Dem Congressman tangles with reporter before debate

The American Thinker Blog ^ | October 16, 2010 | Rick Moran

[Scanian]

Democratic Congressman Maurice Hinchley had an altercation with a reporter prior to his debate with his GOP challenger George Phillips last night when the journalist asked him questions about a real estate deal he will profit from using federal dollars:

"Hinchey has previously insisted his only involvement in the project is as a partial owner of the land where it will be built. Last night, he said he has 'no financial interest' in the project, and pointedly told Kemble: 'What are you talking about...Are you trying to give the same phony stuff that are you put in the Freeman so many times. Are you still as deceptive as you always have been? Are still you a manipulative guy? You're full of baloney. You're full of baloney.'

At this point, another reporter tried to break in to ask a question, and Hinchey said: 'Yeah, please ask me something. This guy is just full of baloney.'

When Kemble persisted, Hinchey told him: 'Shut up!'

After the shooters turned off their cameras and started to break down, Hinchey made a beeline for Kemble and got in his face, according to a YNN videographer who was on the scene. The congressman poked Kemble in the chest aggressively, according to the YNN staffer. I spoke with Kemble briefly this afternoon, and he told me Hinchey 'put his hand on my throat' and then 'realized what he had done and walked away.' The YNN shooter told me he did not witness this part of the altercation."

Hinchley, once thought safe, is in the same position many Democratic congressmen find themselves; running for his political life as tea party groups have targeted this upstate New York race.

The pressure is obviously getting to him.

[Scanian]

This seems worse than the Paladino-Dicker confrontation and yet the SRM has ignored it, as far as I can tell.

[Venturer]

How can you partially own a piece of land where a Real Estate deal is going down, and have no financial interest in it?

[screaminsunshine]

Ask Harry Reid.

[BobP]

Like the Bob Etheridge from NC with his 'Who are you?' crap.

[jazzlite]

We know they line their pockets. Why are so many of them going to Congress with little money to their name, and then, like Harry Reid, come out fabulously wealthy. It happens too often. They are corrupt and nowadays, in your face, corrupt, because, We The People, have tolerated this for way too long. When Al Gore left government, he was worth about a million dollars..Now, as a result of his connections and the Global Warming scam, he is said to be worth $100 million, plus. Investigations should be going on all over the place in the face of such as this. At least, Tipper decided not to put up with something or other anymore. Granted, he made his after leaving D.C., but you can bet it was through his D.C. connections that he was able to pull that off.

[Leisler]

Ask Dennis ‘Coach’ Hastert.

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) realized an estimated $2 million dollar profit last year on an Illinois land deal that included acreage near a future interstate highway Hastert pushed to build.

The land was sold just five months after Hastert inserted a $207 million appropriation bill for the Prairie Parkway highway during a closed-door Congressional budget conference.

The deal, representing a 300 per cent return on investment, was reported in Hastert’s financial disclosure form filed this week, although the role of a secret trust set up by Hastert to sell the land was not disclosed.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/land_deal_gives.html

[screaminsunshine]

Another reason for the Tea Party to get rid of the crooks of all stripes and reduce the size and scope of government. How about Hillarys super duper stock deal. The list goes on. The Federal Government has become a criminal enterprise.

[Louis Foxwell]

Hastert did more than many to insure an arms length, blind transaction. He is culpable in that he personally benefited from his own efforts as an elected representative. No ethics charges will stick to him because he was not personally involved in any transactions.

This is not similar to Harry Reid whose land deals had his fingerprints all over them. So much for being a good lawyer, a strange oxymoron.

Should ANY personal financial benefit redound to a politician in the conduct of their public affairs? Certainly not. To that end term limits are an absolute ethical necessity.

[aruanan]

Should ANY personal financial benefit redound to a politician in the conduct of their public affairs? Certainly not. To that end term limits are an absolute ethical necessity.

Your last sentence doesn't at all guarantee the outcome of the first sentence. In fact, term limits could make the situation even worse since an unscrupulous politician would know he has that limited number of shots to enrich himself through his legislative agenda. Furthermore, it would remove the threat of not being reelected as a means of moderating legislative behavior. Their entire last term, not just two and a half months, would be a lame duck session such as the House Democrats are planning for this year post-election and pre-swearing in legislative session.

Instead of term limits, especially with regard to the danger of lame ducks, it would be better to draft legislation that provides a very short recess after the election, giving those who lost enough time to pack up and get out of there while the recently elected move in. The threat of not getting reelected would moderate what they do while they are in office and the elimination of a legislative session after they lose and before the recently elected are sworn in would minimize their chances of screwing the public over as a lame duck.

[Venturer]

How did our Kenyan Community Organiser get a mansion in Chicago, and millions in the bank? Don’t tell me two books he wrote, that no one gave a crap about, until he was elected President made him that rich.

It is no wonder they want to tax the rich. They got theirs the easy way.
So many of our Millionaires had to work for it.

These guys vote taxes, easy come easy go. Maybe if their money came a bit harder they would appreciate it a bit more.

[italianquaker]

Illinois, odumbo must really be getting rich with all this corruption

[Louis Foxwell]

I like your protection against lame duck sessions. Unfortunately this cannot be legislated but remains a matter of choice for the ruling party.
Ethical and legal constraints must be part of a compact with legislators.