Love these guys:
A Capitol Hill townhouse that serves as a dormitory and meeting place for a band of conservative Christian lawmakers has been linked to a third episode of marital infidelity, this time in a Mississippi court filing by a former lawmaker’s estranged wife.
***Leisha Pickering alleges that some of the “wrongful conduct” on the part of the woman accused of breaking up the Pickering marriage “occurred and accrued” in Washington, D.C., “at the C Street Complex.”
A source familiar with the C Street group said it is difficult to envision a resident carrying on relations with a mistress in the townhouse where he lived with other lawmakers.
The extremely tight-knit and secretive group is described by those with knowledge of its practices as a prayer group in which members seek to discuss personal issues and “hold each other accountable.”
We’re now to the point where any incoming freshman congressman isn’t going to be told by his wife to stay away from massage parlors and bars, but to just steer clear of the real hellraisers in Washington- the C Street Godbotherers. My freshman dorm in the late 80’s was less fun than the C Street Complex. Also.
My fre
MBSS
so since they are so tight-knit i’m assuming that they all watched. maybe the have the one-way mirrored “room of the lord.”
JenJen
The part I don’t get… there are women (or, I suppose, men) who would find men like this sexually appealing? Really?
Kathy in St. Louis
I think this just about sums up what the C Street house really was……a playhouse for lawmakers and their mistresses. No wonder they are so closed-mouthed about their “activities” there. They sure weren’t praying….unless you count, “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!!”.
lawnorder
Malware messages gone today :)
JGabriel
Even more surprising (not really, just go along with the snark for a moment) is that all of these guys are married.
C Street? They should call it “Cheat Street”.
.
Violet
I think they meant: “hold each other.” The accountable part ruins all the fun.
I don’t get it either. But then there are women who go for prisoners who are serial killers, so there’s no accounting for taste. I think the women are attracted to the power and money. The men are just a vehicle.
Zifnab
Hey everybody! We’re all gonna get laid!
/Rodney Dangerfield
/yes, I know that’s from Caddyshack, but it’s all I’ve got.
SGEW
I’ve been railing against “The Family” ever since I came across Jeff Sharlet’s Harper’s article, and read his book about them. [If you haven’t read the article, you really have to get around to it]
It will be kind of ridiculous if they finally get the negative attention they deserve because of sex scandals and infidelity instead of their hideous philosophy (They are literally totalitarian! They use Adolph Fucking Hitler as a positive role model! It is impossible to out-Godwin them!).
But whatever. I’ll take it.
JGabriel
@lawnorder:
Are you sure? Or is your browser still configured to turn off the warnings?
I’m still getting them when I turn the warrnings back on (Firefox 3.0.11).
.
geg6
Kathy in St. Louis: LOL. But have you caught any of the stellar reporting Rachel Maddow has been doing on this bunch? They actually do seem to pray there. But it is a very strange interpretation of Jesus’ message. It has shades of Hitler, the Mafia, Machiavelli, and Stalin all rolled into one. Quite insane and frightening at the same time.
Da Bomb
Man, no wonder it’s hard out there for a pimp!
The wingnuts have cornered the market on being whores. They even have a whore house.
Someone probably has a pair of platform shoes with fish tank heels in their closet.
A Mom Anon
When you’re part of The Family,your first responsibility is to them. Period. Your own spouse,kids and your job on the Hill comes in at a far second(or third,or tenth). I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there’s alot of criminal activity being covered up by the group too. These guys feel like they’re The Chosen,and because of that mere laws and morals don’t apply to them.
Look up Doug Coe sometime,what a piece of work.
anonevent
It’s OK if you are a white male, though. That’s how this country was created, with women on their backs, white men over them. If too many women, blacks, or hispanics take over then the rules may change any they wouldn’t be able to do this any more. Must keep them all out.
cleek
So just shut up. Shut your lying, hypocritical, power-above-patriotism, hyper-partisan, two-faced, shamelessly double-standard bearing pie hole.
You don’t get to judge.
Calming Influence
Prayer group? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?
JGabriel
geg6:
Believers always recreate god in their own image.
.
The Grand Panjandrum
I guess all these guys were anticipating a deeply religious experience.
ironranger
What JenJen & Violet said.
The wives of Sanford & Ensign are willing stand by their men no matter how humiliating it gets. I like Leisha Pickering’s reaction much better. You go girl.
shelley matheis
“knowledge of its practices as a prayer group in which members seek to discuss personal issues and “hold each other accountable.”
So, is that what the kids are calling it these days?
SGEW
[removed from moderation]
jake 4 that 1
We police our own muthafuckas!
SGEW
@geg6: Huh. Why hadn’t I heard about Maddow’s coverage?
(googles)
Aha! Broadcast YouTube here. HuffPost article covering Congressman Zach Wamp (R-Tenn) and his reaction (and Maddow’s rebuttal) here.
If I didn’t love Maddow before, I sure do now.
feebog
“The Family” is the outfit that orgainzes the National Day of Prayer each year. They are a well respected and influential organization inside the Beltway. And that ought to scare the crap out of the rest of us.
SGEW
random and confusing moderation filter confuses me
"Fair and Balanced" Dave
@Calming Influence:
“Oh God! Oh God! Ooooooohh Goddddddddd!”
General Winfield Stuck
All that wasted energy by wingnuts, trying to cover up being a normal horny human person. I miss the good old days in my college hippie house, where sex was simply an extended hand shake.
Being a wingnut seems like living always on the twenty-fifth mile of a 27 mile marathon run.
gwangung
I suspect they’ve gone and harvested a lot of email addresses…
Tsulagi
Yep, no one could ever have predicted Bible humpers like the C-streeters humping someone or something other than their wives. Good to see their vigilance in defending the institution of marriage from evildoer gay attack. Role models, that’s what they are.
I’m guessing Rudy G. is now getting a Promise Keeper ring sized and furiously filling out a C-Street application.
Adrienne
@JenJen:
Umm, yeah. Sitting U.S. Senators+money+perceived power+usually healthy = well, you know.
kay
@feebog:
I think we need wall-to-wall coverage of the crazy Family preacher.
“How much do we really know about these Republicans?”
Not much, apparently.
I feel like Reverend Wright is a distant relative, at this point, I’ve seen that video so many times.
I’d like to see some equal coverage of the Disciples of the Family, and these wacko quasi-religious tenets we’re hearing about, or is that treatment only applicable to lefty religious?
I want a sermon up. I’ll make up my own mind.
Eric U.
@JGabriel:
I turned the warnings back on and restarted firefox just for completeness. No warnings.
eric
The Clenis is strong in them
eric
Or “I want to party with you cowboy.”
Stripes.
SGEW
“Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” – Henry Kissinger.
Adrienne
Is it bad that I find it HILARIOUS that this guy announced he wasn’t running for re-election in 2008 stating that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and five sons, just to have her kick his ass to the curb… I’m dying.
Oh, and WTF is up with Republican men and having a shit load of sons? Whats the ratio, like 1 daugher:3.5 sons? Sheesh.
GeneW
I’m not too happy to find out that my congressman, Doyle (D-Pittsburgh), lives in that house. Is it that hard to find an apartment in DC that’s not full of sex-crazed religious nuts?
Leelee for Obama
My Firefox just updated, and I have had no problems all day today, even before the update. Did the very long Virus and Spyware Scan yesterday, nothing, but I was getting the warning on Firefox last night. What the hell is this buggy?
Tsulagi
See, now there you go, Cole. Stop taking photos of the fat cat and skinny dog. Run for Congress. Don’t forget to fill out your C-Street application.
jenniebee
I keep on telling myself, this is a step up from Rev. Moon’s coronation in the Senate Office Building, but I’m starting to lose track of how exactly it’s a step up. Or a step at all, actually.
shelley matheis
Hmmm, if Fox news reports on this, any bets that they’ll identify him as a Democrat?
ksmiami
You all shut up – don’t you know it’s CLINTON’S FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/wingnut radio host
Michael
Um, John, you’ve got some disappearing text. “My fre” isn’t a word or phrase I’m familiar with.
mai naem
Were Vito Fosselli, David Vitter, Henry Hyde, Bob Livingston, Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr also members of the group? Also, what does the “C” stand for? Conduct unbecoming, carouser, casanova or cruiser
ricky
Adrienne @ 35
Oh, and WTF is up with Republican men and having a shit load of sons? Whats the ratio, like 1 daugher:3.5 sons? Sheesh.
Us true believers knew Nixon, Cheney, and Bush (43) were not real Republicans. At least Reagan went out and adopted him a “real” man.
ET
And despite this story is anyone surprised? No.
I didn’t realize politicians had professional mistresses anymore. I thought it was more of a temp gig or one night stand thing now.
Cain
It looks like when they impeached Clinton they really screwed themselves since they sere seems to be a storm of Republicans having affairs and what not. Clinton’s only problem was that he lied under oath. Of course, who the fuck would spend millions of dollars on a damn witch hunt looking for anything… what a bunch of assholes. I’m hoping the next round we’ll see less republican senators in the senate.
cain
Keith
Guess Chip needs a bit more than 10 pentacostals to get his act togeher.
lutton
was waiting for this story come up here so I could post:
holier than thouhornier than thou #fixedJC65
I’m embarassed to report that my representative (Mike Doyle D-PA) is a resident at the C Street ‘church’ if the wikipedia is to be believed.
I sent him email asking if it was true and if so why it shouldn’t scare the crap out of me. As yet I’ve gotten nothing but an automated response.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_(Christian_political_organization)
Brachiator
I don’t know. This seems like a euphemism for something. Someone should check with Howard Kurtz.
Zifnab
@Cain:
Yeah, controlling the White House, both branches of Congress, and a near majority of SCOTUS justices really set them back big time after 2002. I’m sure it was the sex scandals that brought down the GOP in ’06 and ’08. You’ll notice how Clinton’s approval ratings also plummeted around ’96 and ’98, costing him the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. Except that it didn’t.
I just remember the people chanting in the streets every two years, “No more sex scandals! No more sex scandals! Taxes, economics, foreign policy, and civil rights really don’t concern us otherwise!”
Erik Vanderhoff
Oh, oh, dude… What if they took their vow to “not be alone in a room with a woman not their wife” literally and were just watching one another or tag-teaming? Oh, dude, that would be so awesome. These C Street Jesushumpers know how to whoop it up infidelity-style!
Breezeblock
I think “prayer group” must be a typo. Should be “playa group”.
Cain
@Zifnab:
Yeah, controlling the White House, both branches of Congress, and a near majority of SCOTUS justices really set them back big time after 2002. I’m sure it was the sex scandals that brought down the GOP in ‘06 and ‘08. You’ll notice how Clinton’s approval ratings also plummeted around ‘96 and ‘98, costing him the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. Except that it didn’t.
Dammit, your comment made my computer blue screen! That’s a powerful talent you got there.
My point is that since they made such a big fat deal about Clinton that it has become politically embarrassing to them. None of us care about their little sex scandals but having them makes them a laughing stock and it’s hard to take anything they say serious. A point obviously I made poorly.
cain
lotus
My comment on this ended up at the end of an earlier thread, so I’ll summarize it. “The Family” is just as SGEW et al. have described — crazier than Palin’s batshit-est fantasies. An English friend of mine introduced me to Sharlet’s work last February, and today I returned the favor in a guest post on his new blog. If you care to read it, you’ll have a good overview with links to more.
Michael
Sloppy sixths.
On the good side, it would be one of those rare occasions when a dull ass white conservative actually brought a woman to climax. Sure, he’d be the last guy in line, but eventually, it could happen…..
Zifnab
DP
Zifnab
@Cain:
A juvenile pen is-obsessed media atmosphere more interested in looking down Anna Nicole Simpson’s breasts than in covering wars, politics, economics, health… that has bitten the GOP in the ass. Someone gets caught cheating on his wife and it’s in the headlines for a week because that is all the major news outlets are interested in covering.
That has something to do with Clinton in so far as Clinton was a ratings beast. But you can’t blame the Republican Party alone for the degraded quality of journalism. There are dozens of entirely non-partisan CEOs and advertisers and couch potato audiences that get to share the blame for that fall from grace. Once CNN / MSNBC / FOX found the magic media recipe, it was all tripe all the time. Clinton was just proof of concept.
LD50
Well, according to Wikipedia, the fundies’ C Street safehouse is also tax free:
Will
Take a fairly ambitious, morally bankrupt young person who has worked very hard for years to get to the point where they are interacting with a Senator. That sort of person is smart enough to realize that a few desultory minutes of grinding will do more for their careers than years of hard work and networking.
Desire’s got nothing to do with it.
gex
@Leelee for Obama: In short:
There was a module on the site that was compromised and tried to download a file from a rogue server to visitors’ browsers. (The server was offline, so no one received the malware payload.)
Security features in various browsers work in conjunction with Google to try to identify sites that try to deliver these payloads, keep a list, and attempt to warn users if they go to any of these sites. Incidentally, IE users *would have* received a warning from Google if they Googled for Balloon-Juice and then navigated to the site from the search results.
The initial compromised module was turned off pretty quickly by Cole, but the site was reported to Google already. The listing of this site as a rogue site took a while to get resolved. So the warnings you were seeing, despite the clean scan, was just that – a warning that this might be a dangerous site.
It is, but not for the reasons Google thinks. ;-)
gex
@LD50: I didn’t realize brothels were tax-exempt.
Comrade Michael "You Probably Can't Come" Brown
See, now this here’s a perfect example of the hypocrisy of Hard Left ideologues like this Cole fella. Y’all are out there all the time, advocating for gay marriage and free love and shit, and then when some southern brother finally gets some off-the-hook nookie, y’all cry “foul”. Makes me sick. I mean, can’t we all just get down, I mean, get along?
Roger Moore
@jake 4 that 1:
I guess that means that they’re into handcuffs and uniforms. It takes all kinds.
lotus
@Zifnab:
… Once CNN / MSNBC / FOX found the magic media recipe, it was all tripe all the time. Clinton was just proof of concept.
I do believe you nailed that one, um-hmm.
General Winfield Stuck
@Comrade Michael “You Probably Can’t Come” Brown:
Yes we should. Apparently Baby Jeebus disapproves of fine god fearin’ republicans dipping their wick in the sea of love. And when it gets out then the news cycle is shot to hell, and the grovelling sinners waste our time. But the jokes ain’t half bad/
bago
Be wary of the preaching of men named Coe.
shpx.ohfu
It’s all a big misunderstanding. The C Street dormitory is just La casa nostra..
conumbdrum
I’ve been railing against “The Family” ever since I came across Jeff Sharlet’s Harper’s article, and read his book about them. [If you haven’t read the article, you really have to get around to it]
I’m two-thirds of the way through Sharlet’s book, and want to second and third SGEW and the other BJ’ers who recommend it. You can’t fucking believe how bad these people are. Union busting with extreme prejudice, getting Nazis off the hook for war crimes, supporting the most reprehensible regimes imaginable (Papa Doc, Suharto, Pinochet, General Siad Barre) devastating abstinence programs in Africa, you name it. Jesus Christ functions as these guys’ all-purpose excuse slip for any crime imaginable. They want to convert America into a full-bore theocracy, and will use any means necessary to make it happen.
This book needs to be read by every thinking American.
nogo Postal
read this via raw story http://rawstory.com
“Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) will not cooperate with investigators who investigate Sen. John Ensign’s extramarital affair with the wife of a former top aide—even with the Senate’s own Ethics Committee.
Coburn told Roll Call: “I was counseling him as a physician and as an ordained deacon. That is a privileged communication that I will never reveal to anybody. Not to the (Senate) Ethics Committee, not to a court of law, not to anybody.”
Coburn lived with Ensign in Capitol Hill home owned by a Christian fellowship during the time that Ensign had an affair with the wife of a former top aide to Ensign”