Bodenweiser suspends campaign
So Eric Bodenweiser has informed State Republican Party Chairman John Sigler via email!!!! yesterday that he was suspending his campaign for personal reasons.
“Because of personal consideration and distractions and for the well being of my family, I have decided to suspend my campaign for the Delaware State Senate in the 19th District,” Bodenweiser wrote, according to a source close to the party. “I deeply regret the position in which this puts my supporters and the Delaware State Republican Party.”
Those personal considerations and distractions are most likely the rumors that are now the subject of a police investigation. And for the first time, a news organization finally hints at those rumors:
Duke Brooks, a spokesman for the Sussex County Republican Committee, said committee members learned about two weeks ago of rumors involving allegations of serious criminal conduct by Bodenweiser about 20 years ago.
The News Journal still insists that the focus of the police investigation is unclear. I suppose they are not disingenious since the police did not tell them personally. But the News Journal definitely knows the details of the rumors. If I know, they know.
It does not appear that Bodenweiser has officially moved to remove his name from the Nov. 6 ballot. Nevertheless, it is unlikely the Republican party will be able to replace him on the ballot, state Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove said this week, citing campaign laws that require the candidate to be physically or mentally incapacitated to be replaced.
Brian Pettyjohn, the former mayor of Georgetown, is declared as a Republican write-in candidate in the Georgetown-area district. Democrat Jane Hovington is also making a run at the seat.
Hopefully this odious man named Eric Bodenweiser is gone from our politics forever. And hopefully Christine O’Donnell and the insane group of Teabaggers that currently run the Republican Party in this state are gone too. But if they insist, despite this humiliation, to continue inflecting our body politic with their cancer, then next time hopefully they will more fully vet their candidates.
The New Journal reporter has been active on the blind email address set up over at DP. He was forwarded information form there and also responded to it.
More like Sigler informed Bodenweiser. The plan B was the tip off.
?? come on…
NCC Wierdness is banned for life.
@Del Dem: “…then next time hopefully they [Republicans] will more fully vet their candidates”.
Kinda like the Democrats vet their own candidates, right?
I get the feeling that when DSP’s investigation is finished and Bodenweiser is found completely without fault, many people will be sued and lose everything.
A great deal of damage has been done to this man for absolutely no reason other than “Booth lost the primary.”
Who’s going to be sued? The zero point for the source of the rumors appears to be the accuser. If Bodie were to sue him, a lot of information would eventually become public.
I don’t know how much of this restraint is based on fear of being sued and how much is based on trying to have a little compassion for someone who has been accused of something that will ruin his life.
For the News Journal, it is probably the former.
Yes, innocent until proven guilty is important to remember with something so serious in spite of anyone possibly detesting his political views.
I have gut feeling that we will have to wait for the DSP investigation to be finished before we form a conclusion about whether Bodenweiser is completely without fault.
As far as a great many people being sued, I have seen but one item concerning the rumor, which was posted anonymously, so that’s not happening.
My guess is that most everyone recognizes that a false accusation is not out of the question and Bodenweiser is not the only one affected by the rumors. I think we hold our tongues because we recognize that and it is the compassionate thing to do.
There is clearly a partisan dynamic at work as well. Modern Republicans are not well known for their compassion, so I doubt Bodenweiser be getting the kid glove treatment if he were a Democratic office seeker.
“so I doubt Bodenweiser be getting the kid glove treatment if he were a Democratic office seeker.”
Without a doubt they would not. If it was a Dem, they would all over this like white on rice. In fact the only place where an any specific information was available was linked through the Republican/conservative DP site, by a conservative.
I get the feeling that when DSP’s investigation is finished and Bodenweiser is found completely without fault, many people will be sued and lose everything.
I get the feeling none of that will happen, ever.
Mod?
“I get the feeling that when DSP’s investigation is finished and Bodenweiser is found completely without fault, many people will be sued and lose everything.”
An investigation does not find its subject “completely without fault.” If the information is taken to a grand jury, either it will result in an indictment or no action. It’s entirely possible that even if evidence of a crime exists, it will be difficult to prosecute after this many years without some sort of corroborating evidence. All that exists at this point is one person’s statements, and they were not made under oath.
And whom would he sue? The accuser? That’s the only person who has said anything that would be actionable, and that person apparently is not exactly doing well in life.
There will be no lawsuits. If you weren’t a dolt, traveler, you would figure that out for yourself.
“Mod?” When does an open secret become so open that it is no longer a secret?
Geezer
There is not reason for an attack here. Your modus operandi is always to attack when you disagree with someone. Hmmmm why is that?
I was only urging caution in this matter.
Jason, you should be thanking me for drawing your attention to somebody spreading the rumors you guys have decided not to spread. If you change your policy, then that’s your problem.
It was mod’ed wasn’t it? I was just pointing out that the kabuki dance is getting absurd.
If we were talking about a regular Joe instead of a Republican politician, the secrecy would have been lifted by the News Journal on minute one of day one.
Oh, bull on both counts. If you don’t like your colleagues’ policy, then work to change it, but don’t go whining about it publicly. Be a professional. As for TNJ not publishing details, they’re using the same caution that your colleagues are. Reputable publications typically do not make allegations on their own without knowledgeable sources to back it up. They apparently do not have those in this case. “What everyone knows” is not sufficient.
If you read my responses to most people, you’ll find that I only attack you and other conservatives, and even then when they fail to show any due diligence about their claims. In this case, I was expressing the opinion — based on numerous threats of lawsuits and discussions of potential legal liability in the newsroom — that there’s nobody to sue, unless and until a newspaper, broadcast outlet or blog decides to spill all the beans. At this point, the stories have been prompted not by the rumor but by EB’s suspension of his campaign.
If I weren’t such an asshole I suppose I could just correct the errors, but that hardly seems in keeping with our polarized politics and the nature of internet debate.
At any rate, if you want to agree to not insult each other, I’m game. But don’t let it get around. I wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation with the Liberal Assholes Association.
Suck an egg SussexWatcher. You’re not the boss of me.
Jeannine, we are not posting on these rumors yet, so your posts are moderated.
Speaking for myself, the biggest reason why I’m willing to wait for confirmation on the rumors is that I really don’t want the rush of rumormongers over here creating a cesspool out of comment threads here. It will be bad enough once there is confirmation, but people who want their speculative wank and holier-than-thou diatribes should just go elsewhere.
Jeannine, this is our house. Which means our rules. I’ve moderated your comments. Push it and you’ll find yourself banned.
I am sorry for your family pain. Truly, I am, but we have made a decision concerning these rumors.
Jason 330
“Suck an egg SussexWatcher. You’re not the boss of me.”
This is the kind of comment Jason uses when he can’t get his way. Waaaa, I’m taking my marbles and going home.
Well worded, I might add. A note from Hube; How’s the trust fund Jason?
Travy,
It is immature, but I like getting a rise out of dorks like you too much to stop using it.
traveler I was only urging caution in this matter.
I call bullshit on that one, here’s an earlier comment by you:
Comment by traveler on 14 October 2012 at 5:50 am:
I get the feeling that when DSP’s investigation is finished and Bodenweiser is found completely without fault, many people will be sued and lose everything.
A great deal of damage has been done to this man for absolutely no reason other than “Booth lost the primary.”
“only urging caution”? You were 1) trying to intimidate people with claims that they would “be sued and lose everything” for discussing the rumor and 2) defending Bodenweiser by claiming that this has something to do with Booth losing the primary.
Some facts for you, traveler: the only person in this scenario that can be “sued” is the alleged victim. He started the “rumor.” And if this was a Booth conspiracy, the rumors would have started before the primary, not after, and Booth would be running (which he isn’t, he isn’t even commenting on this fiasco).
Chill out, Deedee.
This conversation should be about opportunities to elect Hovington. The possibility of knocking off Ruth Briggs King and other chances for gains. Confusion is clear it should be explored in a positive way.
Chill Out means we let this topic go. Just go elsewhere if you need to speculate on the reasons, ok?
JP is right. Bodenweiser will remain on the ballot, Pettyjohn will get a significant number of write-ins. Democrats may never get a chance like this again.
Good luck for Hovington, but she doesn’t have a chance in hell. If the Democrats had taken this race seriously at the start, they might have had a chance. But not now. Not with a placeholder candidate. Not in that district: http://electionssc.delaware.gov/PDF%20MAPS/19th%20Sen%20BW.pdf
I’d have to see the demographics related to the map to make any sense out of things. However, I think it is safe to say that Bodenweiser and Pettyjohn will divide the (R) vote. That leaves the (D)s and (I)s, some of whom will find Pettyjohn a viable choice. I wouldn’t say Hovington’s chances are nil, but they are slim.
The problem is that a hell of a lot of Ds in that district – around Bridgeville and rural Georgetown – are conservative Thurman Adams-style Ds, meaning they’re really Rs. And frankly, there’s no way they’re voting for a black woman. So the normal registration numbers analysis can be thrown out the window. It doesn’t apply here.
The district also has no real tradition of competitive races. Folks were used to voting for Thurman, who typically faced only token opposition. Booth’s first race was the special election against Polly Mervine, which was a joke. Last time, when he barely beat Bodie, there was no Democrat running at all. So the progressive community isn’t exactly motivated or experienced in the ways of the world.
It would take a huge infusion of cash and bodies to get a W for Hovington. It’s not going to bubble up from the inside. Daniello is going to have to call in the troops.
Jane Hovington needs the D machine to take this race seriously and send in the big guns. She needs people to set her campaign straight and to raise money for her. SW has it right.
I just met her on Sunday. Seemed like an intelligent person. Briefly discussed her chances. She was kinda overshadowed by all the other notables there. If there needs to be heavy hitters, they need to repeat the same function over on her side of the county to pull in those who are not used to seeing the heavies. Of course I’m an (I) so definitely not part of the in crowd.
Well then Cassie, u missed the whole point. I saw no sense in blaming the democratic partyv as a scap goat for what transpired and nor should this politicians legal problems being disregarded by the voter and just passed off some conspiracy theory. The point is for one go in with your eyes open and learn about your candidates and not just blindly vote for some one because that person representats your political party. In fact, thats exactly how I stumbled into this mess in the first place by trying to find out more about the candidates. II live here too and don’t want that sort of ilk representing me and mine. Ever. I was already there for the last two sordid cases and its not pleasant. So Caio Cara Mia.
@SW: Thanks for the map. Pretty ugly gerrymander to throw in Long Neck with the area from Bridgeville to the state line.
Nominally there are just a few more Ds than Rs, about 10,000 of each, plus 5,000 others, lower than the Delaware average of 24%.
About 3,300 Republicans voted in the primary, roughly 33% turnout, so that’s the number of very likely voters. They will split almost 50-50 in November between Pettyjohn and Bodenweiser. Assuming normal turnout patterns, another 33% will show up in November. I would guess that Bodenweiser would receive more of those votes than Pettyjohn. Let’s say the leader will have about 3,500 votes from Republicans — little more than half the usual total.
Assuming usual voting patterns, about 6,000 Democrats and 3,000 independents will turn out, for a total of about 15,000 votes. If Hovington can get 5,500 of those D and U votes and the other 3,500 split more or less evenly between the two Republicans, she wins. Notice that she doesn’t even need half of the rest. Surely the Democrats can scare up 5,000 votes, even for an African-American progressive, in an entire senatorial district.
No one is blaming the Democratic Party for Bodenwiser’s issues, so don’t let the door hit ya, Deedee.
“It would take a huge infusion of cash and bodies to get a W for Hovington”
I read this as “…cash and Bodies…”
Do why not “infuse”. ???????
I listened to Duke Brooks from GOP on that new 105 station explaining how the Sussex GOP was now endorsing Pettyjohn/Pettijohn.
My reaction was ouch, ouch, ouch. What a curious and convoluted position for the R’s to be in. IF there isn’t an infusion of whatever Ms. Hovington needs to gain this seat, FOR SHAME!!! It’s right there for easy picking, and it’s LOW FRUIT!!!
Y’know what the funniest part of all this is? Listening to downstate Republicans complain about “Chicago-style politics.”
“Surely the Democrats can scare up 5,000 votes…”
One would hope. Also, the top of the ticket being strong over the next few weeks wouldn’t hurt.
“Chicago-style politics” in their mouths means “the colored folk gettin’ uppity.”
@SW: Yes, probably. Which just shows that they don’t know anything about how “Chicago-style” politics actually works. Blacks had nothing to do with it. It’s all about patronage, which of course is exactly how everyone in Sussex who complains about government makes their living.
Including Bodie’s wife, who got a job with Cindy Green’s office after she won Register of Wills two years ago.
Remember Where’s Waldo ?, the childrens books where you had to find Waldo in the crowd? The new Sussex County version is called Where’s Bodie?, where you have to try and find Eric Bodenweiser somewhere in Sussex County. It’s not recommended for children, though.