This weekend, Joe Lieberman got caught on film trying to claim he didn't make statements about the Mark Foley sex predator cover-up that earlier video footage showed that he made. Worse, he tried to claim Ned Lamont made those statements, when Ned has been calling for Hastert's immediate resignation all along. Now, apparently panicking, Lieberman is giving a speech today about the need to "protect children" from online predators. Yet in the wake of all the evidence showing that Hastert's office was informed of Foley's predatorial behavior, he continues to reiterate that he does not think Speaker Hastert should immediate step down. Instead, he continues to attack Ned Lamont for saying it's time for Hastert to resign immediately.
Daily Cup of Joe at www.truthaboutjoe.com goes through all of the evidence that shows Hastert knew. Even if you believe the details of when Hastert knew what are in question, it is clear as Ned Lamont has said that Hastert cannot effectively govern the U.S. House under this cloud of scandal.
The big question is simple: why does Lieberman continue to defend those who covered up a child sex predator scandal? How can the man who sprinted to the floor of the U.S. Senate to grandstand during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal now tell people we should just sit back and let those who covered up a child sex predator scandal stay in power?
The answer should be frightening to all Democrats. The reason Lieberman is behaving this way is because he is beholden to the political machine that helped cover this up. He is raising massive campaign contributions from the same right-wing financiers who bankroll the national Republican Party. He is very publicly threatening to caucus with Republicans should he be reelected. Worse, even if he organizes with Democrats, he could lead the investigative committee charged with performing oversight of the Bush administration - a position where he could squash the kinds of serious enforcement and oversight we need right now during this sex predator cover up.
Honestly, I thought I had seen all there was to see in terms of how much Lieberman would serve as a public apologist for Bush and the Republicans. I thought his attacks on Iraq War critics and his vote in support of the Bush Energy Bill were the major examples. Sadly, I was wrong. This is a man now using Connecticut's Senate seat to prevent those who covered up a child sex predator scandal from being immediately held accountable. It is sickening - and it's time for a change.
(DISCLOSURE: I have long been a volunteer supporter of Ned Lamont's candidacy and written extensively about the race. As of Labor Day, I am officially working with the Lamont for Senate campaign on research. The writing on this blog is my own, and not the official work I do for the Lamont campaign.)