One of the most destructive situations in Washington has been the House under the control of Republicans. Much of it is due to the Speaker. The last three, Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, and John Boehner have failed the people of the United States. I haven’t included Paul Ryan yet; an analysis of his ‘leadership’ must wait.

John Boehner was a weak and ineffective Speaker. He bowed to the wishes of a small group of extremists who called themselves the ‘TEA Party,’ and more recently the ‘Freedom Caucus.’ Allowing them to control the House resulted in gridlock, and the elimination of our Democratic Republic. He promised the American people that his constituents would accomplish much more when in 2014 Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress; he lied, and eventually did the right thing and resigned.

Newt Gingrich was the Speaker during much of Bill Clinton’s presidency. He began the obstructionist policies of the GOP. But far worse were Gingrich’s personal failures.

Gingrich committed felonies while he held the office. Although he was never prosecuted, his own party forced him to resign from the House. His true goal in office was to further his personal financial ambitions.

Although Gingrich represented that ‘party of family values,’ he openly shared the fact that he had a mistress. That’s not the worst of it. His wife was lying in a hospital bed dying of cancer when he began the affair.

I saved the worst for last. Dennis Hastert was the Speaker of the House during the George W. Bush Administration. He forced through every bill supported by Bush and Cheney, regardless of its moral structure. He was a tool, and lacked any semblance of integrity.

Months ago it was revealed that Hastert had committed some form of sexual impropriety in his past. It was exposed after illegal withdrawals from his bank were questioned by law enforcement. He, like Gingrich, had continually professed ‘family values’ as his core belief.

Hastert is now being prosecuted for sexual misconduct with a minimum of four minor males during his tenure at Yorkville High School. His accusations include ‘improper touching,’ and engaging in oral sex with the boys.

Hastert was the wrestling coach, and this is what the prosecutor had to say.

Steven Block accused Hastert of “stunning hypocrisy.” The former speaker reflected in his 2004 memoir on his days as a high school wrestling coach and offered, “There’s never sufficient reason to try to strip away another person’s dignity.”

“Yet that is exactly what defendant did to his victims. He made them feel alone, ashamed, guilty and devoid of dignity. While defendant achieved great success, reaping all the benefits that went with it, these boys struggled, and all are still struggling now with what defendant did to them,” the prosecutor writes.

There is definitely a problem with the integrity and character of Republican Speakers.

Today, the American people are witnessing a Republican who is open about his lack of morality and intellect. Sadly, Donald Trump is representative of the truth regarding these former Speakers of the House, and many others now holding office.

These leaders of the Republican Party force the American people to ask about today’s GOP. Who and what are they?

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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Photo Courtesy of Marion Doss

Novels by James Turnage available on Amazon’s Kindle