GOP Stands By DeMaio After Harassment Allegations

[Zorro]

Republican leaders are sticking with California congressional candidate Carl DeMaio after he denied allegations of sexual harassment made by a former campaign staffer this week.

House Speaker John Boehner was set to go ahead with two fundraisers for DeMaio in San Diego on Saturday, a spokesman for the speaker said, while the National Republican Congressional Committee is actively defending him. “We fully support Carl DeMaio and we don't make decisions based on unsubstantiated claims,” said NRCC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek. On the local level, the chairman of the San Diego County Republican Party told NBC News that “it’s clear the silly season is upon us.”

DeMaio, one of two openly gay Republicans running for Congress, could unseat Democratic Representative Scott Peters in the competitive 52nd District. The allegations against him first came to light this week. Todd Bosnich, DeMaio's former policy director, told CNN that DeMaio had massaged, kissed and groped him and masturbated in front of him during several incidents over the course of his employment. When Bosnich told DeMaio's campaign manager, he was allegedly told he shouldn't have told DeMaio he was also gay. Bosnich said that after telling DeMaio he needed to stop or end his bid, he was fired and bribed to stay quiet.

DeMaio has called the allegations an “outrageous lie” and said that Bosnich was fired for plagiarism. After being fired, Bosnich allegedly broke into the campaign office and destroyed computers and telephone lines. According to CNN, police haven't arrested anyone in connection to the break-in, and Bosnich denies both the allegations of plagiarism and breaking and entering.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-11/gop-stands-by-demaio-after-harassment-allegations

"...we don't make decisions based on unsubstantiated claims,” said NRCC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek.

Hahahahaha! Suuuure you don't.

As an added data point, DeMaio's life partner reportedly is a convicted felon.

[JayhawkSD]

1. Since the harassment charges are almost certainly false...

..there is no reason not to stand behind him. Bosnich was fired before the charges were made, and is almost certainly the perpetrator of a break-in at DeMaio's campaign office after the firing.

Bob Filner ran against DeMaio for mayor and made false allegations against DeMaio's partner regarding damage which occurred at Balboa Park, couching the accusations in a manner so as to call attention to the fact that DeMaio's "significant other" is male. The San Diego political scene is intensely homophobic, and Carl DeMiao has been the target of this kind of homophobic attack every time he has run for office. Congratulations on joining the homophobic parade.

For the record, I am a straight male Democrat.

[Zorro]

2. How do you know "the harassment charges are almost certainly false"?

And San Diego's LGBT community isn't very fond of DeMaio or his partner, either.

That must make them part of the homophobic parade, too.