Posted on 02/22/2011 6:22:29 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Oregon Rep. David Wu apologized Tuesday for sending photos of himself dressed in a tiger costume to aides, calling that and other behavior last fall “unprofessional” and “inappropriate” as his mental health suffered.
“You shouldn’t ever send photographs of yourself in a Halloween costume, something you intend to wear to a private party a couple of nights later,” the Democrat said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It’s just not professional, even when you’re joshing around with your kids a couple of nights before Halloween. I did send those photographs. It was unprofessional, inappropriate.”
Half a dozen Wu staffers have quit since he won reelection in November, and reports from Willamette Week and The Oregonian have detailed what appears to be Wu’s deteriorating mental health in the weeks before Election Day. His staffers asked him to enter a hospital for psychiatric treatment — something Wu said Tuesday he declined to do — as he behaved erratically during the month of October.
In addition to sending the tiger costume photos, Wu wrote e-mails to some staffers that were in the voice of his children, including one in the voice of his son in which he asked staffers to “[c]ut him some slack, man.” Wu also behaved oddly at a county political meeting, at a fundraiser with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and at other events.
“This was a very difficult time in my life,” Wu said on ABC. “Last October was not a good month. It was very stressful. I did some things, I said some things, which I sincerely regret now.”
But, he said, he has sought out “professional help” and is “continuing to consult medical help as I need it.”
The Oregonian reported late Monday that Wu named himself treasurer of his reelection campaign following the departure of the aide who served as his campaign treasurer for four years. On Tuesday, Wu said it is “a very temporary situation … until we get a new campaign treasurer.”
Wu also insisted that he’s able to handle his legislative responsibilities.
“I’m in a good place now,” he said. “I’m taking care of my two children — they’re doing well. I’m taking care of my 88-year-old mother. I’m taking care of myself. And very importantly, I’m taking care of the 1st congressional District and the people in the 1st congressional District of Oregon.”
“I emphatically can do that job. I am doing that job,” he said. “Only time will demonstrate that to my constituents, and hopefully the Americans listening out there will take care of themselves, for both mental and physical health, as a result of hearing this. I hope this is one small step in that direction.”
Why do these loons just get a pass every time they apologize? He will be right back at it when the cameras are gone. Why do we not hold people, especially elected representatives, accountable?
JoMa
When asked what he thinks of Wisconsin legislators fleeing to Illinois, Wu responded “THEY”RE GREAT!!”
What, the rat costume was at the cleaners?
It’s a Haloween costume. Who cares?
My problem with Wu is not his choice of costumes. It’s how he votes and what bills he sponsors.
Why on earth would the Portland suburbs want to be represented by such a loon? Don’t be surprised if he retires next year.
If this is the best representation that Portland can come up with, they must be very apathetic.
Why didn’t these folks on Capitol Hill raise questions when the pictures of algore in halloween costumes were plastered all over the internet?
Why on earth would the Portland suburbs want to be represented by such a loon?
The answer to that is in your 6th word.
I think he’s finally come un-gWUed!
It doesn’t hurt to have vote manufacturing in Little Chicago.
Pray for America
Maybe he’s just an A-hole. I guess you had to be there but I don’t see a photo of your Halloween costume as being up there in terms of “inappropriate behavior”.
Hey Congressman Wu, don't forget about the upcoming Furrie get-together...
LOL. Thanks for posting these. Newby Freepers need to see what almost was elected...and the country saved from. Did you see the letters “ho” just to the right of Tipper’s pix in the Beauty and the Beast set?
I agree on that point, but they're also talking about his employees quitting and others trying to talk him into checking into a mental institution. The only thing I can guess is that he'd been doing bizarre things and then sends out the email of himself in a tiger costume and it made people go "Okay, what's next?"
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