Congressman's wife called police (John Sweeney - R, NY-20)

[Cooley Hurd]

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=530664&category=&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=10/31/2006

By BRENDAN J. LYONS Senior writer

Last updated: 8:53 p.m., Tuesday, October 31, 2006

CLIFTON PARK -- The wife of U.S. Rep. John Sweeney called police last December to complain her husband was ``knocking her around'' during a late-night argument at the couple's home, according to a document obtained last week by the Times Union.

The emergency call to a police dispatcher triggered a visit to the couple's residence by a state trooper from Clifton Park, who filed a domestic incident report after noting that the congressman had scratches on his face, the document states. No criminal charges were filed.

Gaia M. Sweeney, 36, told a trooper that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and was pushing her around the house, according to the document.

<snip>

The Times Union confirmed several months ago, through multiple law enforcement sources, that State Police had responded to the Sweeney residence in early December to investigate a domestic dispute. The sources confirmed that Sweeney had scratches on his face when a trooper arrived, but they provided no additional information about the incident.

More at link.


Does this man (middle, wearing NY Yankee cap askew) look like a wife beater?:rofl:

On edit: for those unfamiliar with Sweeney, he was the architect of the "Brooks Brothers Riot" during the 2000 FL recount:
http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2000/11/28/miami

<snip>
The incident -- the ugliest single set piece of the Election 2000 epic and possibly the most decisive one -- was set in motion by one imported GOP operative: Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., who from an office in that same county building has led the Miami fight against the recount.
</snip>

[SeattleGirl]

1. Well, well, well, the family values folks are at it again.

Gee, I sure wish I could be as good a person as they are. :sarcasm:

[Cooley Hurd]

2. This was a seat that the repuglicans thought was safe...

...not anymore.:evilgrin:

[luckyleftyme2]

3. my my

If it runs true to form,he has been connected somehow to a domestic speech somewhere in his political life. What he neglected to say is it only applies to liberals.
THROW THE BUM OUT " VOTE DEMOCRAT"

[Ian David]

4. "Mr. Sweeney, when did you stop beating your wife?"

[sweetpotato]

5. Gotta show 'em who's boss

All part of the rise of old fashioned patriarchy. So for those nutty fundies, this IS family values.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Heh heh. The 'Pukes can't even control THEMSELVES. . .

'Nuff said.

:evilfrown:

[hedgehog]

7. Kick for New Yorkers

Get the word out.

[djg21]

8. This is his second wife . . .

who rumor has it was employed as an exotic dancer at an Albany, NY area gentleman's club when she me the congressman. Apparently His first wife divorced him amid other allegations of domestic abuse.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. I was wondering that, myself. If his second wife filed charges,

what might possibly have happened with the first one?! Inquiring minds want to know. And are there anymore out there that we need to know about?! LOL. Bring 'em on, indeed. :bounce:

OMG, as I was typing this, wife #2 appeared in a campaign ad, accusing Sweeney's Democratic challenger of "slandering my marriage." I guess this means she's going to be suing the newspaper that broke the story. And this was followed by a second ad, saying that Kirsten Gillibrand, his challenger, will be raising taxes. Where have I heard that before? They must be getting desperate. And now this story is on the local news! This just gets better and better...:woohoo:

[djg21]

23. Wife #1 Got A Restraining Order

during the divorce proceedings, and one of Sweeney's sons by wife #1 was involved in the gang assault which left another teen with serious injuries. Of course, a local GOP lackey/judge let the kid off with not even a slap on the wrist!

http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/121805ReverseJailSentence.html

[Rhiannon12866]

25. That nasty business about the son was the subject of a previous thread here

and I did know about that. I posted a thread about Sweeney's hospital stay, which occurred soon after that. But I didn't know about the restraining order with Mrs. Sweeney #1. I'm not surprised that this has never made the news, but it seems that, now, all bets are off... The media is running with this, since I've seen Mrs. Sweeney #2 on TV, since last night, defending her husband, along with news stories on this... Perfect timing, IMO.Thanks for the link!:hi:

[donsu]

9. who is the guy hugging him? is it the same one in the Fl. pic?

nt

[djg21]

11. I don't think he is in the FL Pic.

My recollection is that he gave the "order" to "shut it down" from an office within the building, but was not himself photo'd. Given his son's similar tendency toward gang violence (http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/121805ReverseJailSentence.html), it is safe to say that in the Sweeney family, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Danascot]

15. My recollection is that

this pic is of Sweeney drunk at a frat party at a college in his home district, NY-20, upstate New York generally bordering the Hudson River.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. There were numerous pix of Sweeney, acting drunk, at a Union College frat party

from last April. Interesting, since this is outside of his district. Schenectady is in District 21, represented by Mike McNulty, a Democrat. Sweeney denied the charges, but here's a link, with more pix. :-)

http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=983

[0007]

10. Well done....thank you!

[photogirl12]

12. Here's to hoping

that this article will get Gillibrand into Congress!! We need her!!

[klook]

13. Sweeney is connected to N. Marianas and Abramoff, too.

See http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/your_news/saratoga/default.asp?ArID=196456

(This may be common knowledge with many others here, but as a non-NY resident I'm not familiar with this race.)

This guy sounds like a real scumbag. This needs story needs to get spread far and wide. Surely even hard-core Republicans don't want to be represented by a wife-beater and Jack Abramoff associate who's pimped for the forced-abortion sweatshops of the Northern Mariana Islands.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. I've heard that, as well, and he's my representative.

I've heard Al Franken on the Marianas story for a year, but never imagined that it had a local connection. *sigh* I already knew about Florida 2000, but now this and Jack Abramoff, too... And now he's a wife beater and you don't even want to hear about his son... It's on the local news, as I write this, only a good thing. People in my district had better damn well wake up, since Sweeney has his first-ever viable Democratic challenger and she is qualified, well-spoken and would be excellent. This is our one chance to unseat him. I just hope that the message gets out there. I'm doing my best to spread it. :-)

on edit: According to the latest poll numbers, he's fading fast:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2523563&mesg_id=2523563

[Danascot]

14. Sweeney's been on the ropes

here in NY-20. This just might finish him off. He's one of the slimier pukes in a hotly contested field.

Send money to Gillibrand if you can. This is one we can win.

http://www.gillibrand2006.com/Main

[Tuttle]

19. link seems to be dead

or something... what is the geographic location of this district? Which counties?

Tut-tut

[WePurrsevere]

20. Here's a map with NY 20's Location...

We moved out of this slime balls district a few years ago... unfortunately McHugh(R) is only marginally better. Hopefully there's a bigger revolution then some seem think (if yard signs and bumperstickers are any indiction it might very well be) and he'll be gone along ith Sweeney.

[Thor_MN]

21. Why is NY's 20th giving the finger to VT, NH and MA?

[hedgehog]

22. It's wonderful to see the party finally fighting for these districts.

The Democrats have written off up-state for far too long. Last time around, McHugh ran unopposed!

[djg21]

24. It's still a tough one!

The district is incredibly gerrymandered. It includes all of the more rural republican suburbs, but excludes any and all urban centers. The gerrymander is the only reason the Repubs have held the district.

[WePurrsevere]

28. That seems to be true with most. I'll give Hillary credit though, she's

one of the few that comes up this way regularly and has actually done things for folks up here. It's earned her, sometimes reluctant, brownie points with the old style Repub that are up this way.

Doc Johnson sounds like a truly great Dem (and rather Progressive) candidate. I just wish I had heard more from and about him. The good thing is I'm seeing a LOT of yard signs up for him and not quite as many for McHugh. Although it may be a bit of a long shot for Johnson (I haven't seen any polls on this race) I'm really hoping he'll win. McHugh at the very least need a good shake up. He's become a real bushbot and has forgotten his upstate NY constituency.

[hedgehog]

29. Auugg

It was Walsh who ran unopposed, not McHugh! I think this is Dr. Johnson's second try and I'm rooting for him. The only reason McHugh is in Congress is that he worked for Barclay senior when Barclay was a bigwig in the Republican party. Barclay's son was handed the Assembly seat as a consolation prize.

[WePurrsevere]

30. Was it Johnson that came close to beating out McHugh last time or

was that a different race? I remember one not to long after we had first moved up here from Sweeney's dist that was darn near neck and neck.

[hedgehog]

31. I'm guessing a different race because I don't remember a close one.

Our district, the 23rd, runs from Oswego and Madison Counties up past Watertown to the Canadian border bypassing any large cities along the way..

[WePurrsevere]

32. Yes, it's the biggest district in area if I remember correctly...

much like St. Lawrence I think is the biggest NY county in area.

We lived in Sweeney's dist for quite a while. (DH grew up in it) We've lived in McHugh's either here or at the old house for about 7 yrs.

I wish I could remember which race that was. My memory just isn't as good as it used to be I guess. :)

[Rhiannon12866]

26. Upstate/Northeastern NY.

Warren/Washington/Saratoga/Albany counties. My district. :-(

[djg21]

27. Wikipedia on Sweeney

I posted this elsewhere, but thought it wouldn;t hurt to repost this. This bio of Swiney, from wikipedia of all places, describes some of the major controversies involving our beloved thug representative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Sweeney

The best part, IMO:

"He received an associate's degree from Hudson Valley Community College in 1978 and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from the Sage College of Albany in 1981. (Sweeney's official biography says he graduated from the Russell Sage College, but that is an all-girls school.) "

Sex change?

[Danascot]

33. Russell Sage would have approved of Sweeney beating his wives

You are correct, Russell Sage College is and always has been a women's college. Sage College of Albany and Russell Sage College are both part of the "Sage Colleges"; Russell Sage College in Troy, NY was the original institution. Sage College of Albany admits both men and women. It started as a two year school but now gives advanced degrees. Sweeney may have graduated from Sage College of Albany but if he is claiming to have graduated from Russell Sage College, it is not true.

A great story about how Russell Sage College was founded. Russell Sage was a wealthy industrialist during Troy, New York's heyday. Legend has it he was a life-long rabid misogynist (woman hater). When he died, his long-suffering widow Margaret used his considerable fortune to found a WOMEN'S college, so that women could receive a good education and become independent, thereby forever associating his name with the advancement of women. Late at night, in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, you can still hear Russell Sage spinning in his grave!

[BigDDem]

34. Is that his boyfriend

he's kissing on the forehead?

[djg21]

35. Glens Falls Post-Star withdraws endorsement for Swiney!!!!!!!

This is great!

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2006/11/03/news/doc454beb94004a5026428988.txt">EDITORIAL: Endorsement withdrawn: Character questions continue to dog Sweeney

Post-Star withdraws endorsement in wake of latest controversy regarding domestic violence call

Friday, November 3, 2006 8:42 PM EST

There's a time when you have to say, enough.

Here is one such time.

Serious allegations of domestic violence were raised against Congressman John Sweeney earlier this week after three newspapers published police accounts of a 911 call to his home in December.

The congressman has said he wants the truth to come out. But his actions in the wake of the incident and the disclosure of the 911 call in the media indicate otherwise.

. . . .

On Friday, as the citizens waited a third day for Sweeney to finally disclose the truth, again there was nothing from the congressman to support his claims as to what really happened. Instead, the congressman had himself seen with Governor Pataki and 9/11 hero Rudy Giuliani, telling reporters who questioned him about the waiver as he walked away, "Talk to my lawyer."

Perhaps by appearing with these two political giants, Sweeney was hoping their aura would overshadow a newspaper report published Friday in which he was quoted in the Times-Union as saying he thought the whole domestic violence matter was a "non-issue."

"It is a non-issue, and only you people made it an issue because it's salacious," the congressman told Times-Union editors.

We don't think it's a non-issue. And we're sure many of our readers don't either.

. . . .

The congressman's curt dismissal of the domestic violence incident as a "non-issue" demonstrates that he either doesn't understand the seriousness of this matter as it relates to his role as a member of Congress, or that he simply hopes to divert attention from it so he can win the election.

. . . .

In our editorial endorsing the congressman for re-election last Sunday, we pointed out the many flaws in Congressman Sweeney's character, including his accompanying lobbyists to exotic locations, fabricating lies about his political opponents, and using poor judgement in attending frat parties. We said voters should take those factors into consideration, but that the congressman's record in helping secure funding for his district and voting in Republican interests overrode concerns about his unofficial conduct.

His response to this incident reflects disturbingly not only on his character, but on his credibility to serve effectively as a representative of all the people.

. . . .