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My Rahm Reunion
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The Current Crisis
Barney Shuffles Off
How did a once promising pol end up so dissolute?
WASHINGTON — When Barney Frank announced the other day that he was shuffling off stage after three decades in the Congressional limelight, I was brought back to 1980 when some very thoughtful friends from Harvard told me to watch him. Paul H. Weaver had been an aide to Irving Kristol, the Godfather of Neoconservatism, which was lustrous in those days and rightly so. Paul was one of the brightest young neocons of his generation. I always took him seriously. He thought that Congressman Frank was principled, stupendously intelligent, and of good cheer — a wit. It seemed Frank was going to be another Daniel Patrick Moynihan or at least an Allard Lowenstein, the former Congressman and principled Liberal activist who had recently been murdered.
Boy, were Paul and the others up there at Harvard wrong. I followed Frank’s trajectory for years, and it always proceeded downward. If he was principled it was the principle of sticking with your team, however far to the left it might go. If he was intelligent it was the intelligence of the banal. There was never anything fresh or surprising about him. He followed the Liberal herd and if he was clever it was in implementing the herd’s desiderata. As for wit, all I noticed was a clownish demeanor, somewhat reminiscent of W. C. Fields, though without the booze. A specimen of it was presented on National Public Radio for us to savor the other day. In responding to a contrary constituent in 2009, Frank said, “Trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table.” Oscar Wilde he was not.
In an interview with the New York Times after announcing his forthcoming retirement, he spoke of how a “competition of people of goodwill with different points of view on public policy” had vanished from Congress. He never blamed Liberals for this only Newt Gingrich, the Republicans who had to “demonize the Democrats” to take over Congress, and “the conservative news media.” And, oh yes, he also blamed “moderates” who were too moderate to object to the Republicans’ evil designs.
Actually, we conservatives have not changed our views much since Barney Frank entered Congress. There are, however, two things that have changed. The first is that we conservatives have a voice in the public debate and it is a growing voice. Added to the conservative writers and magazines we now have talk radio (democratic talk radio) and Fox News. The second is that Frank and his party have become markedly more Liberal. In their immoderation they display an element of extreme politics that is always present in extremist movements and is now sinking Liberalism. The Liberals always take Liberalism too far.
Barney Frank was the first self-proclaimed homosexual in Congress and as a spokesman for gay rights he was ardent. Today homosexuals have their rights, but they want to claim the right to marry, not to sign civil union papers before the state like those heterosexuals who want a civil union. They want to claim marriage in a church. Will churches be allowed to deny them this right, free from the reach of civil rights law? It is too early to know, but as I watch the treatment of church-run hospitals refusing abortion and church-run adoption agencies treating homosexual couples differently than heterosexual couples, I worry about Liberals again going too far.
Certainly Liberals went too far in extending subprime mortgages to those who could not afford them. Through all their travails Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae had a great protector in Frank. Frank was a typical Liberal advocate of subprime loans for the penurious. As late as July 2008 he told CNBC that “I think this is a case where Fannie and Freddie are fundamentally sound, that they are not in danger of going under. They’re not the best investments these days from the long-term standpoint going back. I think they are in good shape going forward.” Ooops, and in 2009 he took over the Financial Services Committee to work his wizardry on the whole financial industry. The result was Dodd-Frank, which took the crony-capitalism of Fannie and Freddie to a whole new level.
Barney Frank has cost the taxpaying American people a bundle, and now that the bills are coming due he is retiring. My guess is he will be richly rewarded on the lecture circuit where he will lecture Liberals on how swell they had it, while others clean up his mess. No, he never made it as a Moynihan or a Lowenstein.
About the Author
R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn’t Work: Social Democracy’s Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to Recovery.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (89) | Leave a comment
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Ken (Old Texican)| 12.1.11 @ 6:24AM
Barney, don't let the door hit you in the butt.
Mike Hawk| 12.1.11 @ 6:46AM
If the door hit Bahney in the butt, one of his good buddies might get injured.
Doctor Right| 12.1.11 @ 7:34AM
Actually, if the doorknob hit Barney Frank in the ass, he'd probably enjoy it.
Truth to Power| 12.1.11 @ 8:31AM
Actually I don't think he would notice.
chuck| 12.1.11 @ 9:02AM
Definitely would have to replace the door knob. Don't know where that thing has been, and I'm not talking about the door knob.
Peter McGrath| 12.1.11 @ 7:31PM
Turd on the Run. Good Riddance.
Pat| 12.1.11 @ 6:28AM
Bye, bye, Bawny Fwank...Time to hit the gay bar
circuit.
ScottM| 12.1.11 @ 7:02AM
I'd like to see Barney hit the gray bar circuit (aka prison). Frank modeling the latest in orange jumpsuit fashionwear for his misdeeds as a congressmen would be a great first step in the long march to regain our country.
WickedDickie--Virginia| 12.1.11 @ 6:36AM
Darn shame he didn't go the way of Rostenkowski. Disgusting creature.
Reagan Loyalist| 12.1.11 @ 3:38PM
Indeed! Wicked, unapologetic exploiter of his position and I believe if there were justice in THIS world (there will be no escaping justice in the next world, by the way) he would be tossed into a prison with the rest of the criminals.
Michael Tomlinson| 12.1.11 @ 6:42AM
How did a once promising pol end up so dissolute? Is a Democrat ever promising as anything more than a cheap political hack?
Once there is a Republican in the White House and we control Congress Frank should be one of the first on our payback list (right behind F. D. Raines, J. Gorelik and C. Dodds) for investigations into his less than ethical behavior
As for the answer to the question. His first homosexual encounter.
disdainedconstituent| 12.1.11 @ 11:06AM
I refute the premise that Frank was ever a "promising" politician.
For any of Frank's supporters: If you go to a lecture, don't sit in the front row without a rainsuit and your shots up to date.
Fianlly, can't wait for the 2012 election. As ElRushbo said, "Barney's seat is wide open."
Richard Rogers| 12.1.11 @ 7:01AM
I think there is a good case for putting this creature on trial - before a jury of his victims.
samuelothar | 12.1.11 @ 7:02AM
Hey, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings.
LarryL| 12.1.11 @ 7:38AM
"Hey, you used to write wonderful,..."
And you do not.
Frank Drackman| 12.1.11 @ 7:28AM
Barney got his quadruple by-pass at Bethesda Naval a few years back...
I know Congessmen get Head of the line Privileges, still, OR times limited, and the 4 hours spent on Barney's fat ass heart was 4 hours that could have been used for you know, someone who actually served in the Military...
and somewhere in my Seabag, I've got a copy of Rep Frank's Viagra Rx...
Frank
Occam's Tool| 12.2.11 @ 10:12PM
FD--Right again!
davelnaf| 12.1.11 @ 7:34AM
Dreadful human, deceitful politician, perfect liberal and all of it rolled into one neat package.
Mark MacInnis| 12.1.11 @ 9:02AM
You forgot to add traitor, thief, carpet bagger and bigot. Truly a loathesome human being. The sooner he shuffle off this mortal coil to burn in the conflagration of hell, the better I shall like it.
But that's just me.....
Nonni| 1.19.12 @ 12:16PM
and me..............!
Fred C. Dobbs| 12.1.11 @ 12:24PM
Whatz neat about it?? Repulsive IMO.
Stormzeye| 12.1.11 @ 6:02PM
He actually crashed the world's economy and done more financial damage than anyone in world history.
jan| 12.2.11 @ 3:42PM
Davelnaf, Indeed, and we're paying this bastard an anusual salary of $ 132.000 . And who are the idiots who kept reelecting this POS>
HIGH TIME FOR TERM LIMITS
c. j. acworth| 12.1.11 @ 7:40AM
What's worst about creatures like Frank is not who they sleep with, but their arrogance, their total lack of humility, and inability to recognize their own error. Front and center is his continued belief that he and his co-conspiritors did right in the matter of Freddie $ Fran v. The Taxpayers. I fear that this arrogance extends throughout Congress and across party lines, and will make it very difficult to change course in any significant way. The temptation will always be to "tweak" a bad law or regulation, rather than do the right thing and admit that it was a mistake in the first place. Ditto for government programs and agencies, which seem impossible to shrink, let alone kill, no matter how harmful they are. It's getting a lot harder to remain an optimist about the future of this country.
Nonni| 1.19.12 @ 12:20PM
Well said, and very true. This cancer runs deep and across party lines. Are we all saying our prayers? We must have offended God through our silent acquiescence or the corruption engulfing our country.
Old Soldier| 12.1.11 @ 8:12AM
Wasn't the despicable Gerry Studds the first openly gay Congressman?
Dick Nome| 12.1.11 @ 3:22PM
Yes, and after getting caught jamming a teen page he was applauded at the censure proceedings by Democrats on the floor of congress.
Jeremiah| 12.1.11 @ 8:20AM
The reality is Mr. Frank was dissolute before he ever took office. As a homosexual, he had already chosen the path of depravity and hedonism, and thus it was irrational and naive to expect him to be a moral and sober-minded politician. As long as moral qualifications for office continue to be ignored, men like him will continue to take power and pervert not just themselves, but the country as a whole. Continually lowering our standards and tolerating evil (in any form) is not the answer.
Mike D.| 12.1.11 @ 8:38AM
Well said. Thank you.
Reagan Loyalist| 12.1.11 @ 3:41PM
Spot on Jeremiah!
Louis Jenkins| 12.1.11 @ 8:53AM
So what's next for Barney Fwank? Never will he be able to have as much "fun" as he has had. And the newsmedia always keeps silent on his past times. Strange that a mere presidental candidate can have an affair or several and it's all over the news, and Fwank's, a raging homosexual, is never mentioned. The newsmedia are two faced scumbags, and so is Fwank.
Timothy L. Pennell| 12.1.11 @ 9:05AM
This is what you get, when you "Protect a Species". Ask all the Farmers who can no longer grow their crops in THEIR fields, because of some "Endangered" Kangaroo Rat. Or, a Salamander. Ask the Logging Company's laid off employees, who are out of a job, because there's an OWL in one of the trees. Not to mention all of the OIL and NATURAL GAS we can't get to, because of Bears and Deer. Just imagine if they knew, they could do ANYTHING they wanted tom with IMPUNITY. Say the Nastiest, Vilest things, imaginable, knowing that, as a "Protected Species", you'd be, well, Protected.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Exhibit A: The Homosexual Congressman. I give you: Barney Frank.
If you read the New York Papers, you know that there are a lot of COPS, looking at Court Dates, for FIXING TICKETS, for their fellow Officers. But, not Barney. He FIXED the tickets of his Mail Order GAY LOVER, and nothing ever happened to him. And, then, as if to say: "You ain't seen nothing yet, he let the Love of his life - MR. Gobey - (Whom Barney found in the back of a Gay Magazine) - run a Homosexual Brothel out of Barney's D.C. Apartment.
His PUNISHMENT, for Doing the Tickets, and Allowing the AIDS Incubator? Nothing. He's a Gay DEMOCRAT. He's Protected.
Charlie Rangel. The Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. (Former) The Chairman of the Committee that Write the Tax Laws. GUILTY of Failure to report Income. Failure to Pay his FAIR SHARE. OWNING 4 Rent Stabilized apartments. Using one of them, for a Campaign Headquarters. That's a lot of Broken Laws. Even for a Congressman.
Has he been CHARGED with a Crime? Is he Awaiting Trial? Does he still have his House Seat?
No. No. And, Yes. How can this be? He's a Black DEMOCRAT. He's protected.
Bill Clinton is an Impeached RAPIST/Serial Misogynist who had to pay a $900,000 Settlement for Pulling his pants down, and EXPOSING HIMSELF. Hillary is a "Congenital LIAR". Biden is an IDIOT. And nobody seems to care.
Barack Hussein Obama is a Pathological Lying Marxist/Muslim, who has added $6 TRILLION to our National Debt, in 3 Years. He Orders the rest of us to "Share the Sacrifice", while he plays Golf with Millionaires and Billionaires, at their Private $50 Million Estates, on Martha's Vineyard. He's Destroyed our Credit Rating, Destroyed people's chances for a JOB, and a better life, and Destroyed the Futures of everybody's Children, and THEIR Children.
And half of the Country want 4 More Years.
Is an extra chromosome a REQUIREMENT for registering as a Democrat?
GOD help us.
Occam's Tool| 12.1.11 @ 6:11PM
Tim,
stop insulting Down syndrome patients. I've worked with a lot, and they are much smarter and more proncipled than Democrats! ;-) (Had a hard time spelling "principled" so close to the word Democrat, sorry.)
da monk| 12.1.11 @ 7:41PM
Pennell: Have ever said anything nice about anybody you disagree with? It's fine to disagree on an individual ascertain, political views, judical decisions even favorite sports team. But why do you have to use personal invective when TRYING to prove your points? I am sure anyone who wants to take the time can same some demeaning things about you. But that would be a waste of time because you're blinded by your prejudices.
"They come in vain in their reasonings and their senseless heart was darkened, professing themselves wise, they become fools"
Romans I
Occam's Tool| 12.3.11 @ 1:41AM
But, da monk:
Barney IS an asshole. Paul Newman was a Liberal, too, and I disagreed with him politically. But he created an excellent stable of food products whose profits he turned over to charity, and easily made fun of himself. (And starred as the hero of Exodus.)
Barney would be a shithead if he was a Conservative. The difference: the Conservatives would have made him resign.
Anthony| 12.1.11 @ 9:11AM
Frank was certainly never going to be a Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Lowenstein perhaps, I vaguely remember as a firebrand, not sure how principled he was before his untimely death.
No matter, Barney Frank is the poster boy for what is very, very wrong in America. His acerbic vile attacks on anything not leftist speaks volumes for the hegemony of leftism that has so dominated our culture over the past 50 years.
Leftism is never wrong and its tenents never re-examined, especially in the bubble world created by the MSM and Hollywood.
Only now that the alternative media has begun to challenge their hegemony and is making serious inroads, have leftists like Frank really gone off the deep end.
This is why 2012 is a watershed election for America; if Obozo is not defeated, the Barney Franks of the D party will finally bury America.
elmo| 12.1.11 @ 9:11AM
He is a sorry piece of shit!
Petronius| 12.1.11 @ 9:12AM
Bob
Why are you wasting ink on this dingleberry on our body politic? And you left out what the queers want most of all; criminalization of our disapproval of their behavior.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.1.11 @ 10:03AM
Emmett, this is a copy/paste from what I wrote in the blogs. I hope you read the comments to your own pieces at least. A commenter asked why Cain should soldier on in spite of the crud.
I answered:
Governor Perry is "soldiering on" despite being labeled a dunce, and ridiculed...(or ignored)...on my former favorite web forum here.
I think..."how in the hell do you ignore the ONE solid conservative with a PROVEN track record?
" How in the hell do you ignore and/or ridicule the Governor of the only successful State government in the nation?"
Well, TAS has managed to do so, and it embarrases me for you.
I guess our country is doomed to stupid. (Can any of you even imgine Mitt admitting "he stepped in it"?)
In my mind, a little humility goes a long way in a President.
(Emmett, you will note that my two year monthly donation has ceased due to the disparagement across the board here at TAS for a good man.)
Dave | 12.1.11 @ 10:04AM
As one who generally dislikes kicking a guy when he's leaving the building, I sincerely hope ol' Barn enjoys his pending days in the shade, and can pick-up a few space bucks on the traditional lecture tour. That's usually a prime source of cash for old politicos. And while it's only a rumor, word has it that Kellogg cereals might be looking to hire a new pitchman for their new, low fat Froot Loops.
With high-end marketing, image is everything.
We'll see.
megapotamus| 12.1.11 @ 10:09AM
I will depart from RET. Barney the Dinosaur did not simply follow the herd. He is at the head of the herd, notice I didn't say "was". Yes, this is both good news and a good sign since we know he was going to run again until lately. That's gotta hurt. We see here some of the evolutionary genius in the Constitution. As Mass and Cali and other blue redoubts drain so their power is diluted. Slowly, to be sure, but also surely. Barney moves on for the same reasons he does everything else; to forward The Cause as well as he can, consistent with keeping his own nest well-feathered. Now he can have his brothel openly and does anyone doubt that he will fully retain his ability to fix traffic tickets? There is one odious element to the Frank Legacy that I have only seen recalled once; the gay escort service, Hemp for Frank and the Jim Johnson connection have all been mentioned though not by all players. But those with long memories will recall that when the brothel bust went down and the fellow, name of Gobi, seemed under some extreme pressure that might blow to the detriment of Frank, the Representative took to the House floor and declared that if this investigation didn't come to a halt he would "out" the whole Legislature. The hush-hush that resulted from the goon squad entire, of both parties, tells you what is truly important to these blind-hires running the country.
Jeff Perren| 12.1.11 @ 10:10AM
I don't care that Barney Frank was gay. I don't care that he was mean. I don't care that he (was or) wasn't sincere.
I do care that he has, with disturbing near-consistency, accepted and acted on the Progressive philosophy - and been granted the power to do so for 30 years.
For that last, not for any of the others, it is appropriate to label Barney Frank not merely a disappointment but evil.
Nonni| 1.19.12 @ 12:28PM
Evil preceded and permeates, all that he did, all that he does, and all that he touched, touches, or will touch. Wonder what would the response be if one threatened to "out" all the evil in DC?
Purpleguy| 12.1.11 @ 10:37AM
" He never blamed Liberals for this only Newt Gingrich, the Republicans who had to “demonize the Democrats” to take over Congress, and “the conservative news media.” - and mostly that is true. I remember Gingrich railing against the government, and that's fine. But he also put out the "Republican Playbook" that told R's to call Democrats names such as despicable, anti-family, anti-child even, etc. Use all kinds of derogatory terms because as long as the R's win, it's worth it. And that creep wants to be president - not a chance.
"Today homosexuals have their rights, but they want to claim the right to marry, not to sign civil union papers before the state like those heterosexuals who want a civil union. They want to claim marriage in a church. Will churches be allowed to deny them this right, free from the reach of civil rights law? It is too early to know, but as I watch the treatment of church-run hospitals refusing abortion and church-run adoption agencies treating homosexual couples differently than heterosexual couples, I worry about Liberals again going too far." - and who among you don't want the same rights for you and your family? Who among don't EXPECT the same rights for you and your family? Would you deny a newborn infant the right to be baptised? Some churches do, if that innocent baby is born out of wedlock - is that right? Churches are run by crusty old men that go merrily through life ignoring laws and mores since they are so much higher than the rest of us, while a goodly number of them are playing sex games with our children in secret. Putting Churches up as the yardstick by which to measure morals and decency - not so much. Jesus, the Bible, fine - Churches - not so much.
In any case any member of Congress that serves their country for 30 years and more deserves a shred more respect than the troglodytes on this site give them credit for. You know who you are, and you can reconcile your hatred when you next attend Church, okay....
Occam's Tool| 12.1.11 @ 6:12PM
How, exactly, did Barney Frank "serve" his country?
Purpleguy| 12.1.11 @ 7:34PM
If you don't know, you need to go back to school. Seriously, you are deficient.
Reprobate Charlatan Pimplepuss| 12.1.11 @ 9:59PM
Seriously, ignore about 350 words dedicated to the subject of the article, and social, political, and economic rights, not to mention religion and morality, while not bothering to expend more than about a dozen words in a reply to a logical request for additional information, instead refusing to school the inquirer with additional knowledge, because he is obviously intellectually deficient, as his mensan membership indicates.
Occam's Tool| 12.2.11 @ 10:06PM
Sorry, being in Congress is a Privilege, not a sacrifice. Seriously, Purpleguy, you are deficient.
He did try to get prostitution legalized in Massachusetts, of course, before he went to Congress.
He was, in short, a scumbag, morally and politically, who hurt his country greatly with everything he did. He followed in his father's footsteps---his dad was an ex-con.
Nick| 12.1.11 @ 8:13PM
Occam's Tool,
I think it is more accurate to say that Bwawny Fwank serviced this country!
Occam's Tool| 12.2.11 @ 10:06PM
I must disagree with you, NIck---we serviced him! ;)
Nick| 12.3.11 @ 1:49AM
Well, Occam, like Bwawny, one could take it both ways!
Merlin| 12.3.11 @ 7:26AM
Purpleguy,
Eyes open to reality and/or contempt for the contemptable are not the same as hatred.
"Would you deny a newborn infant the right to be baptized?"
NOBODY HAS A RIGHT TO BE BAPTIZED.
Were you criticizing Newt for defending hospitals that refused to abort infants who had not yet been given their "right to baptism"?
Bill H| 12.3.11 @ 6:28PM
“I don’t worry that the Church will survive persecution in the US. I do doubt that the US will survive persecuting the Church.”
Noah| 12.1.11 @ 10:38AM
A hammer and a sickle can do a lot of damage to a dining room table, Mr. Frank!
GriffMN| 12.1.11 @ 10:56AM
It's easy to be liberal when you're wealthy; the redistributionist bite doesn't hurt at all. And it's just as easy to be liberal when you're poor and on the receiving end of the largess. But for those of us in the middle, picking up the tab eventually opens our eyes to pseudo-intellectual liberal buffoons such as Barney Frank. Maybe Barney realized the middle folks in the Peoples' Republic of Massachusetts had finally awakened?
Julian| 12.1.11 @ 11:21AM
Heterosexuals do not contract civil unions; they contract civil marriages. Homosexuals want the same right to civil marriage. That is all that legislation can give. It is up to each religious denomination to make its own rules about who may marry. Allowing civil marriages will not change that.
Lev Tolstoy| 12.1.11 @ 11:28AM
Barney will never admit error, because he knows he is culpable for what he has done. Admitting wrong doing will only hasten his trip to prison.
Purpleguy| 12.1.11 @ 12:02PM
What did he do? He was in the minority party from 1994 to 2007 - what do you think 1 vote in the House can do? He had no power, nothing. On the other hand, where were the Republicans - First the House in 1994, then the President in 2001 and the Senate in 2002 until 2007? Why did they allow the profligate Wall Streeters and Bankers to dig such a deep hole? Why weren't new financial instruments regulated? Why didn't they change Freddie and Fannie? Barney Frank could not stop them, nor pass legislation over a Republican Controlled House-Senate and President.
Clint| 12.1.11 @ 12:26PM
The Senate Democrats Killed The Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, with a threatened Filbuster.
The Then Senator Obama refused to Co-Sponsor The Bill.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here And In Iowa.
Purpleguy| 12.1.11 @ 2:42PM
And, so what pray tell did Barney Frank have to do with that? Nothing as you have confirmed .. Thank You.
Now as far as the Federal Housing Act - Bush was in charge of the Executive branch, made the rules, so he f* up, as usual. He broke all kinds of laws, torture, habeas corpus, warrantless wiretapping, etc. ... he surely could have issues one of his 700+ Executive Orders to correct the housing mess - he did not. Moreover, the regulators who worked for Bush were having sex with their charges and couldn't be bothered watching out for the American people.
Occam's Tool| 12.2.11 @ 10:10PM
No, but Barney had a lot to do with this: (from the notoriously far right Wikipedia):
"In 1985 Frank was still closeted. That year he hired Steve Gobie for sex, a male prostitute, and they became friends more than sexual partners.[24] Frank housed Gobie and hired him with personal funds as an aide, housekeeper and driver and paid for his attorney and court-ordered psychiatrist.[24] In 1987 Frank kicked Gobie out after he was advised by his landlord that Gobie kept escorting despite the support and was doing so in the residence.[24][25] Later that year Gobie's friends convinced him he had a gay male version of Mayflower Madam, a TV movie they had been watching.[24] In 1989 Gobie tried to initiate a bidding war for the story between WUSA-TV (Channel 9), the Washington Times, and The Washington Post.[24] He then gave the story to The Washington Times for nothing, in hopes of getting a book contract.[25] Amid calls for an investigation Frank asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate his relationship "in order to insure that the public record is clear."[26] The Committee found no evidence that Frank had known of or been involved in the alleged illegal activity and dismissed all of Gobie's more scandalous claims; they recommended a reprimand for Frank using his congressional office to fix 33 of Gobie's parking tickets and for misstatements of fact in a memorandum relating to Gobie's criminal probation record.[27] The House voted 408–18 to reprimand Frank.[28][29] "
The reprimand was about fixing parking tickets using the power of his office.
Anthony| 12.1.11 @ 4:03PM
"What did he do"? Hey Purp, I always find it amusing that lefties like you always manage to forget or disclaim the fierce and active opposition you folks put up when Rs attempt to make changes to existing follies in the law.
When not in the majority, Dodd, Barney and the rest of the Ds, with their allies in the media, made sure the Rs would never make any significant changes to Fannie or Freddie. And of course they succeeded. Kinda like Social Security, remember?
So when the dodo hits the fan, morons like you mimic that toad Frank who says, "I had nothing to do with it".
You really are a disingenuous fool.
Zak Klemmer| 12.1.11 @ 2:16PM
See my comment below!
Oldefarte| 12.1.11 @ 12:00PM
To attempt to provide an answer to Bob's original question above.......HE SIMPLY CAME OUT OF THE/HIS CLOSET!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 12.1.11 @ 2:57PM
Or possibly BARNEY'S FRANK WAS [POLITICALLY] COOKED!!!!!!!!!!
Ron| 12.1.11 @ 1:03PM
Barney Frank, was, is, and will always be an inarticulate, demeaning, slobbering ape, feeding off of his own ego.
Anyone who could not see that, and thought he was promising needs their heads examined by a competent doctor, for they clearly have some disease.
shipley130| 12.1.11 @ 1:54PM
Barney Frank is slithering to the hills. I hope the hills swallow him whole.
Zak Klemmer| 12.1.11 @ 1:54PM
Being a leftist means never having to say you're sorry.
SF_Exile| 12.1.11 @ 2:13PM
Barney Frank's departure from Congress can be summed up in one word: redistricting.
The district he had in Mass. was the most gerrymandered in the state. And this in the state that invented the term! BF's new district lines were going to include towns in the area known as the South Coast which is certainly more conservative than say, Brookline or Newton.
http://www.bostonherald.com/ne....._november/
His reelection campaign would have been a hard-fought thing this time, compared to his practically mailing it in when he was up against Sean Bielat. Like "Marsha" Coakley, he didn't take his opponent all that seriously, and it was a near thing that he retained his seat at all.
As the saying goes: Barney's decision to not run again was due to ill health - the voters got sick of him.
Nonni| 1.19.12 @ 12:33PM
YES!!!!
Willy| 12.1.11 @ 2:58PM
A welcome Christmas present to those of us who will not miss the "banking queen".
Jabber3| 12.1.11 @ 3:02PM
"Backdoor" Barney has been one of the most outrageous stooges ever elected to Congress. He was/is a rude, slovenly, despicable, vindictive, irresponsible, insufferable bandersnatch.
milesll| 12.1.11 @ 3:16PM
Emmett is right on again. I think he and I are the only IU grads who are "right" on
Dave in Detroit| 12.1.11 @ 3:21PM
You forgot the other possible future for the foul, self-righteous, disgraceful Barney Frank -- following in the footsteps of fellow Congressional failure Chris Dodd, who is now head of the MPAA, the movie industry lobby, at $1.2 million a year.
Don't underestimate the incredible will of these people to merit underestimation.
bruce| 12.1.11 @ 7:13PM
i live in R.I. so you don't have to tell me about back door barney because all of our reps. in R.I. are just as bad.they like socialism for you but not for them. it was carter and all the dems who gave us the community reinvestment act that caused this depression and frank covered it up until just before the election,then blamed busch,we need to gather the feathers and warm up the tar!
scythe| 12.1.11 @ 7:16PM
Did you think Barney was...normal? Barney Frank is a repulsive specimen of humanity. It always astounds me when I hear people who WONDER WHAT WENT WRONG with so and so, when you know so and so is a raving homosexual activist with a boyfriend peddling gay sex from his domicile, and any other number of activities that a few short years ago would have marked him as a morally depraved mental case. The only thing that has changed is that those who used to be in charge is discerning what is and is not normal have been co-opted by the politically correct crowd. So if you are straight and a Christian, you are now the aberrant one and if you are a Barney Frank, people ask - geez - what when wrong??? WHAT WENT WRONG??? Look at the man. Look at his life! Look at what he is! What the hell did you expect???
Russell| 12.2.11 @ 12:15AM
"How did a once promising pol end up so dissolute?"
Spent too much coked out London and DC club time not talking to the girls , no , wait a minute, that's somebody else .
Occam's Tool| 12.3.11 @ 1:43AM
That was Taki.
BackToBasics| 12.2.11 @ 2:06AM
From RET, "....told me to watch him. Paul H. Weaver had been an aide to Irving Kristol, the Godfather of Neoconservatism, which was lustrous in those days and rightly so. Paul was one of the brightest young neocons of his generation"
The fact that Neocons and Republican Establishment types forecast greatness in such a person shows us why they always pick the weakest Republican candidates in the presidential campaigns. They do not understand human nature very well and they do not understand what it is that makes conservatives strong and having honest convictions. Remember the Repub Establishment did not like Reagan either and just look at the rest of the lukewarm pols they rigged on us.
Rmm| 12.2.11 @ 9:43AM
Barney,
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. We will miss you not. I used to curse the voters who kept reelecting your sorry self.
rongordo | 12.2.11 @ 10:12AM
I can answer the question easily. Barney Frank was a politician of revenge. It's the same with Barrack. It's the ugly, dark, underlying theme of liberals: They're unhappy, it's society's fault, and therefore the successful should be taken down a notch, while the meek should be given special status. Concerning social issues, this is really all that liberalism is. There are the other causes, like free tibet, save the whales, etc, but the people of those groups are simply to be used as voters for the revenge group. This is politics 101.
JimG33 | 12.2.11 @ 4:53PM
Bingo rongordo, directly to the point!
Occam's Tool| 12.2.11 @ 10:11PM
Yes, Bwarney was the ultimate "Masshole."
Richard Baker| 12.4.11 @ 7:03AM
His homosexuality is his prime raison d'etre. Everything else, his nastiness, preening behavior, and his contempt for anyone who disagrees comes from the selfishness born of the homosexual mindset. Glad he's going but the rest of us have to cope with his actions in Congress and the damage done to the country.
wedding dresses | 12.6.11 @ 3:34AM
For any of Frank's supporters: If you go to a lecture, don't sit in the front row without a rainsuit and your shots up to date.
Stephen J Davis | 1.12.12 @ 7:45PM
Mr. Tyrrell, Jr.: Your column regarding the departure of Barney Frank was too timid for this long-term subscriber to Am Spec. Frank was the principal architect of (at least) the Government's major contribution to the Financial Nine-Eleven, if not the principal architect of most of the Financial Nine-Eleven. Your Commentator must disclose at this juncture that said Financial Nine-Eleven imposed a personal financial disaster upon Your Commentator; that disclosure does not reduce the veracity of the allegations presented herein by Your Commentator, who wishes to remain un-anonymous, as Stephen J. Davis, Citizen of USA, whose email address is nldsjd@cox.net.
Dave| 1.13.12 @ 2:23AM
Frank should have been thrown out of the oversite of Fred and Fran
Since he only bent over for Fred
Now both Fred and Fran are in arrears financially.