Exclusive: Indiana Rep. Mark Souder to Resign Amid Affair With Staffer

Fox News ^ | May 18, 2010 | Chad Pergram & Steve Brown

[rdl6989]

Eight-term Rep. Mark Souder will announce his resignation Tuesday after it came to light that he was conducting an affair with a female staffer who worked in his district office, Fox News has learned.

Multiple senior House sources indicated that the extent of the affair would have landed Souder before the House Ethics Committee.

Elected as a family values conservative as part of the Republican revolution in 1994, Souder survived a tough re-election challenge in 2008 and survived a contested primary two weeks ago.

[for-q-clinton]

Looks like he did wait. From the news article:

All the way through his election, Souder tried to knock down the affair story, calling it revenge politics at play. But the backroom chatter in Indiana and among the GOP on Capitol Hill became too much to survive. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was informed as late as Monday night that Souder would give up his post.

[BushCountry]

I wonder if it was his “Chief of Staff?”

[allmendream]

I remember when the rule was “A dead girl or a live boy.”

That rule is out the window!

Now didn't I hear just a decade or so ago, that sex with an employee at the work location during working hours was your “private life”?

Or does that only count for chubby Jewish interns? Or is it that it only counts if you are a charismatic pro-Choice Democrat?

[MayflowerMadam]

Interesting that when GOPs get caught on morals they resign, but the Dems see it as a badge of honor.

[dfwgator]

“Affairs of state must take precedence over the affairs of state.”

[TheOldLady]

I have no idea, but somehow his enemies were tipped, and that was the end of him. From the article:

"Jackson, a part-time aide who worked in Souder's northern Indiana district office, handled communications for the congressman in the district and periodically travelled with him. According to Legistorm.com, Jackson earned $12,541.70 from Souder's office last year. She is still on the staff.

"Jackson began working for Souder in December 2004 as a 'special assistant/communications' aide who earned $533.33 that year."

[Red Badger]

Hypocrisy is a commodity to liberals............

[Clintonfatigued]

Souder should have honored his term limits pledge. He had clearly gotten Patomic Fever. It’s to his credit that he’s resigning.

[BushCountry]

Last one promise, an insensitive quote from the article? She is still on the staff.

[GRRRRR]

Exactly, Dems get caught on taxes and stealing and drowning people...we get caught dipping a wick and quit..

[melancholy]

I wonder if it was his “Chief of Staff?”

Chief of stuff is more like it!

[JRochelle]

I am glad it turned out this way.

If you would have been subjected to the rantings and crazy ads that Bob Thomas ran during the primary, you wouldn't care one whit about what Thomas feels.

If the party picks Thomas to replace SOuder on the ballot, count me out!

Marlin Stutzman lives in this district and it should go to him.

[Jim Noble]

but real conservatives must be like Caesar’s wife, which fits right in with real conservative values and behavior.

Dream on.

[TheOldLady]

Looks like he did wait. From the news article:

"All the way through his election, Souder tried to knock down the affair story, calling it revenge politics at play. But the backroom chatter in Indiana and among the GOP on Capitol Hill became too much to survive. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was informed as late as Monday night that Souder would give up his post."

Yes, you're right. He fought the hook but was finally exhausted. He has some fence-mending to do at home, too.

Another thing, he said that his job was keeping him too busy to deal with his family and his faith. But I guess he wasn't too busy for a floozy.

[JRochelle]

Bob Thomas is vile scum. Trust me.

[rahbert]

[allmendream]

Well when you make all your arguments with an eye towards expediency and convenience rather than principle and ideology; hypocrisy seems unavoidable.

“We respect women, and sexual harassment is a serious crime” they say.

Except when one of our guys wants to turn the employee pool into his own personal harem where the policy is you have to “give a head to get ahead”.

Then sex with an employee in the office during working hours becomes your “private life”. And securing her a better job post internship than any other intern, well that was just a personal favor; not a well documented habit of securing favors and cushy jobs to the women that succumbed to his advances.

Now imagine the hew and cry if Rush Limbaugh was found to have had affairs with numerous women in his employ, as David Letterman was. Do any of us NOT imagine an incessant call for his head from the NAG’s?

[Don Carlos]

Switch to the dem party, quick. That’s a great resume enhancer!

[TheOldLady]

Yes, but he quit, so there is no staff, so she won’t be for long.

Last one? You promise? ??? I don’t mind talking.

[AmishDude]

The dichotomy couldn’t be more clear. The Republican has to leave for an affair (with an employee, perfectly appropriate) but no Democrat would have to. The Democrats, in a crass and cynical political move, out him right after the primary.

I mind less that they aren’t held to the same personal morality standards as Republicans, but they can engage in obvious and slimy dirty tricks and get away with that, too.