Texas Republican Nominates "Doctor of the Day" (Dr. is a registered Sex offender)

[IChing]

AUSTIN — A Fort Worth doctor twice honored by the Texas House of Representatives as the "doctor of the day" is a registered sex offender convicted of an illicit relationship with a 17-year-old.

Dr. Nilon Tallant, 75, was introduced by lawmakers at the Capitol in 2006 and again in January of this year's legislative session, even though one legislator said he'd warned others about the physician's past sex offense after his first appearance .>>>snip

"I don't think anybody that's a convicted sex offender should have a medical license in Texas. Period," said Republican Rep. Phil King, who introduced Tallant in the House chamber in April 2006. Tallant now lives in King's district, but King said he doesn't know Tallant well.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4911417.html

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. king should ask his daughter how well she knows the doc.

OB/GYN, perhaps, practicing his special love for/with/at/to his clients?

[IChing]

2. A very close relative who was a legislative aide for Loyld Doggett wrote

a bill on april first, in the early 70's, commemorating
Alberto DeSalvo's contribution in birth control, it past by 100%.

[Initech]

3. Gotta love the morals and values crowd, right?

This guy makes the hall of fame! :rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

4. Yeah, but does he want to put women in jail for having abortions or using birth control?

That's all that matters to this gang. Oh, and it helps if he doesn't "believe" in evolution.

[Quantess]

20. Oh, and, I wonder if he supports teaching ABSTINENCE in schools?

:rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

23. Sounds like he's been demonstrating it.

Or, maybe, demonstrating what it isn't.

[varkam]

5. He committed his offense ten years ago.

:shrug:

[tyedyeto]

6. Ten years ago....

he would have been 65 having sex with a 17 y/o.

Sorry but that is a sex offender to me!

[varkam]

8. True.

I'm not saying that he isn't a sex offender.

[Silent3]

19. A 17 y/o? Is that really such a big deal?

That's sort of the jaywalking of "sex offenses". I'm not condoning what this guy did, but there are far worse things is this world to worry about. I'd rate beating someone senseless in a stupid bar fight, for example, as a far worse crime than having consensual sex with a 17 y/o -- which is legal in some states anyway. The asshole who beats someone up in a bar, or steals your car, or paralyzes a 17 y/o after driving drunk, doesn't get saddled with the Scarlet Letter for the rest of his life.

[IChing]

7. Yes he only had 19 counts against him.

Dr. Tallant is listed on the sex offender registry posted on the website of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was indicted on 19 counts of sexual performance by a child in 1996, according to Hays County court records.
The victim was a 17-year-old female patient. Dr. Tallant was a 64-year-old divorcee at the time and ran a family practice in San Marcos. He pleaded guilty to a second degree felony and was sentenced to ten years on probation.

The Texas Medical Board revoked Dr. Tallant’s license but reinstated it four years later over objections from its staff. After a closed door session, the Board cited the need for additional occupational physicians in San Marcos as one of its reasons for returning Dr. Tallant’s medical privileges.

Lt. Dennis Gutierrerez of the Hays County Sheriff's Department investigated the crime and says he is shocked that Texas lawmakers would honor someone like Dr. Tallant because evidence in the case showed extremely exploitative and abusive behavior, “I can’t believe that the Medical Board let him (Dr. Tallant) practice again. Why didn’t they talk to us before making that decision?”


http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_172205435.html

[varkam]

9. I'm not defending his actions.

I'm merely stating that his actions are a decade old.

[Quantess]

10. Maybe he can't get it up anymore.

That doesn't mean he isn't still a pervert.

[tyedyeto]

11. So, if a sex offender's actions happened more than 10 years ago...

he or she should be given a pass today?

Sorry but that just doesn't connect with my principles.

[varkam]

12. When someone has served their time

then yes, they should be given a pass in so far as that crime is concerned. I'm no a legal scholar, but I figured that punishment after the fact (meaning, after someone has served his or her time - in this case ten years of probation) was unconstitutional.

[BlooInBloo]

13. It would be, if this were a court.

[varkam]

14. A constitutional ethic is a good ethic to try to live up to, no?

[BlooInBloo]

16. Not always. No set of written rules substitutes for thinking.

[varkam]

17. Not saying it does, but...

would you mind expounding a bit on why you think eternal punishment is appropriate?

[BlooInBloo]

21. I never said any such thing.

[varkam]

22. You're right.

I jumped the gun and I apologize. :hi:

[ComerPerro]

15. Sex with a 17 year old isn't as dramatic as say sex with a 12 year old

but regardless, the repig party is against all forms of sexual assault, right?

Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

[orleans]

18. oh, i bet there are a lot of "republicans of the day." don't ya think? n/t