Cong Bill Young R-FL-reportedly not allowed to be around women while on official business in Italy

[kpete]

GOP Cong. Bill Young (R-FL) reportedly not allowed to be around women while on official business in Italy
by John Aravosis (DC) on 6/09/2011 04:27:00 PM


Congressman Bill Young (R-FL), the second ranking Republican on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is in Italy this week on a congressional delegation. A funny thing happened to the female Foreign Service Officer who organized Young's entire trip, and was supposed to travel with him to two Italian cities (in addition to Rome). The "control officer," as her job is called, got removed from her job handling the congressman's trip. Why? Because, my source tells me, his wife doesn't permit women to staff the congressman.

Now, perhaps the Congressman has a weiner problem. I know of another now-deceased famous Italian-American congressman (Democrat) who tongued a friend of mine during a congressional delegation in the early 90s (she was shaken and mortified). So I get that for some of the guys it's important to keep them away from women. But...

This is America in 2011. We don't get to yank women, especially government employees, off of their jobs because the guy they're working with may be a perv. That's the guy's problem, not the woman's. And I'd submit that this might even be a violation of the executive branch's EEO policy with regards to discrimination based on gender. They can't remove a woman, who works for the executive branch, from a project because of her gender, her race, or any other protected category.

http://www.americablog.com/2011/06/gop-cong-bill-young-r-fl-reportedly-not.html

[JDPriestly]

1. That is gender discrimination.

If the congressman's wife cannot trust him alone with another woman . . . now that is a real problem as compared to Weiner's problem which is a virtual one.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. "Honey, do you like 'Young' men? Huh, baby?"

"Cuz, I'm a Young man, every inch, every bit. I know you want me. I just know it. I see it in your eyes. You're begging for it, I can tell. Hey, ain't you a public servant? Well, service this, baby!"

There are some very attractive women in Italy. Unlike many parts of Florida, European women take great pains to look attractive and feminine in public. In many parts of Europe, prostitution is legal. Sex does not have the miserable puritanical christian taint that we force upon such an natural act in the States.

What gets me is this: Since when does a congresscritter's godly, bible beating, christian wife get to order the Foreign Service folks around?

[slampoet]

7. "miserable puritanical christian taint"

I have a new taunt to yell.

"You miserable puritanical christian taint."

[aquart]

3. Or the wife could be a jealous psycho

And this is the easiest way to deal with her. And safer for the staffer. Sorry, but people make these adjustments every damn day in workplaces all over the place.

Yes, it's wrong. But it's less wrong than a lot of things. And there is just no chance of my getting worked up about it.

[gratuitous]

5. That's another possibility

She also may just understand the congressman far better than the congressman is wont to tell young women when he's alone with them.

I have heard that Billy Graham, from the earliest days of his ministry, arranges to never be left alone in a room with a woman not his wife. Considering there has never been even the whisper of a breath of scandal involving Graham and sexual improprieties, others may contemplate whether this is an expedient worth adopting.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. I agree. I will spend all my energy to make sure that

Billy graham never spends a minute alone with a woman not his wife.

[nichomachus]

6. Or the wife could be politically savvy

and know that if there are no women around there can't even be an allegation of improper behavior.



However, I'm betting on "perv."

[aquart]

10. Well, unless he throws his arm around one of the guys.

Really, you're not even safe using a robot anymore.

[nichomachus]

11. I, for one, have never "used" a robot

Unless you count that unfortunate experience with the Roomba

[aquart]

12. Very prying, those Roombas.

[pinboy3niner]

13. I hear that once you go Roomba you never go back

[Dems2002]

4. Is he Bible Belt Baptist?

It may not be that there's an actual problem, but rather he's trying to avoid temptation. I have some super religious family members and they approach things like fidelity with humbleness. They do not think that they are somehow superior from those who might cheat, realize that temptation can occur and so do their best to avoid situations that could lead to temptation. Not being alone with non-family members of the opposite sex is one thing that is fairly common, and I know my cousin's husband has a child lock on his computer so he can't access any pornographic sites. In his case, it's not that he had done so in the past, but he wants to remove the temptation to do so.

I think it sucks when it interferes with a woman doing her job, as it does in the Congressman's case, and I know it seems silly to many people on this forum, but in its purest form, I have a lot of respect for people who are true practitioners of their religion attempting to do the best they can to live a moral life to the best of their abilities.

[DFab420]

9. He obviously can't be trusted.. He should resign!

:rofl:

[Sonoman]

14. "his wife doesn't permit women to staff the congressman."

"Staff?"

Is that what they're calling it now?

Sonoman