GOP leader's skinny-dip confession stuns Utah; paid woman $150,000 to keep quiet

[heli]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOXUXLFYdMSAY5umBTp4rwAYM8IQD9EDB4TO0

GOP leader's skinny-dip confession stuns Utah
By BROCK VERGAKIS (AP)

SALT LAKE CITY — A late-night confession by Utah's House majority leader about sitting nude in a hot tub with a minor 25 years ago has shocked this conservative state's political establishment but has not prompted calls from party leaders for him to resign.

Rep. Kevin Garn, 55, acknowledged the indiscretion late Thursday immediately after the Legislature adjourned for the session. He said he paid the woman, Cheryl Maher, now 40, $150,000 to keep quiet about the episode when he unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2002.

Garn owns KSG Distributing Inc., which sells books on tape, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes to retailers such as truck stops, grocery stores and convenience stores. Maher worked in his warehouse at the time...

The story unfolded because Maher, who now lives in Derry, N.H., began calling Salt Lake City news media in recent days to tell them about being naked with Garn when she was 15 years old. Maher said Thursday night he was 28 at the time but Friday said he couldn't really remember....

[kestrel91316]

1. WHEN did he pay her the bribe? I'm very curious.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. 2002 according to the article.

[kestrel91316]

3. Hmmm. Well, after all those years and if it was an innocent thing and he

did nothing wrong, he should have told her to go pound sand, then immediately gone to the press with full disclosure to head her off at the pass.

If he paid a huge sum like that, he is desperate to hide something more risque than being chastely naked in a hot tub keeping his hands to himself.

[brewens]

4. Excellent! Take his money, then burn his ass anyway. Exactly what

he's got coming to him!