Sorry, but we DO have a legitimate right to know about the sex lives of our public officials
[posted by Justin Levine]
In case you haven’t heard the news yet, the longstanding rumors have now been publicly confirmed. Our (married) mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa has been having an affair with Spanish-speaking Telemundo news anchor Mirthala Salinas.
She has apparently gotten around the corridors of the Latino power structure in Los Angeles.
More about the story here, here and here.
For the record: Salinas passes the Justin Levine hottie test. She has kind of a Latina Jeanne Tripplehorn vibe that I can easily get into.
[UPDATE FROM PATTERICO: But why take Justin’s word for it? Judge for yourself:
I express no opinion, but leave it for you, the reader, to decide. I’ll turn it back over to Justin now.]
With that out of the way, I need to just say that I continue to laugh at people who insist that the sex lives of our politicians are none of our business. If you actually believe that, then I can only assume that you generally don’t care about the notion of conflicts of interest in either government or media circles – I point of view that I frankly find to be astonishing.
If the boss of a company is having an affair with a subordinate co-worker, all sorts of public scrutiny is invited through sexual harassment laws and the legal system. But when people with even more power in government and the media have affairs that potentially effect how taxpayer money is spent, who gets promoted in public office, or how officials are scutinized in the media, suddenly the finger-waggers show up to try and convince us it is none of our business. To that, I say “Harrumph!” (Actually, I never say ‘harrumph’, which is a pretty silly word. What I really say is not appropriate for a family blog such as this one.)
“Ah, but Justin, what if the affair is with someone outside of government or media circles? In that case, it surely is none of our business.”
My response to that is twofold: 1. How are we supposed to know that the person in question is outside conflict of interest circles unless the media takes an active role to verify as such? 2. How often are affairs by politicians really outside of such circles? (Government interns count too I’m afraid, since they are eventually able to receive perks and promotions at taxpayer expense.)
Also, I don’t mean to imply that potential conflicts of interest should always be avoided. We don’t need a legal rule dictating who our officials sleep with. I simply hold that such potential conflicts should always be publicly revealed for the sake of public accountability.
Thus speaketh your humble guest blogger. So there!
— posted by Justin Levine
Is there an over/under on how many times Bill Handel uses the word “shtup” in the next few days?
TomHynes (aab663) — 7/3/2007 @ 7:05 pmRumor has it she’s pregnant, too. Will Villar become Villasalinas? I guess having children by so many women (is this his fourth?) would improve his diversity credentials.
And of course it’s significant she covered him for her TV station! Monica Lewinsky she’s not.
Patricia (824fa1) — 7/3/2007 @ 7:43 pmSchtup is the preferred spelling, tho shtup is an alternate. In this case, it’s entirely appropriate for Bill Handel to go on and on and on about the story.
One article says Mayor Villar (his other half is taking her old name back) is also doing one of his security aides–normally an LAPD officer. If not a conflict, it’s at the minimum a terrible example. Subordinates are terminated for such.
ManlyDad (d62cf6) — 7/3/2007 @ 7:46 pmI would tend to agree with Patterico’s view as long as it doesn’t spill over into the salacious details unless a key element of the behavior –party at the Mustang ranch dressed as the AFLAC duck while cavorting may indicate some larger issues– but seriously, to carry on with an affair could be an indicator of weakness and is newsworthy.
voiceofreason63 (2451f1) — 7/3/2007 @ 7:58 pmVoiceofreason, I think this isn’t Patterico’s post.
Robin Roberts (6c18fd) — 7/3/2007 @ 8:00 pmThanks Robin. Apologies to Justin and Patterico for the mistake.
voiceofreason63 (2451f1) — 7/3/2007 @ 8:07 pmBill Handel?
Isn’t that the nut who freaked out about someone talking to his kids on the air?
Is he still on the radio?
I thought the mayor already admitted to running off with the wife of a friend right after he got elected to the state legislature.
The voters knew what they were getting.
alphie (015011) — 7/3/2007 @ 8:33 pmOne more liberal Democrat who can’t keep it in his pants? Who woulda thunk it?
nk (d0f918) — 7/3/2007 @ 8:50 pmalphie –
Bill Handel freaked out about another DJ who YELLED at his kids (not simply ‘talked’ to them).
And yes, he is still on the air. People who have the highest rated English-speaking morning radio show in all of Southern California tend to stay on the air. Funny how that works…
Justin Levine (bfaa08) — 7/3/2007 @ 9:20 pmSounds like radio is a lot like politics then, Jutin.
I imagime your mayor will be around for a long time, too.
alphie (015011) — 7/3/2007 @ 10:28 pmAnother, rarely-mentioned reason that adultery and other misbehavior by politicians is a no-no is that they are often holders of security clearances and have access to classified information. Any military clearance holder will tell you that this is usually sufficient reason by itself to get a clearance pulled, because it leaves the clearance holder involved subject to blackmail and other manipulation techniques.
This is something that was never mentioned during the Lewinsky debacle, either; if Bill Clinton could be seduced by a chubby intern, imagine the havoc that could have been wreaked by a well-trained female operative of a foreign government or, even worse, a terrorist organization.
Private lives none of the public’s business? Sorry, not when you hold a security clearance.
Robert (8542ed) — 7/4/2007 @ 12:00 amThis admission confirms that Mayor Villaraigosa is screwing the taxpayer.
Perfect Sense (b6ec8c) — 7/4/2007 @ 12:04 amGents, a bit of advice. If you must cheat on your wife, make sure she approves of your choice in women
Alan Kellogg (4cd060) — 7/4/2007 @ 2:18 amIf it is something that will affect whether or not voters will vote for a candidate, it should be reported.
sam (76bc96) — 7/4/2007 @ 5:11 amUh, Mr. “Waiver”? It’s “potentially AFfect”. Not “EFfect.”
mona (5f7f18) — 7/4/2007 @ 5:28 amFunny how not keeping vows, promises and behaving in a responsible manner have all gone out the window in the past thirty years. My only question, and I asked this of my spouse for over 30 years was: why can’t men keep they pants zipped up? Of course I know the answer. But all that does is show me how childish men can be. Lying, cheating and whoring used to be wrong, but Billy got away with it so now it’s open season. But, the funniest thing to me is, with all the feminism, women still have to get on their backs or their knees! What a world.
Sue (03e0cc) — 7/4/2007 @ 7:33 amUh, mona? I’m not “PAT.” I’m “SAM.”
sam (d8463e) — 7/4/2007 @ 7:38 amWill he now change his name to Villasalinas? Does Mirthala know what she is getting?
Cynthia U (fec594) — 7/4/2007 @ 7:50 ami just covered myself in salsa and melted cheese for her to lick off. i’m gonna be her nacho man!
assistant devil's advocate (fd732a) — 7/4/2007 @ 12:11 pmUh, sam? Mona was talking to Justin, who (I agree) is also not Pat.
Gwydion (0bc7d5) — 7/4/2007 @ 2:10 pmThis is going to be an issue among fellow Catholics, especially among female recent-immigrant Hispanic Catholic voters. A strong challenger who appeals to the same base could beat him with this issue.
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 7/4/2007 @ 2:34 pmDoes anyone remember when Channel 52 used to run old Our Gang and Three Stooges shorts? And replays from Hollywood Park during the summer.
Now it runs hot broadcasters with questionable morals.
Oh the times, they are a-changing
Steverino (d27168) — 7/4/2007 @ 2:57 pm[…] My attorney Justin Levine blogs: […]
LUKE FORD » Do We Have A Right To Know About The Sex Lives Of Public Officials? (873c8a) — 7/4/2007 @ 4:50 pmsteverino, you say “hot broadcasters with questionable morals” as if it were a bad thing. what about your morals? are you as pure as the driven snow?
assistant devil's advocate (d12c30) — 7/4/2007 @ 6:21 pmBill Handel freaked out about another DJ who YELLED at his kids (not simply ‘talked’ to them).
Jamie Pressley(?) of Jamie and Danny. She was always a bit out there. \
…I agree with the main thrust of this post, too. I agree that in a perfect world we wouldn’t care about such things, but in the real world there are all sorts of uglinesses and conflicts tied up with it and it can’t be ignored.
For instance, I’ve been told that Guiliani’s problems are all personal. But when someone hurts his loved ones that badly, it seems impossible to just write it off.
David N. Scott (71e316) — 7/4/2007 @ 7:11 pmMirthala sounds like the name for one of a lady’s naughty bits.
sam (781d46) — 7/4/2007 @ 9:04 pmThe most polite response I can think of is, “Up yours, ADA.”
If hot broadcasters with questionable morals isn’t a bad thing, then why are you bringing up mine? Besides, I don’t have to have all 10 fingers to notice that someone is missing both arms.
Steverino (d27168) — 7/5/2007 @ 7:34 amsteverino is exhibiting his christian morals “let him who is without stones attack the sinner first” isn’t that how it goes? any public judgment of immorality necessarily implicates the judge’s own morals.
assistant devil's advocate (22ec3e) — 7/5/2007 @ 7:57 amNo problem. I have never fk’d or dated anyone already married, engaged, or involved with someone else. I have never cheated on my wife. I have never subjected my wife to pubic humiliation. beyond telling bad jokes. I have never taken time I would be spending with my wife and children to pork some bimbo.
sam (781d46) — 7/5/2007 @ 9:41 amSo, S&M not your thing, huh?
I'm Geekier (01293e) — 7/5/2007 @ 10:29 amYou have no idea what my religion is, if any. And your assertion that any public judge of immorality implicates the judge’s morals is non sequitur and at best an unproven premise.
So, don’t give us any more of your mindless crap on this subject. I’ll say it for public record: sleeping your way to the top is morally bankrupt, no matter who does it. A CEO having affairs with his/her underlings is morally bankrupt. Do you not agree with those judgements?
Steverino (d27168) — 7/5/2007 @ 2:00 pmsteverino you dumbshit, you say you’re a christian right on your pathetic blog. i laughed when you wished for hell for the person who criticized you for giving your dog away after you went bankrupt and into foreclosure. comedy gold!
assistant devil's advocate (72615d) — 7/6/2007 @ 10:30 pm