Discussion for article #237055
I find it the height of conceit that Republicans want to plead religious liberty and then are unable to stand up for it when those in their fold manipulate and exploit it. What Watts “heard” is what many Republicans “knew” and didn’t say a thing.
2 Likes
Whoever approached Watt should have instead approached police. Watt was at this point totally correct in not taking action. He makes laws, he does not enforce them.
4 Likes
The information to and the contact with the Congressman seems like a plea for help.
I think Individual A is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There could be more cases just like in the Catholic Church’s child rape and molestation scandal, which eventually involved thousands of children across all of the inhabited continents.
The press and private investigative journalists should have reported on this earlier.
It is likely that John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, George Bush and other Republican leaders in the inner circle knew about this.
2 Likes
Simple, clear, to the point. Well stated Mr. Watt.
5 Likes
They didn’t because it would have meant they would have to investigate Republicans. Who they never want to upset. Democrats, they’d jump all over the story.
1 Like
What letter?
2 Likes
Many house republicans heard those same rumors about “coach Hastert,” including the current speaker, and took no action. Give me a break. Where there’s fire, there’s smoke.
Knowing a crime has been committed, and not coming forward is, “accessory” to that crime. Who and how many knew??? No longer fit to serve. No salary, no pension, NOTHING! Stop The corrupt.
@Doremus_Jessup: You are right. The Congressman was contacted. I’ve revised my original comment accordingly.
1 Like
If Denny Hastart was a Democrat we would already know every sordid detail, true and false, of this story.
1 Like
The hell you say.
I thought maybe you read about it at HP or something.
When the Foley scandal broke in 06 there was pretty much this same cast of characters who were shocked, shocked I say.
The GOP kept their members in line by keeping track of all the skeletons in their closets. Particularly in the mid 90’s when a new Congressman was elected they would meet with Haley Barbour and others at a discreet bar/lounge. He’d then grill them what the party expected of them and what the party could do for them. Interrogating the people like they were homicide detectives they’d write down everything the wide eyed newcomer to DC said.
There is no way on the planet that the GOP did not do it’s own “mri for the soul” of their own party members. There is no possible way someone said “High School Wrestling Coach” and no one said “Hey, let’s NOT follow up on that just in case there is some surprise sex scandal waiting in the wings for us”.
They knew - they just “can’t recall, your honor”
Hastert, like Foley, is a Sexual Predator.
Many states have mandatory reporting requirements for people with actual knowledge of child abuse. The question always is when is it simply rumor and when does it become knowledge. That is wwhy the Congressman’s differentiation between rumor and an approach from an affected family is so important.
1 Like
Not to mention “The Family” theology holding that God will forgive his favorites practically anything.
I am holding out hope that the detective (Det. Stacey Mott) in charge of the Mark Allen Collman cold case in Yorkville, IL looks into the possibility that Hastert knew Collman. Collman disappeared in April 1979 and is presumed dead. He was a high school student at Yorkville High (1975 graduate) when Hastert was a coach. It’s unknown if Collman was on the wrestling team.
The amount of money involved seems like an awful lot for something like covering up sexual misconduct. While this theory that the Collman disappearance is somehow related to Hastert is just a theory, with no proof; my gut tells me that it needs to be investigated.
Perhaps Collman is one of the men involved and has been in hiding? Perhaps Hastert is somehow connected with his (voluntary or involuntary) disappearance.
It would be irresponsible not to speculate. heh. heh. heh.
Is that anywhere near Gacy’s old hunting grounds? Were all of his victims ever found?