Modbert
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- Sep 2, 2008
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Senator David Vitter's Aide Brent Furer Attacked Girlfriend, Pleaded Guilty - ABC News
Well, it's good to see Vitter had "concerns" and dealt a severe punishment of no pay for 5 days for the guy who attacked his ex-girlfriend with a knife, while threatening to kill her and hold her against her will. The guy also worked on women issues with the Senator, and he had a long record of getting arrested for drunk driving and even a cocaine possession.
Plus, he got paid $54,000 last year. AND he only made him resign once ABC News got wind of it.
I can't make this stuff up if I tried folks, Vitter just shows what kind of a "class act" he is.
Thoughts USMB?
A trusted aide to Louisiana Sen. David Vitter resigned Wednesday morning after ABC News reported that he had been arrested for attacking his ex-girlfriend with a knife, and had an open warrant for his arrest in Baton Rouge on a drunk driving charge.
The aide, Brent Furer, worked on the Republican senator's last campaign, and has spent the last five years posted in his Washington office to handle, among other things, women's issues.
An ABC News investigation out this morning revealed that Furer had repeated brushes with the law dating back to the 1990s. Those who have had encounters with Furer told ABC News that his presence on Vitter's payroll raised serious questions about the senator's judgment. Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said it concerns her that the senator has talked so forcefully as an advocate for women and an opponent of drunk driving, and yet kept someone with Furer's background on his staff.
"Senator Vitter knowingly kept this dangerous person on his staff through his drunk driving arrest in 2003 and his chilling domestic violence assault conviction in 2008," said Sloan. "Why have him resign only now?"
Vitter spokesman DiGrado acknowledged the senator had concerns about the 2008 arrest, in which Furer was accused of holding his ex-girlfriend against her will for 90 minutes, threatening to kill her, placing his hand over her mouth, and cutting her in the hand and neck.
After the January 2008 incident, he was told to leave the office pending the court's determination of what happened," DiGrado said in an emailed response to questions from ABC News.
DiGrado said that after Furer was sentenced, Vitter imposed "further significant disciplinary action" in consultation with the congressional employment legal office, though he would not elaborate on what that entailed. He said the senator hired Furer because of the aide's military service during the first Gulf War.
As a legislative aide, Furer was paid about $54,000 last year. That was his highest salary in the five years he has been on the payroll, the records show.
Senate payroll records indicate the 2008 altercation between Furer and his girlfriend registered within the senate office -- Vitter's office suspended Furer's pay on Jan. 17, five days after the incident. But his payments resumed on Jan. 22.
The 2008 case was not the first brush with the law for Furer. Court records and published reports show he has been arrested for driving under the influence at least three times, and once for cocaine possession
In one instance, in May 2003, police chased Furer's swerving vehicle, and saw what they believed to be Furer and a female passenger fighting as the car crossed back and forth over the center lane divider, according to the arrest report. Furer kept driving after the woman exited the vehicle and was eventually pulled over. The arrest report says his blood alcohol measured .132, and noted that Furer was "very verbally abusive towards the police."
Well, it's good to see Vitter had "concerns" and dealt a severe punishment of no pay for 5 days for the guy who attacked his ex-girlfriend with a knife, while threatening to kill her and hold her against her will. The guy also worked on women issues with the Senator, and he had a long record of getting arrested for drunk driving and even a cocaine possession.
Plus, he got paid $54,000 last year. AND he only made him resign once ABC News got wind of it.
I can't make this stuff up if I tried folks, Vitter just shows what kind of a "class act" he is.
Thoughts USMB?