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No laughing matter

Posted

To the editor:

Henny Youngman made the point as a joke, “Take my wife … please,” but some politicians use that philosophy to survive criticism and avoid criminal charges. From Fats Domino to Taylor Swift, the message in song is “Don’t Blame Me.”   

Justice Sam Alito blames his wife for the upside-down American flag on his house in Alexandria, Virginia.  

Senator Bob Mendendez blames his wife, Nadine, for the financial corruption, including getting gold bars and other luxury items that were seized by the FBI. Justice Clarence Thomas says, in effect, my wife does her own radical political thing; don’t blame me.

A decade ago the former Republican governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, accused of wrongfully taking money and loans, told the jury that his wife, Maureen, had been disappointed in their financial condition, was stressed out, and became fixated on luxury goods.  

Others, like Rudy Giuliani, didn’t blame the wife, but publicly dumped her (Donna Hanover) as his political and personal success went to his head. He had been helped to achieve that success in politics in no small part to his most loyal supporter, Donna Hanover.   

Maybe the “Blame the Wife Defense” (BTW) defense should be codified into a legal defense to any criminal and civil charge. I can hear the defense attorney now: “Your honor, my client will take the ‘BTW’ defense, and forgo the unnecessary expenditure of a trial.”  

Michael J. Gorman




Comments

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  • Admin

    Excellent. But he forgets one important "Don't Blame Me" song. Written and sung by George Harrison, it first appeared in England on "With The Beatles" and in the U.S. on "Meet The Beatles."

    Thursday, May 23 Report this

  • namrogm

    Very good, Admin. Thanks.

    Friday, May 24 Report this