Will harassment claims derail a Carl DeMaio Victory? (#CA52)
DeMaio tries to stick the issues, but sexual harassment issue keeps creeping back.
Earlier this month I reported on how Republican Carl DeMaio edged out incumbent Democrat Scott Peters in a district that is rated as a toss-up by most polling agencies. A week after their win, the DeMaio campaign was hit with a serious October surprise when the campaign’s former policy director, Todd Bosnich, claimed DeMaio sexually harassed him on numerous occasions.
Both Bosnich and DeMaio are openly gay, and DeMaio has fiercely denied all allegations of sexual misconduct. The timing of Bosnich’s allegations, first made in a CNN interview, are questionable, considering that he was fired by DeMaio in May but waited three weeks before the election to make the allegations. Furthermore, DeMaio claimed Bosnich was fired for plagiarism, and that he suspected Bosnich was responsible for the May break-in of DeMaio’s campaign headquarters days before the primary.
This is not the first time DeMaio has been accused of sexual misconduct. On Wednesday, San Diego council member Donna Frye said, “What I believe is that there are other victims.” Frye hasn’t provided further context or clarifying information, other than, “Based on others I’ve spoken with recently where there is smoke, there’s fire,” but what does that even mean? In any case, her statements are putting the DeMaio campaign in full-on damage control mode.
Over the summer, the story in California’s 52nd District House election was that of a “New Generation” Republican—openly gay and pro-choice but a strong fiscal conservative—embarking on a long-shot upset campaign against incumbent Democrat Scott Peters, who was billed as just another liberal progressive.
Peters, whose tenure on the San Diego City Council helped create the enormous public pension problems that DeMaio’s tenure later solved, offered constituents and the country little, whereas DeMaio has long touted his “Fix Congress First” legislation that would hold legislators to equal, if not higher, scrutiny standards than their constituents.
Now, as DeMaio tries to stick to his campaign platform, he finds himself fielding questions about Bosnich and Frye. DeMaio is denying all allegations, but it seems he needs to make a stronger statement to put all doubt to end if he is indeed innocent. DeMaio did say that “[t]his display is nothing more than a desperate politician who is about to lose his job,” but what DeMaio really needs to do is get in front of the sexual harassment claims and refute them as thoroughly as Bosnich originally spelled them out.
On another note, the anti-gay marriage group National Organization for Marriage recently announced its endorsement of Democrat Scott Peters, despite being “wrong on the issues.”
Yes, you read that right. An organization that traditionally supports conservatives endorsed a liberal progressive whom they don’t agree with on anything except his heterosexuality. Here’s the full quote in all its insanity:
“The National Organization for Marriage urges you to refuse to vote for Carl DeMaio. In fact, we ask you to vote for incumbent Scott Peters, even though Peters is also wrong on the issues. The reason for this is that Peters can’t do any damage as a Democrat in a House of Representatives controlled by Republicans, and we can work together to elect a true conservative in two years to replace him. But Carl DeMaio serving as a supposed Republican in a House controlled by Republicans can do great damage, and could end up holding the seat for decades.”
Even as DeMaio battles against the sexual harassment claims, so-called conservatives and Republicans are urging conservative and Republican San Diegans to abandon DeMaio simply because he is gay. That is surely not how the right candidates will win elections.
As the clock ticks down to Tuesday morning, DeMaio has the lead and probably will hold it coming into the voting booths, but this October surprise has put this once-unforeseeable underdog victory back into the void of the totally unpredictable.
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Comments
With all due respect, Casey, his ‘proud’ identification as a sexual deviant is the best reason to vote against him. Notice that he favors abortion-on-demand. Putting aside the comical aspects of a rainbow boy caring in any way about reproduction of the species, it tells you that he is not someone any GOP should vote for. Our illegal alien problem is a crisis because we need workers to replace those we killed before they were born. Pro choice = pro illegal invasion.
while we’re at it, consider that we are all supposed to ‘stay out of the bedroom’ but somehow bringing the judges into the bedroom is acceptable.
Character counts. A lot.
Let’s set aside the sexual harassment claims for a moment because none of it is proven.
PLatypus, I ask you, what is truly wrong with DeMaio being homosexual? Even if it is contrary to your personal beliefs about how humans should behave, what right do you have to govern the lives of others? I think true conservatives who yearn for a smaller, less intrusive government should not want judges, police, or lawmakers intruding in the bedroom. There is no role for government in the private, amorous relationships between consenting adults.
That you resort to calling DeMaio a “sexual deviant” and a “rainbow boy” is wholly indicative of your low intellectual acumen. That you judge a man solely based on his sexuality is indicative of your inability to think critically about real issues. You make up for these shortcomings with your unjustified prejudices.
Heed your own advice, and build some character.