Transcript of Gov. Bob Wise's (D) E-Mails to Lover

Charleston Daily Mail ^ | 6/2/03

[LdSentinal]

The following are transcripts of some of the 541 e-mails exchanged between Gov. Bob Wise and Angela Mascia-Frye. The messages were obtained by the Daily Mail through a Freedom of Information Act request.

July 5, 2002: Mascia-Frye: Governor...You are the best Governor ever!! Wise: ...And thanks for saying I’m the best gov’r. Actually, I am the only one who keeps the same crazy e-mail hours that you do.

July 7, 2002 Wise: ...probably the best way is to leave a message on my cell which is ***blacked out*** Mascia-Frye: Thank you for your cell phone number. I won’t call you unless it’s absolutely necessary (life or death situation...).

July 15, 2002 Mascia-Frye: How is Idaho? Is the G-convention interesting? What is Idaho known for besides the delicious potatoes? I hope to meet you on the Internet highway tonight. Do you have the AOL instant messenger? Enjoy Idaho!!! Wise: Reporting from Idaho. As hard as it is to believe, this place really is built around the potato — including the bottle of Blue Ice vodka that showed up in our room. It’s a local product. ... Interestingly, my son and I were walking down a Boise street tonight and passed the Basque Center. Tell me if I need to do some boning up on Basque history and protocol.

[jpl]

Now where have we heard that argument before? And the liberals turned right around and said Bill Bennett's gambling was the public's business. Its funny who has the right to claim privacy.

The last time I checked, Bill Bennett wasn't an elected or appointed public official, and doesn't hold any official position of public trust.

[JohnnyZ]

See #19, gsgop was talking about the hypocricy of liberals who defended Bubba and attacked Bennett.

[Elsie]

I can't believe that in all the emails they must have sent to each other there were no references to sex.

---

Thanx for this info!

Now I won't have to wade thru all of them, looking for the 'good'stuff!!

[katz]

As the ad for Vegas states, "What happens here stays here". I think the ads are misleading and Bennett has a lawsuit win...............apparently what happened there didn't stay there!!!

[thoughtomator]

That's right, they're consenting adults and what they do within the law and in private is their business and not ours. Don't we have more substantitive issues against this guy?

[wimpycat]

The governor is carrying on an affair with a West Virginia employee using state facilities, state communications, and state time.

Technically, you're correct. But the only thing that makes it public property is the fact that he used state facilities on the taxpayers' dime. If that's the extent of state involvement, then I think this is a dirty way to weaken your opponent.

On the other hand, did his little sweetie get any special favors, courtesy of the taxpayers? Did she get a raise or a promotion she didn't deserve, due to his influence? If any of that is the case, that is the sort of conduct that goes beyond having an affair.

I still think it's rather icky for the paper to publish this stuff, though. If we all know they had an affair, isn't that enough? Why do we have to get a blow-by-blow (so to speak) account of what they said and what they did? The only legitimate reason there was for all the gory details of Bill & Monica to be in the Starr Report was because Bill said something under oath that wasn't true.

[JohnnyZ]

That's right, they're consenting adults and what they do within the law and in private is their business and not ours. Don't we have more substantitive issues against this guy?

This is not some Republican witch hunt against Bob Wise. That is NOT the point, and Republicans didn't have anything to do with exposing the affair, requesting release of the public documents making having to do with the affair . . . But as a campaign issue: it is fair to say that you can't trust Bob Wise. He's a liar. It is fair to say that Bob Wise won't work to uphold the traditional family structure and high standards of personal conduct. He has attacked both personally while in office. Those are two issues, at least, where Wise has failed just because of this affair. You think that's perfectly fine?

Personally I think it is important for this type of thing to be fully investigated to determine whether or not laws were broken, that sort of thing. If they were, they should be prosecuted; if not, people should know that too. You don't think people deserve to see for themselves?

Besides that, it's really incomprehensible to me how you don't think morality has any effect on politics. Governor cheats on his wife? That makes him a liar and a destroyer of families, and a failure to his own. Most people expect the government to try to uphold the fabric of society, not help tear it down. This is a lot more that "two consenting adults". That is the Clinton defense.

[gathersnomoss]

This is not about sex. He needs to move on and do the work of the people.

[wimpycat]

I'm not claiming the "consenting adults" defense on this guy's behalf. I already explained that to you. I'm only saying that I don't think any investigative purpose is served by the newspapers publishing these e-mails. All I need to know about his morals is that he had an affair--I don't need to know that he said this and she said that. This is the newspaper playing into the prurients interest of the public. If I were the newspaper editor, I would comb the e-mails for what looked to be signs of special favors he was giving her at state expense and only publish relevant excerpts. Not only would getting promotions or raises or trips she didn't deserve be immoral, it's illegal and he should be investigated for illegalities only. All I need to know about his morals is "had an affair".

[Hank Rearden]

I didn't need that first thing in the morning.

[JohnnyZ]

All I need to know about his morals is "had an affair".

Then you don't need to read the emails.

[wimpycat]

playing into the prurients interest of the public

make that "catering to the prurient interests of the public" ...Sheesh!

[wimpycat]

You don't "need" to read them, either. You want to read them.

[JohnnyZ]

You don't "need" to read them, either. You want to read them.

Actually, no, I don't care much, personally. I'm more interested in how people react to them, and reading a couple does has some benefit there. But I think that people have the right to see what their governor has been up to without the press filtering what they think the people should see.

[wimpycat]

I read a few of the e-mails and my reaction is I feel icky about it and don't want to read any more.

[thoughtomator]

I don't agree. Unless it can be shown that his private behavior substantially affected his service as Governor, then it's his private business. It's unseemly to be going through someone else's dirty laundry, political opponent or no. And 'destroyer of families' etc., well that was the same dirty trick that was pulled on Henry Hyde during the impeachment trial. It was low then, and it's low now. It's 2003, not 1903, and adultery is par for the course in this day and age. In the context of a 50% national divorce rate, you only look like a fanatic trying to pursue this, and may in fact cause a backlash by people who judge (rightly in my opinion) that the governor's opponents play dirty.

The Clinton situation was completely different. Not only was it clear that it did in fact affect his performance in office, but there were the additional violations concerning sexual harassment, perjury, and obstruction of justice at a minimum, not to mention violation of his oath of office and his 'wag the dog' pinprick attacks on empty terror camps.

[thoughtomator]

On the issue of personal and family conduct: I don't think government should have any say whatsoever with regards to this; it's none of the government's business how people act on a personal level, as long as they aren't breaching the law. And the government's record on making laws regarding families is absolutely abysmal! To what end other than purely partisan political advantage would any conservative want to arrogate authority over families and personal conduct to any government? The only result of that has been socialist brainwashing/drugging of children and a staggerring rate of divorce in all communities.

[JohnnyZ]

In the context of a 50% national divorce rate, you only look like a fanatic trying to pursue this, and may in fact cause a backlash by people who judge (rightly in my opinion) that the governor's opponents play dirty.

You really are choosing to be ignorant about this, aren't you? Republicans aren't pursuing some sort of sordid investigation, this was all from Wise himself and the AP. The PEOPLE OF WEST VIRGINIA have reacted very negatively to his adultery and many have said they will not vote for him in 2004.

You don't care about morality, but thank goodness West Virginians do. They don't want to settle for a 50% divorce rate, and they know the difference between Henry Hyde having one affair 30 years ago, reforming his ways and being faithful ever since, and Bob Wise setting a terrible example to the citizenry as the governor.

[JohnnyZ]

I don't think government should have any say whatsoever with regards to this

Please try to know what you're posting about. The government is not prosecuting Wise or anything like that.

Forget you, you only want to put up straw men to argue against. Read what is actually happening and try to use your brain for once. This conversation is over with.

[thoughtomator]

I think the government as arbiter of morality is extremely bad for the cause you are pursuing. Caveat emptor.