They Report, Then Verify

A California assemblyman on Wednesday resigned after unknowingly being recorded bragging about extramarital affairs with two women, allegedly including a lobbyist.

Republican Mike Duvall boasted about his trysts to a colleague before a July committee hearing, which was broadcast on cable television. He didn’t realize his microphone was on.

“I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly,” Mr. Duvall said in his resignation statement.

Media reports identified one of the women as a lobbyist for California utility giant Sempra Energy.

Note that the newspaper report doesn’t name the woman, unlike the CBS News affiliate in Los Angeles, which broadcast her name, her picture, and live footage from outside her house. How do they know that the California assemblyman was bragging about a woman he had sex with, as opposed to bragging about a woman with whom he never had sex? It isn’t unheard of for men to do that!

I hate television news.

I have friend who was offered a job by that guy a few years ago, and says he turned it down because the guy just felt sleazy. Good call.

— pc · Sep 10, 01:02 PM · #

How do they know that the California assemblyman was bragging about a woman he had sex with, as opposed to bragging about a woman with whom he never had sex?

Because he’s a Republican congressman who champions “family values” and “protecting the sanctity of marriage.” Obviously he’s cheating on his wife.

— Chet · Sep 10, 02:55 PM · #

Duvall said today that he was in fact bragging about two women with whom he never had sex. True or not, the lobbyist’s career is effectively over. It appears that a California GOP activist website claims to know who the other woman <i>probably</i> is, someone who lives in Duvall’s district. Not sure if they named her outright yet, but they’ve provided enough information for people to figure who the supposed second woman is.

— Randy · Sep 10, 06:40 PM · #

Looking at the post on Duvall’s website, the title is a denial, but the body of the message is what you’d expect from a non-denial denial. Speculation from some bloggers is that he’s worried about ethical charges, because of the lobbying conflict of interest.

http://www.duvallforassembly.com/resignation.html

— Ratufa · Sep 10, 08:00 PM · #

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