Hiney Gate and the Huckabee Flip Flop

On Friday, April 16th, former Presidential Candidate and current radio commentator mentioned our local Hineygate caper in his daily radio address.

Here's the link. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redlasso.com%2FClipPlayer.aspx%3Fid%3D58812ac8-78b3-4898-a125-3a63246f752f&h=591f1

He mentioned sorta half jokingly about the irony of reverse sexual harassment by "two attractive females" and the unsuspecting male police officer. Oh the hilarity and hi jinx in those small Texas towns, a real knee slapper.

I agree the incident was pretty innocuous and didn't deserve as much press as it did, but the fact that a nationally syndicated commentator mentioned it and got our town the kind of press that isn't at all flattering.

But here are the facts: An incident occurred in a town government facility prior to an official Town Council meeting, otherwise known as "the workplace". A Police officer, on duty at the meeting is approached in an orchestrated fashion by The Mayor, (his boss) and The Mayor Pro-Tem in nothing short of an immature childish prank. The event is witnessed and reported to The Chief of Police. It is his responsibility to make a report on the incident not only for the protection of the officer, but the protection of himself as his superior. If he hadn't, he would be totally remiss in his responsibilities. Imagine if it has been a male mayor and a female police officer. The uproar would have been monumental.

It reminds me of the movie "Disclosure", back in 1994 with Michael Douglas and Demi Moore. It was about a male being harassed by an ex-lover who has now become his boss.

Back to Hineygate, The Police Chief files the report and the town attorney investigated the incident and it was determined that there was no sexual harassment, the ladies apologized for their immature behavior and it went to die in some buried file in an undisclosed desk. No harm, no foul. But wait, somehow it leaked, oh wait it was an incident at a official town function, so bingo. IT'S PUBLIC RECORD. Much to the mayor's further embarrassment, it gets to the press and she is forced to comment on the event at a town council meeting on January 21st, which also happens to be the meeting with the largest attendance ever. The mayor proclaims that it as political and intended to make her look bad.

Flash forward about 2 months when the actual video tape of the goosing is released under freedom of information act and Channel 11 runs it as its lead story at 6 o'clock. The Mayor, in her brief sound bite, blames the police chief and claims to have been trying to fire him for months. (Plagiarized right from Disclosure).

Another embarrassment and a sign that our mayor does not act in the most prudent manner.

During the town hall debate of the Candidates two weeks ago, some of her opponents mentioned the Huckabee exposure as just that, exposure of the embarrassing kind and a trend of lack of judgement.

Flash forward to April 30th, in the heat of early voting. This time in the first minute of "The Huckabee Report", Mike chastises the Mayors opponents for using his words to discredit the Mayor. here is the Link: http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=58812ac8-78b3-4898-a125-3a63246f752f

As you can see in Mike's flip flop is "he thought what the Mayor did was funny".

So here is the smoking gun. The officer works for the town in which his "harasser" is the Mayor. Now if you wanted to keep your job, wouldn't you publicly say "I guess I got my Christmas Goose early this year". We don't know and we shouldn't know what he told his superior the chief of police how he really felt out of fear of retribution. The Police Chief who again, was doing his job, and publicly was chastised by the mayor on local news of his poor job performance. Retribution for reporting a case of a hostile work environment? I'm surprised the lawyers aren't lined up at his door step on that one.

Mike thought it was funny? Well there is an answer for that also. I don't have to mention the election and the hundreds of thousands of dollars someone has spent for TV ads, Phone surveys, Several very expensive mailer and a PR wagon train a mile long. The very deep pockets of Williams Oil of Tulsa Oklahoma. I'm sure it didn't take much effort on Williams part to call ol' Mike and tell him our bruised, yet "fine conservative" mayor was in trouble. So blatant you could drive a truck through it.

I can't wait for the Movie, Disclosure II.