Oregon Republican embarrasses himself... again
Jonathan Singer
CQ Today's Midday Update (free email service) passes on this highly comical story about a man who was once a rising star within Oregon's Republican party.
FORMER REP. COOLEY FOUND TO HAVE DEFRAUDED INVESTORS Former Rep. Wes Cooley, R-Ore., yesterday was found to have defrauded St. Louis-area investors in an Internet startup, the Associated Press reported. A jury found that Cooley and a partner lied in 2000 when they said online-auction giant eBay.com was about to buy their BidBay.com. The two were ordered to pay $2.2 million to 11 investors who had sued them. The investors said the pair had claimed the company would soon sell stock through an initial public offering. Federal regulators had actually blocked BidBay from selling stock to the public, and eBay had no plans to buy the company, plaintiffs' attorneys told jurors. Cooley, elected to Congress in 1994, dropped his 1996 re-election bid after reports that he lied about serving with the Army Special Forces in the Korean War. He was later convicted of lying in the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet and sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
Oregonlive.com is also carrying the whole AP article for those interested.
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Feb 3, '05
This sort of thing, along with diverting campaign funds and driving around with a trunk full of drugs will always happen with Republicans. It is fallout from believing that getting rich is proof of personal worth and that any way of making money is justified. Combined with the Rovian ethic of power at any price yields a political mafia, minus the code of respect, of course.
Problems with sex, on the other hand, are politically equal opportunity, although D's are more likely to do it while R's are more likely to sell it [one of the Smith's comes to mind].
Feb 3, '05
LOL! Give Cooley a 'C' for consistency.
And, as became clear on the 'Dem pols can do no wrong' thread, this sort of thing does not only happen to Republicans. It it what opportunists do.
Feb 3, '05
Is it just me, or does it seem that the Republican party seems to attract a lot of pathological liars?
Feb 3, '05
And don't forget hypocrites!
3:02 p.m.
Feb 3, '05
Not to mention Republicans moral high ground.........
Feb 3, '05
It's not surprising about a guy whose children won't even talk about him,much less to him. His son,Jr, may have even changed his name.
11:13 a.m.
Feb 4, '05
I had the privilege of doing op research against this guy as a campaign intern in 94, and there's just never been a better campaign gig. It's really been all downhill since...
The guy is arguably the biggest assclown to ever hold office in our great state- which is likely Wester's only true life accomplishment. When I think back to the campaign I'm reminded of that line from SNL's Dukasis-Bush debate skit, "I can't believe we're losing to this guy..."
I appreciate the Oregonian dusting off some of the greatest hits too- it was the best thing I read all day. Cheers.