Why No Calls For Barton To Resign

[Me.]

or has that disgusting pic become comme il faut for the Cons? Is it that this is the day before Thanksgiving and a slow news day?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. If the photo was solicited there were no victims.

[Me.]

3. But Was It

has anyone come forward to say I wanted that horror to be sent to me

[Blue_Adept]

16. I love your heavy judgment

You've become what you hate. Congrats.

[JI7]

2. Because it was all consensual. He did nothing wrong.

[Me.]

5. Proof?

[msongs]

7. proof is only needed if it was something "wrong" legally speaking nt

[LisaL]

47. Here is what she claims.

""He says to me, 'Do you want me to send you a picture of myself?' I said, 'Oh no, no. Please do not do that.' It kind of started there," she said."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/powerpost/congressman-told-woman-he-would-report-her-to-capitol-police-if-she-exposed-his-secret-sex-life/2017/11/22/e3345862-cf10-11e7-a1a3-0d1e45a6de3d_story.html

[Ilsa]

57. He may have violated ethics rules by having a relationship

while still married? I dunno, maybe that's not an ethics thing.

[VermontKevin]

4. Because no one should give a shit what consenting adults do?

Are children or animals involved?

No?

Then I don't give a shit.

[Me.]

9. My Point

was it consensual, how did it end up online

[brooklynite]

6. I'm guessing: this wasn't a case of sexual harrassment?

This was, as far as I know, a consensual matter between two adults.

[riverwalker]

8. They are calling it revenge porn

And the Republicans say he is the victim.

[Me.]

10. That Makes Sense

[LisaL]

12. Well, if it's revenge porn,

shouldn't police be looking for whoever released this image?

[jberryhill]

21. Because that is not illegal in many jurisdictions

[Blue_Adept]

23. Revenge Porn Laws By State

http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/revenge-porn-laws-by-state.html

Texas Penal Code 21.16

Without the effective consent of the depicted person, the person intentionally discloses visual material depicting another person with the person’s intimate parts exposed or engaged in sexual conduct.

Class A misdemeanor

[LisaL]

28. In this particular instance, the intimate part was covered by a blue box.

[JI7]

14. I agree that it's the ex that released it that is the asshole. We got some laughs

But he didn't do anything wrong and would be the victim.

[LisaL]

19. How do you know that whoever released the image, actually asked for it to be send to them?

Supposedly there is a video of him masturbating, and the image is a still from that video.

[JI7]

20. It was sent to someone he was involved with.

[LisaL]

26. According to him, we haven't heard from whoever received the image.

[onenote]

29. And if we never hear from them there is no evidence that it was unsolicited.

[LisaL]

46. We heard.

Here is what she claims about him wanting to send her a picture.

""He says to me, 'Do you want me to send you a picture of myself?' I said, 'Oh no, no. Please do not do that.' It kind of started there," she said.""
https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/powerpost/congressman-told-woman-he-would-report-her-to-capitol-police-if-she-exposed-his-secret-sex-life/2017/11/22/e3345862-cf10-11e7-a1a3-0d1e45a6de3d_story.html

[jberryhill]

61. And then he forced her to fly to DC to have sex?

And did so repeatedly?

And when she found out he was seeing other women, she threatened to blackmail him with the photos?

Sounds like revenge porn.

[LisaL]

63. Poor thing is the victim here, I see.

[jberryhill]

66. Heres a tip for avoiding unwanted repeated sex

Don’t buy airline tickets to go see him.

[Me.]

33. Revenge For What

[LisaL]

11. I want to hear from the women.

Did they ask for any of this to be send to them?

[Me.]

13. Exactly

[jberryhill]

24. Quite obviously there is no woman claiming that

[LisaL]

30. Because nobody came forward to explain how they got this image.

[jberryhill]

38. Yes, and?

People have phones and social media accounts hacked every day, and nobody comes forward to say they did that. So what?

It’s pretty obvious that if this was let loose by the recipient, they’d be saying so. Nobody who received Anthony Weiner’s dick pics was shy about that.

This kind of thing is done to people all of the time.

[LisaL]

42. And? Read the Washington post article.

[jberryhill]

60. Argentina reports new clue in search for missing submarine

Wapo has a number of articles. Having just woke up from a three hour nap, perhaps you might reference one.

Has a woman come forward to say she was send these out of the blue or something?

[Me.]

39. The Woman Speaks

and so it begins

[still_one]

15. Any progressive calling for Franken to resign is NOT looking at implications of what that would do.

While Minnesota has a Democratic Governor, and would most likely replace Franken with another Democrat should Franken decide to resign, the problem is that I believe they can also call for a special election as soon as possible, and that would add an element of risk that I don't think we can afford to take at this time.

That does not mean that you approve of Franken's alleged despicable behavior, but it gives us time to take back the Senate in 2018, and prevent another Gorsuch in the SC should a vacancy happen, and if people don't think things couldn't get worse, they certainly can.

[LisaL]

18. This is the wrong thread. We are talking about Joe Barton here, a congressman from TX.

[still_one]

25. I know that Lisa, but the OP is implying that only calls for Democrats to resign is being suggested,

not republicans, and I am simply taking it a step beyond, that Franken should NOT resign.

Most of us are aware that Democrats have a much higher bar among Democrats than republicans among republicans

[Brother Buzz]

17. Forget it, Jake. It's Texas.

[Oneironaut]

22. I'll ask a different question: Why is even an issue? There is no victim.

While I personally question why someone would send nude photos on their phone due to what can happen (your phone isn't as secure as you think it is), this seems to be a victimless controversy. If I'm not mistaken, he sent the photos to his ex-wife.

[LisaL]

27. You are mistaken. He didn't send it to his ex-wife.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. He sent a nude selfie to someone who he was in a relationship with.

I would call sending nude selfies to anybody, ever, an instance of poor judgment because nothing is ever private once it's sent. It can be hacked, or released as revenge porn. This particular photo and accompanying text has got to be painfully embarrassing (he looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy) but it was an act that apparently was intended as private and consensual.

[LisaL]

32. According to twitter, it was actually a video.

The image is taken from the video.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

34. Still, it was intended to be private.

Maybe his then-girlfriend has unusual taste as far as the male physique goes. And if it was a video I don't think I want to see any of it in motion.

[LisaL]

35. I would like to hear what she says.

[LisaL]

40. And here it is.

"Rep. Joe Barton, who apologized Wednesday for a lewd photo of him that circulated on the Internet, told a woman to whom he had sent sexually explicit photos, videos and messages that he would report her to the Capitol Police if she exposed his behavior, according to a recording reviewed by The Washington Post."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/congressman-told-woman-he-would-report-her-to-capitol-police-if-she-exposed-his-secret-sex-life/2017/11/22/e3345862-cf10-11e7-a1a3-0d1e45a6de3d_story.html?utm_term=.5bcefd52b835

[Me.]

41. Right...There It Is

Why would anyone take a Con's word at face value

[LisaL]

43. Seems like if this was a democrat, some posters would be much harsher on him.

Kind of bizarre, considering this is supposed to be a democratic underground.

[Me.]

44. I Agree

And am surprised at how fast they dismissed this story out of hand.

[LisaL]

45. And totally believed his claims without questioning.

Democrats don't even get the benefit of the doubt like that here.

[jberryhill]

68. What did she say that contradicts what he said?

She confirms that they had a consensual sexual relationship.

She found out he was seeing other women, and she threatened to release the material which she had apparently been so offended about that she kept it around for years.

Seems like she believes his story too.

[Me.]

36. THat Is The Point

we only have his and the Cons word for it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

48. Oops, now it looks like he threatened the woman

with a report to the capitol police. Just now on MSNBC. That casts a whole different light on it.

[LisaL]

50. I am just surprised posters here just took his word for everything.

Democrats aren't even believed like that here.

[jberryhill]

62. For threatening revenge porn

Blackmail is also illegal. What about the relationship was non-consensual?

[LisaL]

64. OMG.

I think you are on the wrong site.

[jberryhill]

65. He forced her on airplanes repeatedly?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

67. They sound like they deserve each other.

[jberryhill]

69. I'm curious

About the "threatened to report her to the police".

Uh, if someone threatens to commit a crime against me, and I say I'll call the police if they do, then I take it that I'm "threatening them".

[KWR65]

37. I think 90% of people with smart phones have sent nudes to other people.

Maybe ten years ago this would have shocked people, but today every one is posting nekkid pics.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

49. Not me or anybody I know.

But then, we're old.

Also not dumb enough to assume such things will always stay safely private.

[PJMcK]

51. 'Cause he's a Republican? (n/t)

[Me.]

52. YEP

[PJMcK]

53. Wow!

17,000 posts! Keep it up, Me.!

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Me.]

54. I Didn't Even Notice

You're my 17,000 post.....this moment will last forever

Even if this post will be 17,001.....

Happy Thanksgiving To You!

[klook]

55. I call for ALL Republicans to resign!

The future of the planet and our society depend on it!

It would be cool if Barton went first, but I'm really not all that picky as long as they all resign by the end of this calendar year.

[L. Coyote]

56. Because his picture of himself is sooo bad it is toooo much punishment already?

No one should have to suffer that much embarrasment.

If this is revenge porn, Mission Accomplished.

[LisaL]

58. It gets worse. It's actually from a video of him.

[L. Coyote]

59. Oh noooos, videos have endings.