Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) on Tuesday said the allegations that former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) paid hush money to a male student he reportedly sexually abused while he was a high school teacher and coach shed new light on his role in former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
In an appearance on “HuffPost Live,” Frank said it was ironic that Hastert presided over the impeachment proceedings involving Clinton’s affair with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky. News reports based on anonymous sources in recent days have said Hastert was accused of abusing a high school-age boy. Lewinsky at the time was an adult. Frank also invoked Hastert’s predecessor Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and ex-Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA), who were involved in extramarital affairs during the impeachment proceedings.
“These people get together to impeach Bill Clinton, who looks like almost a virgin in that crowd,” Frank said.
Frank added that in his opinion, Hastert’s greatest hypocrisy was attempting to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage through the House.
Watch below via HuffPost Live:
I freaking love Barney.
Republicans live by the Victorian Ideal- keep up appearances, appear to be good “civilized” people, and do all that dirty stuff behind closed doors.
Barney, you are f’ing priceless! This is the line that will now define the whole Hastert affair.
So Hastert tried to marshal a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage through Congress.
Yet another reason to bask in the warm glow of schadenfreude.
They use social values like a political tool, much as they use gerrymandering or political donations. It’s not government for a better world, it’s some reality game of politics, and they’re just playing the roles and the cards and the dice rolls they get.