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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Joe Brennan's DUI - Let He Who Is Without Sin ...

Updated 10:13 PM
Let me start my post about Joe Brennan's DUI by telling you about myself. I'm a drunk. I just can't handle booze, no matter how small the amount. I refused to recognize that until I destroyed my legal career, my marriage and let down many people who were counting on me. It nearly killed me.

I'm one of the lucky ones.

My uncle Artie, who like me was a title searcher, was another drunk. It killed him when he was still a young man, with three children to support.

One of those kids, my cousin Eddie, never recovered. Like his Dad, he began to drink, too.

Eddie was smart, with a gift for taking things apart and putting them back together again. He found work in the HVAC biz, but lost job after job because of booze or because his DUIs prevented him from driving vans. Who's going to take a chance on a 50 year-old guy with multiple DUIs? Those who did take him on took advantage of him.

It cost him meaningful relationships. He never married. To my knowledge, he never even dated much. He was a loner.

Booze finally killed him. After trying to quit, and succeeding for nearly a year, he was picked up for another DUI. He never told a soul. Not his mother. Nobody.

He just hung himself.

At his viewing last November, the two pictures his mom selected were of his cat.

It was a small crowd.

The cat never showed.

Alcoholism runs deep in our family. It afflicted my dad, grandfather, two uncles, and an even aunt who happened to be a nun. But they were not the only ones who suffered. Every person around them suffered, too.

Including me. I may have stopped drinking, but I'm still emotionally scarred, and am very slow to form deep relationships with most other people. I'm moody, too.

All of this gives me a quirky outlook and helps in the writing department, but it makes me a difficult person.

Ask my friends.

Both of them.

After going to daily AA meetings for a year, and watching what goes on at the courthouse, I know my family is by no means unusual. Alcoholism hits nearly every one of us, rich or poor, black or white, although those of us who are Irish tend to be more prevalent.

In fact, when I read that State Rep. Joe Brennan had a 0.16 BAC, my first reaction was, "Is that all? Irishmen are born with a 0.16 BAC."

Joe Brennan is a State Representative, but he's also a human being. He's subject to the same shortcomings that afflict us all. Fortunately, a police officer stopped him before he got involved in an accident. If he hurt anyone, I know he'd never forgive himself.

I've known Joe for many years. You'll be hard put to find a more pleasant or quick-witted person. He's in public office because he really cares about people, especially those with nothing. I know he adores his kids, too, and that dreary drive to and from Harrisburg on a near daily basis, has to be a grind.

But Joe has battled alcohol all his life. He's mostly been successful. Better than my dad, grandfather, aunt or cousin.

He has a problem. There's no bribery or public corruption. He fortunately did not hurt anyone. He is by no means the only person who has ever had a DUI or who is plagued by alcohol. He feels terrible about what has happened.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Here's his statement, in its entirety.

"When the House finished its business Wednesday afternoon, I returned to Bethlehem. I consumed alcohol and then drove in my personal vehicle to my district office after 8 p.m. intending to answer some constituent letters and e-mails. I was approached by Bethlehem police outside my office on suspicion of DUI and consented to both a breath test and blood test which confirmed a BAC over the legal limit.

"I take full responsibility for this serious mistake and offer my heartfelt apology to my family and my constituents. I clearly should not have been driving in that condition. It was a serious error in judgment. I am grateful that nobody was injured as a result of the dangerous decision I made.

"I’ve had a long and personal struggle with alcohol throughout my adult life. I am working toward recovery and will do my best to prevent another mistake like this.

"I deeply regret yesterday’s incident and will fully cooperate as the matter is handled through the normal procedures of the legal system.

"At my request, I am on leave from today’s House session but continue working on budget and education-related issues and to meet my responsibilities as an elected official to people across Pennsylvania."

65 comments:

Alfeda Marchesi said...

harrisberg is driving dems to drink

Anonymous said...

O'Hare mancrush so this is a soft-glove zone from this point forward. Can you imagine if it were Pawloswski or McClure.

Anonymous said...

9:08 good point. Fire this scumbag repeat offender, Im so sick of these people running the show who have more problems than us "peasant". Do as I say not as I do bullshit. QUESTION ALL AUTHORITY! Bunch of drunks, oh and then there's Gilbert who cant even handle his own finances and wants to be in charge of the county's money. Cry me a river, stop making excuses for all these hacks. But then again O'hare, you are right there with them. When will the excuses end. money money money money,,money!

gruntled said...

I would not vote for office-mates Boscola & Warren because of their DUI's. Should we add Brennan to that list? I don't know if bad judgement in one area carries over to representing me well, but I don't want to take the chance. It can't be that hard to obstain from driving after drinking; that's just bad decision making. Apparently their constituents disagree with me and continue to elect them.

Oh, and to anon 9:08...you're an idiot.

Anonymous said...

Irish curse.

Bernie O'Hare said...

They say God created alcohol to keep the Irish from taking over the world.

Anonymous said...

Ok disbarred rev

Anonymous said...

Bernie -- you made me cry. Your story of your family got me thinking about things.

Thanks for that.

Bernie O'Hare said...

No reason to cry. Almost every family I know has similar stories. It may not involve suicide, but most of my closest friends have had similar problems, from my best friend as a boy to my closest fried now.

Alcohol, in the body of an alcoholic, will strip him of whatever he values most.

Anonymous said...

I am sympathetic to his situation since it has to do with his personal life and not public life; yet I was sympathetic to Bruce Gilbert's personal financial issues too. If Bruce Gilbert had a good financial track record professionally and and in government, yet had personal financial issues, why were we supposed to be unrelentingly judgmental in reference to Gilbert's private life, yet sympathetic to Brennan's? It seems like a double standard. If every politician has to have be a faithful happy married husband with no infidelities, addictions, scandals or weaknesses in addition to doing a good job at his or her post...then I think we should be consistent.

Anonymous said...

I think we need to focus on what the issue is here. Whether he is a drunk or not is not a crime. Driving drunk is. 17,000 people are killed each year by drunk drivers. The irresponsibility is in his driving behavior not his drinking.

Anonymous said...

Maybe this will keep him out of the "sand" box ...

Bill Coker said...

No matter what your political beliefs are, it takes a lot of balls to openly admit being a drunk, not being able to handle liquor in any form, and bare family secrets in the process. People in that position tend to sympathize with others in the same boat ("mancrush" or not). Personally I believe Bernie would be saying the same things if one of his political opponents were in this boat. Alcoholism is an insidious disease and can strike most anywhere, but some are more suseptible than others.

I'm not defending drunk driving and that should be addressed and punished if necessary. I'm simply saying that alcoholism is a disease, not a choice. Like any addiction, it's tough to quit. Ask any chocaholic.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"why were we supposed to be unrelentingly judgmental in reference to Gilbert's private life, yet sympathetic to Brennan's? It seems like a double standard."

It does, at least on the surface. Bruce Gilbert's private finances costed doubt on his ability to manage his public finances, and he has no public record from which he can be judged. If Bruce had a few years in public life with an impeccable record, I think this would have been less of an issue, at least to me.

In Joe's case, he has a very distinguished public record of service, so one private indiscretion that has no bearing on his public life is not so relevant.

If he displayed a shitty attitude about what happened, I could see climbing all over him. But he instead acknowledged that he has a disease - alcoholism, and that is a very real disease. He must still accept responsibility, as he himself noted, but I hope people realize this is a terrible disease.

Anonymous said...

This so-called 'disease' puts others at risk. Enough with the "who hasn't, bullshit". How about the families that have lost members to drunk drivers. Now it doesn't sound so noble or sympathetic.

He is a repeat offending drunk driver. The last time he caused an accident and quick drank a beer, a skill perfected by drinkers. Who knows how many other incidents went unreported by cops who winked.

This guy has always had a checkered past. Drunk driving kills people. Usually the wrong people.

Zero sympathy, save it for the victims families.

Bernie O'Hare said...

No question this is a disease that puts others at risk. Especially when driving, but in other ways, too. Joe has to accept responsibility for what he did.

This is the first time Joe was cited for DUI, so it's a bit of a stretch to call him a repeat offender.

Most people who are cited for DUI have driven impaired many times. Every Friday at 6 PM, 1 out of every 10 drivers is impaired. But most of them are never charged.

I hope that this DUI gives Joe a message and that he learns from it. I do not see a reason to crucify him. But if you are a person without sin, go ahead and cast that stone.

Anonymous said...

Stone cast. Being Drunk isn't a disease, its a choice.

Bill said...

My recovery started with a DUI over 24 years ago, I was 21 years old at the time. I have lost my mother, and grandfather from the disease. Several family members suffer from it and no other issue has had such a profound and deep effect on my family.

This must have been a hard blog to write Bernie. Thank you for doing so. I wish Joe the best as well and know him to be a good man.

Anonymous said...

It's time for Joe to resign. What a tragic example he is for young people seeking public office. A nice guy, no question about it, but too much going on emotionally to be effective.

Anonymous said...

It's not about being a drunk. It's about being drunk, dumb and getting behind the wheel of a car to drive.

Some of the people I love the most are drunks. They don't drink and drive.

Anonymous said...

No surprise, but my family too suffers from alcohol addiction.

Seamus

Anonymous said...

Bernie they also say where you find four Irishmen you will always find a fifth.

RyanC said...

I'm what you would call a gay irishman ...i prefer the Ladies over the drink.

Anonymous said...

"I take full responsibility for this serious mistake...It was a serious error in judgment...nobody was injured as a result of the dangerous decision I made."

Joe, it's not a mistake, error in judgment or a dangerous decision. You committed a criminal act. When you minimize a criminal act with lesser terms, you have not faced the facts to your constituents. Until you do, I cannot support you as your constituent.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

I like Joe and think he is a good guy. But ... what he did here, as well as some other things in the past, raise concerns on his judgement. In fact he fully admits it and admits he has a problem.

He is an intelligent man who, knowing he has an issue, should have taken care of it BEFORE he was caught driving drunk. And I say caught, because there is no way that this was the first time he sat down behind the wheel and drove in an impaired state. Does anyone think that he would be taking a leave from the House if he wasn't caught? Does anyone really think he would be addressing this problem if not forced by the circumstances?

The other thing that bothers me is that, according to the Brennan's own press release, Brennan drove to his office to answer constituent letters and emails. This is an admission that he was doing State business while impaired. I know others have remained in public office after bouts with the bottle and/or alcoholism, but I cannot remember anyone conducting State business while drunk/impaired.

If he has a problem he should get it worked out. As for his continuing on as a Representative, the fact that his lack of judgement bled into his public life and activities should be a major consideration by both Rep. Brennan as well as the House Ethics committee.

Publius

Anonymous said...

Well here we go again with the perfect person mentality that seems to be born in bone marrow of the anon criticizers .

Lets see, no public figure is allowed to have financial problems, alcohol problems, a personal life, a drink after work, an argument, and the list goes on.

Looking at the recent criticism of Rep. Weiner, Mr. Gilbert, the EPD officers, and this man...it looks to me that a public figure is held to perfect standards (not higher standards) .

As long as this sensationalism continues to proliferate, decent and honest folks will be turned off from running for public office.

PA, as well as America, has created a hostile environment for politicians, by regularly making their personal lives a topic of public discussion.

Pretty soon, decent people will migrate away from public office, and we will be left with the worst of the worst.

Lets keep up the great work! The ET is a shit newspaper.

Trish

Anonymous said...

Have you read many of Bernies blogs? He rips peoples personal lives to shreds sometimes.

c said...

Alcoholism is awful. My grandfather was an alcoholic. As a WW2 Marine he saw terrible, terrible things in the South Pacific. His only solace was alcohol, and it deeply affected his children. He was the toughest man that I ever met (Could rip a phone book in half with his bare hands), but he wasn't tougher than the bottle. It took a DUI for him to realize the fact that he needed to sober up, and he did. I will stand behing anyone adult enough to admit their shortcomings who is willing to make things right, no matter what party they are in. We are all human. Nice article Bernie.

Anonymous said...

Trish,

If you were referring to my comments @ 10:29am, the problem I find with Mr. Brennan is not that he has faults, but twofold: First, his pure lack of judgement to drink and drive is not only a criminal offense, but is one that puts innocent people at risk; Second, the fact that he was intoxicated while performing his duties as a Representative is a big issue for me. Quite honestly, if he were my employee I would fire him for showing up intoxicated.

I do agree that politicians personal lives are out there more than they should be, but in a situation like this one it should be out there. I think there is a big difference between what Anthony Wiener did (which was stupid but was not criminal and didn't put anyone in danger) and what Brennan did. I also think that people like Charlie Rangel should be out for his ethical/tax issues.

But remember that it is not just the media that puts politicians personal lives out there, it is also the politicians. When I get a flier showing "Candidate X" with his/her family and pet or an attack ad from his/her opponent based on some personal issue, they are putting it out there.

Publius

Anonymous said...

Publis,

If your shit list was plastered across front page newspapers, I am sure you would have a different opinion. Disclosure maybe, but front page, no. No one was murdered.

Look up northampton county arraignment list to find almost 100 new DUIs each month

trish

Anonymous said...

Many politicians have run in with the law and move on:

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-09-05/news/3485546_1_angle-shoplifting-outlet-mall

Anonymous said...

Tuberculosis is a disease. Which one doesn't sound right? Dammit Joe your an alcoholic, Dammit Joe, you have Tuberculosis!.. Oh your an alcoholic, what's your symptoms? GOOD TIMES

Anonymous said...

This guy has a problem and should resign and get some help. It could be his position in goverment that is aggrevating his need to drink. Many people like my father drink because they have untreated depression or anxiety or both. I have severe depression and anxiety. But I don't drink to help me cope.

I also had an uncle with such severe anxiety and depression, who drank, he went on a drinking binge that killed him. My family told me he died of a heart attack. But the reality is he drank so much he died of alcohol poisoning. The heart attack was the result of that.

My anxiety and depression got me fired from a job in 2000. I have had a difficult time recovering from that. But no one once felt sorry for me. It was on me to get the help needed. It is a shame because friends and family have turned thier back on me in my time of need of love and support.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 5:00, I think what you are really saying here is that you do not consider alcoholism a disease, but some sort of character deficiency. You are certainly entitled to feel that way, and I do not think alcoholism is a defense to the unethical acts that led to my suspension as a lawyer or to driving while impaired. In fact, if we just winked and sai don't do it again, we would be enabling the very behavior we wish to stop.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Hey 5:51, I am sorry to hear of your battle with severe depression. Hang in there, even if you hate my guts. just don't drink. Alcohol, as you know, is a depressant.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Hey Bill, Hang in there, buddy.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bernie, I try to not hate you, I reserve that for others. Like the people who run Northampton County's mental health services, the county sheriff department, my local PD, my family, an abusive boyfriend and a PFA system in PA tht needs overhauling!

Donna Baver Rovito said...

A DUI can be the first step toward meaningful recovery, if the perpetrator accepts responsbility and gets help. Brennan deserves another chance, just as Lisa Boscola and others have had. If he manages to control his demons, he can be a productive member of society. If not, then he should resign.

Bernie, it took guts to tell your story the way you did. There's a history of substance abuse in my family as well, so I know the pain it causes the families of those with the problem. I hope you always manage to stay sober.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Thanks, Donna. Me, too.

Anonymous said...

I love Joe, and have been a friend and supporter for years. But seriously, how many bites at the apple does he get?

Larry Kisslinger said...

I feel very bad about what Joe has had to endure as an elected official, especially in the last few days! All must remember, friends are friends always and those who personally attack someone was "never" a friend at all. So Joe makes as many terrible personal decisions as the rest of us humans. I say: so what? Thankfully, as he said himself, nobody else was physically hurt. "Everyone" does the exact same but since he is in the proverbial glass bowl of the public eye, gives his enemies a chance to gleefully pile on. Those who don't even know him will do the same as if they are saints with no personal problems and can easily judge others.

Very sorry to say, public service and private life are intertwined much too much these days. Always has been that way as there is "Nothing new under the Sun"! Joe and his family are, always have been, great for each other and all others during public and private community service.

Many have no clue as to the difference between Public Service for others and Private Life! Oh yes, someone has had to stretch the point that Joe may have sent some emails while impaired but another has said they never saw him impaired while physically on the job for his contituents. Very big difference is my opinion. Hey, how about those who prefer personal attacks identify themselves? Novel idea huh? Better yet, put their name on the ballot for scrutiny by the rest of us for public service possibility. If they do neither then what does that tell us? The ones I really like (sic) the most are those who say: "I really like/love Joe BUT..." I say to them, get your own life together before you walk in someone else's shoes without their knowledge! I am, will be, Joe's friend always and no buts about it!

Anonymous said...

Long time reader, first time poster. Been reading a lot here since I became peripherally involved with Northampton County governance (I don't get to do the things myself but due to the odd nature of my job, know much of what's going on as it happens).

Just needed to comment after you discussed you past issues w alcohol, and issues of family and friends. I think its a shame on both sides of the issue that on one side people don't truly understand what it IS to be an "addict" (which, yes, includes alcoholics, sorry) thinking a little more "will power" would help...then on the other side people thinking well they got treatment and seem better, they must be cured (and from THERE it becomes to outsiders about willpower). Those of us who are addicts (especially those in recovery for a long period of time) KNOW that we'll always be an addict, even if we don't drink or use. Its the ways people change their lives, knowledge, and coping skills that allow us to continue to function like "normal people." But that doesn't mean it couldn't come all crashing down one day. Because unfortunately five years is like five months is like 5 days...the only difference is slipping after LONGER time periods makes you feel worse about yourself, but there is ALWAYS a chance for that slip.

I'm just glad to see you come out and discuss the issue Bernie and give me MY chance to do so as well.
Thanks for the time, I'll be back another day w my two cents.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Very well said. I refer to myself as a drunk, even though I have not drunk since1985. That is what I am.

Anonymous said...

Bernie said:
"Very well said. I refer to myself as a drunk, even though I have not drunk since1985. That is what I am"

I hear you, Bernie, I am married to one who has not had a drink since a bit before that time...love him a lot, but he can be difficult.

So can I, and I never drank. We are just difficult in different ways.

Fact is, that those who become addicted have a genetically-mediated physiological basis for their addiction to alcohol, in that they metabolize alcohol in a unique way, which leads to eurphoria (alcohol does just the opposite to me) and brain changes and a delusion they are doing very well, when in fact, the opposite is often true.

In the early stages, alcoholics can be very high-functioning and noted achievers. They are often very dangerous to others, rather than to themselves, at this stage. The stereotypical picture of an alcoholic as a broken-down old derelict is based on the end-stage of the disease.

In any case, Bernie, I think it would be more accurate for you to say you are an alcoholic, than to say you are a drunk, as you no longer drink and you no longer *are* drunk. Hang in there, you are doing great, and can be proud of yourself, even if the Tea Party is suspicious of you! Cate

Anonymous said...

Bad judgement in personal life always carries over to professional decisions. No lawmaker who has been arrested for anything should be allowed to remain.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, that would exclude about 80% of the population from seeking public office. I guess we would be left with Jesus Christ himself as President and Mother Theresa could hold every other elective office.

Anonymous said...

80% of the population gets arrested?

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but if you have a criminal record (not summary charges but criminal)of any kind you have no business representing the public in any form of office. He should resign and get some help. I wish him well but he could kill somebody.

The shop lifting accusation no matter how old or what dispostion just compounds things in the whole grand scheme of things.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Actually, Joe has no criminal record, so under your own guidelines, he should stay in office. The shoplifting charges were bogus and dismissed.

He does have some summary offenses, but like you say, that's not a criminal record. Joe even has a disorderly from back in the day when he rescued a woman (an ex-girlfriend) who was in an abusive relationship. When I investigated that case, my conclusion was that Joe deserved a medal.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, you yourself allulded to enabling bad behavior -- along those lines, I bring up an author who has written four books about alcoholism and started a foundation called "Prevent Tragedy" Doug Thorburn needs a good editor, but his books are worth reading. He takes the bad behavior that alcoholism causes and turns the equation around to say that when we observe that behavior pattern in a person, we should presume alcoholism. He believes that the courts ought to order people like Joe Brennan into rehab when they get caught as Joe did, drinking under the influence, but not -- yet -- responsible for mayhem. Hence the "Prevent Tragedy" name for his foundation. Cate

Anonymous said...

He was apparently "falling down drunk" Bernie. Quit making excuses. He is a drunk. He also exhibits really poor decision-making. Was there not a shop lifting charge a couple of years ago? Great...a "law-maker" who scoffs at the law. I know him, he's nice, but wold never cast a precious vote on such a mess of humanity. Get him off the roads, out of Harrisburg and into rehab. And not the three week one.

VOR

Bernie O'Hare said...

VOR,

I am making no excuses. I consider myself a drunk and know many people who also fall into that category. No question Joe was "falling down drunk." No question he should accept the consequences. For some of you, he should be sent away to rehab, and you'll never vote for him. That's fine.


I don't think a first offense drunk driving charge that involves no injury is a basis for much of anything. Many people find themselves in that situation, including police officers and many respected professionals. Barring extenuating circumstances, Joe will be admitted into ARD. Then it's up to him. Next time it happens, he goes to jail. Next time it happens, he probably loses the respect of the voters.

As for the shoplifting charge, that is all it was - a charge. It was dismissed. It's no basis for jumping to the conclusion that this is some terrible person. Last time I checked, we were all presumed innocent.

Believe me, Joe has already paid a heavy price that most members of the public do not have to endure when something like this happens. He has already been publicly humiliated. So have his wife and two children.

That is what I hated when writing about Bruce Gilbert, another person I admire and respect. I knew it would hurt his family.

That's part of the price of public office. But it's also why many good people stay away.

Anonymous said...

We all know it wasn't his "first" offense. He'll be shielded from the consequences of repeat offending because his connections have kept him from being previously held accountable. He'll be loaded and driving again in no time at all.

Anonymous said...

Yes mistakes do happen to all of us, but most of us are blue collar workers who would get the book thrown at us for a lot less, that is the problem. Politics is all bullshit. The little man always takes the fall. Time for the ''bigwigs'' to start paying for their mistakes the way us working class have been forever.EAT THE RICH

Bernie O'Hare said...

Most people stopped for DUI have done it before and just were not caught. I know I drove drunk many times, and just got away with it. In those days, the attitude was a little different. I think it might be a little harder now, and cops are less willing to look the other way.

As for Joe getting some special treatment that a blue collar worker would not get, you are absolutely right. A few months ago, when Joe had a minor fender bender, it was front page news. No blue collar worker would get that kind of special treatment. Now, a DUI with no injuries is a major story. Joe certainly did get special treatment that would not be visited on a blue collar worker.

Yes, he is an elected official and lives in a fishbowl and should expect that kind of special treatment. The media is doing its job, as it should, by exposing this. But if he were a construction worker, I doubt it would be covered at all.

Is this what you mean by special treatment?

The police arrested and charged him even though he is a State Rep. They apparently refused to take that into consideration and Joe apparently did not ask them to cut him a break.

Is this what you mean by special treatment?

With special treatment like Joe has rec'd, I'm sure he'd be happy to be treated like the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

You may not be drinking but you are still an enabler O'Hare. You continue to make excuses and rationalize the drunk lifestyle.

The minor "bender bender" you referenced was a bit unique. Most people who run into a car on the street don't run into a bar and have a few beers and a burger. That is an old alky trick as you well know.

Stop enabling and try to help.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yeah, It is in Chapter 3 of Alky Tricks.

Anonymous said...

Yet he chose to live in a ''fishbowl'', and realizing your actions may very well make the front page, drink at home, or i mean get drunk at home. Do not drive from Harrisburg to bethlehem for godsakes. As for ''special treatment'', Im sure he will get a break somehow, but you chose your position. When you have a position such as Joe, people are waiting for you to fail, he should know that and be on high alert concerning his own actions. STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOUR BROS! Everyone fucks up and everyone must pay for their own actions regardless of income or status quo. and believe me he gets ''special treatment'', but you are right about one thing, when they fall, the papers are their to talk shit real quick. Everyones crooked to a degree, but then again we all don't all hold positions such as Joe. Fly straight Joe

Anonymous said...

He will not resign. There isn't anything else he could do. He has no marketable skills.

Anonymous said...

Berniw-

I'll repeat- he's a very nice man. No argument there. What we're witnessing here is serious backlash at elected officials in general, Joe in particular. The average Joe/Jane is fed up with excuses from public officials. Are they sorry, or sorry they got caught? Joe is one poor decision away from causing a horrific accident, one that could cost an innocent person their life. These lawmakers are debating whether cell phone use as a driving distration should be legislated, yet they're out driving impaired. I think his friends and defenders do him a disservice by not calling him and urging him to step down and get help, before he does something we'll all regret.

To Mr. Kisslinger, with all due respect, the fact that public office is challenging is not the issue. Accountants, bankers, pro athletes, cable TV employees and many others have personal problems. It's time to man up and stop excusing what is inexcusable.

VOR

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Interesting, that would exclude about 80% of the population from seeking public office. I guess we would be left with Jesus Christ himself as President and Mother Theresa could hold every other elective office.

1:42 PM

Puleeze!

Here's a man who thinks nothing of getting plastered and driving ninety miles between Harrisburg and Bethlehem, probably exceeding the speed limit. On this day, he was so wasted, that he fell and cracked his head open. Furthermore, he has done this in the past. Furthermore, he may be a shoplifter. Keep your stupid comments to yourself. At least I know what kind of buffoon would vote for a buffoon like him.

Anonymous said...

The cops up-ed the charges according to the MC.

Anonymous said...

He's supposed to be a lawMAKER Bern, not a lawBREAKER.

You, Kisslinger and Trish should get together and hold an intervention for your friend. Tell him how much you like him so he feels better. Take his car keys away and get him into rehab immediately so innocent people can go about their business not worrying about him careening across Pennsylvania in a car in a drunken state. If we have to remove him from his legislative position, either temporarily or permanently, we'll just have to live with that. I am fairly certain we can find another person who will gladly sign up for this job, laden with perks as it is.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
Why do you stick up for these law breakers? I will grant you that being sympathetic to persons having an alcoholism problem gets a little leeway in my book and yours, but, Brennan was also arrested for shop lifting just like that other guy you defend...Ron Angle. Because of their posityions in society they get the charges dropped. They are still criminals. I'll overlook the alcoholism....not the thefts.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I see. Those shoplifting charges went bye bye bc Angle and Brenan know how to pull strings. I see. Well, then why didn't Brennan pull a few more strings and make the DUI go bye-bye? Why isn't Angle pull a few strings and make those will accusations go away?

Neither Angle nor Brennan is entitled to special treatment by virtue of their elected office. But neither should be judged and condemned simply bc they hold public office.

By your standards, nobody in his right mind would eVer want to serve.