Shays Invokes Chappaquiddick

(AP)  Republican Rep. Christopher Shays defended the House speaker's handling of a congressional page scandal, saying no one died like at Chappaquiddick in 1969 when Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy was involved.

"I know the speaker didn't go over a bridge and leave a young person in the water, and then have a press conference the next day," the embattled Connecticut congressman told The Hartford Courant in remarks published Wednesday.

"Dennis Hastert didn't kill anybody," he added.

Shays' comments recalled the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, when Kennedy's car ran off a Massachusetts bridge, killing his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy did not immediately report the tragedy and later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident.

Last week, Kennedy campaigned for Democrat Diane Farrell, who is locked in a bitter fight with Shays that could help determine whether Democrats recapture the House after 12 years of GOP control.

"This is symptomatic of Chris losing his composure in a tight race," Farrell said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. "Chris just seems to be lashing out in anger."

Farrell said the scandal, which polls show could hurt the GOP's bid to hang onto control, has affected her because her 19-year-old daughter Margaret was a Senate page when she was 16.

"My first reaction to this whole scandal had nothing to do with politics," she said. "It was as a parent who had a child participating in the program."

Shays cited Chappaquiddick in an interview Friday when he was asked about Farrell's call for him to return money raised by Hastert. The speaker has been under fire for his handling of disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley's sexually explicit messages to young pages.

Farrell has called for Shays to return any money raised for him by Hastert. She and other Democrats have called for Hastert to resign.

[bluestardad]

Shay's History he is going to go where usless Republicans all go, on the government payroll somewhere at some think tank on giving away our country.

[energyecon]

So this is how GOP hacks run cover for a pedophile...

[newsjeff-2009]

I have an idea, let the republicans run Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter run for office. Let see, one is a fat,overweight talk show or radio host, the other is a blonde book writer, both Coulter and Limbaugh are probably so out of touch with average,working class Americans it is probably not even funny. Limbaugh and Coulter need to wake up and smell the roses, Kerry did not get elected president, Bill Clinton is retired, the GOP controls the house,senate, and white house, and the problems of this country are not just the fault of democrats, Bush and the GOP control the government now, so republicans are responsible for this country's problems, not Clinton or Kerry.

[newsjeff-2009]

I was not alive in 1969, but from what I have read numerous times, my conclusion is if Ted Kennedy was total guilty for that woman's death, and was a horrible person why has Ted Kennedy won many re-elections since then? My opinion is Ted Kennedy might have done something wrong, but for him to be called a guilty man he must be found guilty in a court of law, and by a fair trial. Mark Foley's mistakes are a little more recent and involve minor children.

[themooniac]

Not only did they cover for Foley but the Republicans urged him again and again to continue running for office. They liked him in Congress. Shays is just bitter the chickens are coming home to roost.

[the74blaster]

I agree! The fact that they covered up Foley's behavior is totally unacceptable for public servents.

What is equally disturbing is how many of the GOP faithful were perfectly willing to accept it as consenting *** rather than sexual exploitation of a minor.

The only honorable thing was that congressman Foley resigned. However, I wonder if it was because he knew that it was about to become public knowledge.

[barbarast59]

Theres a big difference between a womanizer and a child predator and those that protect child predators. I am so sick of our elected officials doing whatever it takes to protect their positions. What Ted Kennedy did was terrible but Maryjo Kopecne was a consenting adult. What Foley and Hastert did was against our children that we try to protect. Their president has our young men and women dying in a war that we have no right to be involved in and now others in the party our endangering our children at home.

[the74blaster]

Its a pretty sad when you need to go back 37 years to find some issue to bash Kennedy or 12 years to bash Clinton. As an independent we only need to watch the news on a daily basis to find fault with the GOP controlled congress.

Its too bad were cannot do anything about those immoral democrats since they out of office, with the exception of Kennedy. However, we can do something about the current immoral congress.

I quess that means were better off voting for a democratic majority.

Simple problem and a simple solution.

[jw218389]

Wow! It's amazing to watch all these "family values" Republicans stand up tall and publically defend a child molestor.

Sorry, but an affair with an adult woman is not even remotely as sick and heinous as *** with a child. Not to mention that *** with a child is also a felony... I believe adultry is now only illegal in Texas (where art is also illegal ;-).

You have to draw the line somewhere...evidently the GOP thinks *** with children is okay.

YUUUUKKKK! VOTE THE CROOKS OUT!! 11/7/2006 BE THERE!!

[jsilver2th]

In 2000 critics brought up old Drunk Driving charges of a certain El President and Vice-President which were all forgiven by the Republican Party and the FOX talking heads- even though that conduct had equal risk of Kennedy's tragedy. Call in Ann Coulter to blame the 9/11 widows and find that junky Rush Limbaugh to blame John Kerry. If any of these lived by the Biblical commandment to let the one that had not sinned cast the first stone ...