Posted on 06/23/2004 11:16:59 AM PDT by Nachum
CHICAGO - Top members of Senate candidate Jack Ryan's own party are questioning his honesty after the unsealing of his embarrassing divorce papers, a controversy that some analysts say could sink his campaign.
Republican National Committee (news - web sites) member Mary Jo Arndt said Ryan misled her about the contents of the divorce records, which include allegations that he insisted that his then-wife, actress Jeri Lynn Ryan, go to sex clubs with him. Ryan denied the allegations.
The records were released Monday after a judge ordered the documents unsealed. Ryan and his ex-wife both fought the release, saying it would be harmful to their 9-year-old son.
"I feel he betrayed all of us by implying there was nothing detrimental in the sealed records," Arndt said. "I don't think he was protecting his son; I think he was protecting his political aspirations."
Ryan insisted Tuesday that he is staying in the race and expects to overcome the negative publicity. In the divorce papers, he denied his wife's allegations and said he had been "faithful and loyal" to her.
Ryan told reporters he "tried as hard as I could" to tell party officials what was in the documents. "I told everybody the exact same thing — there was nothing in the file that would prevent me from running for the U.S. Senate."
Other Republicans who once supported Ryan have distanced themselves from him, including former Gov. Jim Edgar, whose aide said Edgar wasn't given a full description of what was in the divorce files before they became public.
Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., called on Ryan to quit the campaign.
Political consultant Fred LeBed noted that polls already showed Ryan's opponent in the general election, Democrat Barack Obama, holding a wide lead over Ryan in a state that has been trending Democratic in recent elections.
"Someone who was bleeding before would now be a political hemophiliac," LeBed said. "I don't know how he can stop the bleeding and salvage this candidacy, particularly when members of his own party are calling for him to get out of the race."
Obama said he isn't interested in the allegations and wants to stick to issues.
The head of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, Sen. George Allen of Virginia, said Tuesday that he still supports Ryan.
Ryan "has the ability to forcefully articulate issues and ideas that matter," Allen said. "His ex-wife Jeri has said he's a good man and he's a loving father, and his in-laws have also talked about what an outstanding U.S. Senator he will be. So we are — I am — strongly supporting Jack Ryan."
Ryan said he will overcome the allegations because he didn't break the law, his marriage vows or the Ten Commandments. Other people accused of worse have been elected, he said.
"I think if that's the worst people can say about me in the heat of a difficult dispute, I think it speaks very well about my character," he told WBEZ-FM.
But Mike Lawrence, interim director of the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, said the allegations raise serious questions about the millionaire former investment banker-turned-teacher.
"I think it's going to be very difficult for him to run a credible race," Lawrence said. "This is not about some complex financial deal. ... These are allegations of a kind of behavior that people will react to."
The Chicago Tribune and Chicago TV station WLS sued to have the documents released.
How could the judge then release them anyway???
Well, I have no objections to the guy wanting to get a little freaky with Jeri Ryan (I mean, c'mon, it's Jeri Ryan!), but he's being legalistic when he says there was nothing that could prevent him from running for the Senate. That's technically true, but there's plenty in there that could prevent the voters from wanting to elect him. And that's the big difference.
Because the judge is empowered to do so. Doesn't make it "right" just makes it possible.
Its this kind of irresponsible behavior by judges that caused us to institute Mandatory Sentencing....which I'll guess this particular judge is against.
I'll also guess the judge in question is a Democrat, and left leaning to boot.
As we know, when it comes to liberal judges, the desires of any involved are secondary to political agenda's.
The only thing that could save Ryan's candidacy, if it can be saved (doubtful he would win in any event) would be for his ex wife to make a public statement in support.
don't hold your breath.....
Don't you know? Judges are above the law.
What the hell is it with Illinois Republicans and scumbags named "Ryan"?
We have a friend going through a messy divorce who is living with us right now because of a single allegation that she is "a danger to herself and to her children," which prompted the judge to strip her of custody of her children, and to kick her out of her house. From what we're seeing in her divorce case, there can be any number of unproven allegations brought against an individual in a divorce case which have absolutely no basis in fact. The husband in this particular court case involving our friend is a baldfaced liar. You should see all of the "allegations" brought against his wife, which she's now desperately trying to refute. Basically, there is no justice in family court.
...btw, our friend will probably run out of money for her own defense before she's able to refute the allegations against her. She's contemplating simply walking away from the case before she becomes pennyless. If she does, the "allegations" brought by her creep of a husband will remain unrebutted. Justice is indeed "blind."
>> The head of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, Sen. George Allen of Virginia, said Tuesday that he still supports Ryan. <<
Sen. George Allen, head of the Meathead wing of the Republican Party. Ya know, sort a like game show hosts, except they suck at public speaking. Not a RINO, as in being a wolf in sheep's clothing, but just an apolitical hack who saw the Republican Party as the way to the top... Allen is to the GOP what Cardinal Law is to the Catholic Church: faithful because its politically useful, not because he's a true believer.
I don't necessarily believe the assertions, either. But he was asked, "Is there anything here that can hurt you?" He said, "no." He lied to his supporters and to his party. That's the kind of lying, if you recall, that got *Democrats* angry at Clinton. The story isn't the allegation, it's the cover-up.
That and the fact that Ryan is a RINO.
The only thing that could save Ryan's candidacy, if it can be saved (doubtful he would win in any event) would be for his ex wife to make a public statement in support.
don't hold your breath
________
uhhh, according to the story I read, she did exactly that.
what law did the judge violate. be specific.
from the cnn.com story
"Jeri Ryan, who starred in the TV shows "Boston Public" and "Star Trek: Voyager," also issued a conciliatory statement, saying that she now considers her ex-husband "a friend" and has "no doubt that he will make an excellent senator."
He probably didn't violate any law. But judges can do what they damn well want to do, regardless of fairness, equity, or the privacy rights of others. Judges-for-life, unanswerable to anyone, are a curse upon the very concept of justice.
"How could the judge then release them anyway???"
Unfortunately, that's the law in California and lots of other states. The theory is that the public (read media) has the right to access to public records (including judicial filings) unless there is a "clear and present danger" of serious personal harm (the Hearst family got to delete personal addresses at a time of death threats to the family).
I'm not making excuses for Ryan. I'm simply saying that anyone can bring any charge against a person in a divorce proceeding, and then that person can be crucified in public for unsubstantiated "allegations" later. He should have been forthcoming, but he made the mistake in assuming that the files in his divorce case would remain confidential. Big mistake, considering that there are judges and journalists who will stop at nothing to destroy the lives of people they politically disagree with.
"I don't necessarily believe the assertions, either. But he was asked, "Is there anything here that can hurt you?" He said, "no." He lied to his supporters and to his party. That's the kind of lying, if you recall, that got *Democrats* angry at Clinton. The story isn't the allegation, it's the cover-up."
Well, if the world made any sense, unsubstantiated allegations made by an ex-wife during divorce proceeding aren't something anyone would pay any attention to, but I suppose the sad truth is that many people will give some credence to this sort of allegation, and thus it could hurt him and his party.
The only thing that could save Ryan's candidacy, if it can be saved (doubtful he would win in any event) would be for his ex wife to make a public statement in support.
don't hold your breath
________
uhhh, according to the story I read, she did exactly that."
I mean today, tonight, tomorrow. All the news shows that will give her air time.
Even with that, its doubtful he would win. But it might help their child, which should be of paramount concern.
LOL. You want her to actively campaign for him. OK. The fact remains that she did come out and make a public statement of support.
I wouldn't waste any time on this one...this is Illinois...the only time Republicans win is when the Democrats put up a total idiot or jackass or both.
Obama, despite the sound of his name, is neither, and is a shoo-in....Republicans should write Illinois off now.
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