adulterous hypocrites.

Where’s the judgmentalism? Where’s the accountability, huh?

Senator Koch is married, as is her rumored ~~stud muffin~~ ~~boy toy~~ ~~backdoor man~~ paramour, and surely both of them as human beings need support and healing more than they need public scolding, but what about the needs of the Republican Party, the conservative movement and the citizens of Minnesota whom the Senator and her sweetheart were honor-bound to represent?

More than a week has passed since this scandal became public — I first blogged about it Sunday — and while Senator Koch resigned her post as Majority Leader and said she would not seek re-election next year, she evidently believes she can serve out her term.

Really? Are Minnesota Republicans going to permit their disgraced former leader to continue collecting her salary, as if nothing were amiss?

Hell’s bells, state Senate GOP leaders kept this scandal under wraps for nearly three months after a conscientious Senate staffer blew the whistle on Senator Koch’s workplace affair!

They’re not even sure whether to pursue ethics charges against her!

If this is not an ethics violation — if humping the office help isn’t against the Senate rules — hadn’t they better make some changes to the rules PDQ? Shouldn’t Minnesota Republicans be united in demanding Senator Koch’s immediate resignation? And shouldn’t conservative bloggers stop pretending that this sin-soaked public stain on their movement never happened?

Oh — and what’s this business of Minnesota officials refusing to name Senator Koch’s lover? Like he’s a victim or something? Like they’re afraid that he might sue them for libel or “inflicting emotional distress”? Has Michael Brodkorb denied being Senator Koch’s secret sweetheart? At some point, doesn’t an absence of denial become a sort of confession?

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!

Go ahead and sue me, Brodkorb. I’ll plead insanity.

Category: Minnesota, Republicans, Scandal, Sex

Comments

18 Responses to “Minnesota Republican ‘Made Some Mistakes and Errors in Judgment’”

steveegg
December 22nd, 2011 @ 11:27 pm

There’s also the f*ck-up of the state party. The state chair and executive director resigned last month, leaving behind over $1 million in debt.
DaMav
December 22nd, 2011 @ 11:30 pm

Yeah, I’d like to see Republicans kick ass when this kind of stuff goes on in either party. Good work Stace!
Anonymous
December 22nd, 2011 @ 11:34 pm

Generally speaking, incompetent leadership tends to be surrounded on every side by failure.
steveegg
December 22nd, 2011 @ 11:44 pm

Semi-related – Indiana Judge Tosses Republican Secretary of State, Orders 2010 Democrat Challenger Assume Office

Paging Vince Lombardi….
Lisa Graas
December 22nd, 2011 @ 11:48 pm

Insert adultery/hypocrisy denouncement here.
Anonymous
December 23rd, 2011 @ 12:03 am

“surely both of them as human beings need support and healing more than they need public scolding”
They can go talk to their mommies for support and healing. Tax payers and people hurt politically by her embarrassing the party will stick with the scolding.
Adjoran
December 23rd, 2011 @ 12:19 am

It is obvious Minnesota Republicans have some serious issues to deal with. How messed up do you have to be to lose to Minnesota Democrats? Dayton is almost as dumb as Patty Murray, yet he beats the MN GOP like they were red-headed stepchildren. They are so magnificently incompetent as to have lost to pro wrestler Jesse “The Body” Ventura, and allow has-been comedian Al Franken to make a race close enough to steal.

I’m not familiar with this woman, though – how do you pronounce her name?
Gerdin Joey
December 23rd, 2011 @ 12:36 am

lots of conclusions being jumped to here!
Rose
December 23rd, 2011 @ 2:06 am

I wish all R’s would just keep it in their pants for the next couple years, ok? Please?

BUT – I would add one correction. It’s not really “the needs of the Republican Party, the conservative movement and the citizens of Minnesota whom the Senator and her sweetheart were honor-bound to represent…”

In fact, that’s the bigger problem – is that the people we elect ARE largely acting like they were elected/drafted to play on a Pro Ball Team. Not to represent all the people, but to represent the party and only the party. Partisanship is going to be the death of this nation.

C’mon, you KNOW there are some decent Democrats who DON’T want to vote for that damned spending Omnibus, you know there are at least a FEW of them who understand that fiscal sanity is needed. But, they play for the Party. Not the People. And so they saddle future generations with unimaginable debt. And they vote to further bankrupt Social Security and Medicare with phony terms like “tax holiday.”

I’m for stripping them of Party status once elected. NO MORE caucusing, no more raising money for the party, no more us v. them institutions within the institution.

They’re there to represent the PEOPLE, and the COUNTRY – both of which are much bigger than the Party.

Unfortunately, much as I hate Partisanship, I beg the Republicans to HOLD the Party Line, “Hold! Hold! Hold!” Do no give in to the spending. Right now, you are the only thing between us and financial ruin. Apparently, Partisanship is a necessary evil, for now. So, we’re back to “keep it in your pants” ladies and gents, and don’t give the Soros-left any fodder.
K-Bob
December 23rd, 2011 @ 3:06 am

I think it’s pronounced, “Hey, Baby!”

(using an “Elvis” inflected tone).
K-Bob
December 23rd, 2011 @ 3:06 am

Your basic, “Barry White” tone works, too.
SDN
December 23rd, 2011 @ 5:46 am

Stacey, a lot of people are tired of the double standard: Copperheads pull this crap and far worse (F&F, anyone?), continue to hold the positions that control our lives, and say, “So what? What you gonna do about it, punk?”

Just as environmentalism is a luxury only prosperous societies can afford, when you’re fighting a war you don’t shoot your fighters because they don’t qualify for Sunday School.

“I can’t spare this man; he fights!”
ThePaganTemple
December 23rd, 2011 @ 6:42 am

I can’t forgive her for what she did until I know exactly what she did. She needs to make a press release that explains in detail the nature of the relationship, down to the most minute detail.
herddog505
December 23rd, 2011 @ 8:33 am

Good points.

SDN – Just as environmentalism is a luxury only prosperous societies can afford, when you’re fighting a war you don’t shoot your fighters because they don’t qualify for Sunday School.

I see what you mean, but where does one draw the line? The dems kept – hell, WORSHIP – Slick Willie despite adultery and perjury. Shall we do the same?
Jreacher07
December 23rd, 2011 @ 9:16 am

Thanks Bill Cliton, for teaching us that once in office, you can have your cake, and eat it, too.
Steve in TN
December 23rd, 2011 @ 12:25 pm

They just want to be loved. Is that so wrong?
DaveO
December 23rd, 2011 @ 1:38 pm

So we’ve lost Minnesota, again. Whenever a Republican sins sexually, we hear no end of it; but when a Democrat sins we’re told to get off the prudery express (or, it’s Bush’s Fault). I’ll reserve further comment until I see what happens to Silky Pony.
Daily scoreboard « Don Surber
December 23rd, 2011 @ 5:01 pm

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