Posted on 02/18/2006 8:16:16 AM PST by mathprof
Seeking to put an end to an episode that made national news, Comptroller William Donald Schaefer acknowledged yesterday that he had embarrassed a young state employee whom he ogled during a crowded Board of Public Works meeting this week.
Schaefer did not concede, however, that he had done anything improper in a barely legible, handwritten note he scrawled on official stationery and had delivered to Elizabeth Krum, 24, an executive assistant to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
Advertisement "Embarrass you intentionally - never," Schaefer wrote in the note, which had to be deciphered for reporters by his communications director. "You have handled the 'affair' as a trooper. Sorry you were put thru this ordeal."
He signed the letter, "Don Schaefer."
Earlier in the day, Schaefer, 84, told television reporters that he did not have to apologize to Krum, who had just brought him tea, for telling her Wednesday to "walk again" as he appeared to admire her backside.
He also chastised the news media for making a fuss over the incident. [snip]
Schaefer, a Democrat, has made other remarks that caused uproars. He has criticized non-English speakers and said people with AIDS should be recorded on a registry. He is known for his brash, no-holds-barred relationship with reporters, many of whom he calls "little girls."
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Here is the "apology letter".
"He also chastised the news media for making a fuss over the incident."
Can't say I disagree with him there.
The Don is a jacka** of the first magnitude, but I miss him. My favorite line has always been,"How's that sh*thouse of an Eastern Shore?" He was talking to some Eastern Shore delagates in Annapolis. I was living on the shore at the time. We were riled up, but laughing, too.
He is too demented, and puts the taxpayers at too much risk, acting as a CIVIL servant.
Then the family should sue.
There was nothing "cute" or "manly" about what the demented old fart did....
It was amazing how man folks on a previous thread APPLAUDED the old man for still being able to "enjoy" looking at women..
Looking was not harassment......assuming his tongue wasn't hanging out and he wasn't drooling onto his shirt..
Calling the woman back into the meeting room and asking her to walk out AGAIN was where he crossed the line...
Semper Fi
Have they no shame.
He's 84 and she is 24. The creepy factor is high on this one.
Of course the NOW gang will remain silent because he's a Rat. But if it was a Republican like Bob Packwood, they would be demanding his resignation.
This guy is testing the limits of the immunity Democrats have against charges of sexism, racism, corruption ect.
Agree, get rid of him. He has great entertainment value, but it comes at the expense of others and is inappropriate for a civil servant. Having him as governor was quite a ride.
Packwood wasn't a Republican. He was a RINO.
"He's 84 and she is 24. The creepy factor is high on this one."
If I ever make it to 84 I'll still be lookin'! Nothing wrong with that. And don't tell me 84 year old women aren't checking out young guys they see. Nothing wrong with that, either.
Older men and younger women is quite normal for human beings. If this creeps you out you probably need medical attention, and some powerful psychoactive drugs.
Packwood wasn't just looking either.
I thought he was elected ~
Excellent point.
Looking is one thing,
asking someone to perform for you is another (especially somone in a subservient position).
He's an ass.
He is elected.
I don't know; maybe you're right. He is the Controller now, no? (I'm a Virginian now!) Fire his a** anyway! ;D
We aren't talking 10 or 20 years, we are talking 60. The only example I can think of is Hugh Hefner and his regular bimbos. Just look at a picture of him with his latest girlfriend and tell me it doesn't creep you out. Also, show me a 24 year old woman who wants to be with an 84 year old man and I will show you a gold digger. 60 year difference is abnormal for any species.
He'd been a Republican anywhere else in this country!
The woman, BTW, is not in a subservient position. Schaeffer is an elected official ~ she works for the Governor, and he did not tell her to do anything.
60 years, golddiggers or not, is within the normal human range. Men, after all, are different from women!
Among other things they got the idea that Bob Irsay, whose had heavy Indiana interests (although he lived in Chicago) might like to take the Colts home to Indiana, and he did, and they went, and the rest is history.
So, say "Thankyou Mayor Schaeffer."
Sorry, you are completely out of your mind. Find a woman who will tell you she is attracted to a man 60 years her senior. Find just one and I will believe you.
Oh come now. You mean you don't think Anna Nicole loved her husband?
Concur, Casloy. At the very least, it is rude and classless behavior. I'd be willing to bet that there are very few woman Freepers out there who would be flattered by this kind of attention.
He may have paved the way, but Paris Spendening greased the bricks. Marylanders lave and hate Schaefer at the same time, but Spendening was a weasel that left a bad taste in the mouth. As soon as I left The People's Republic of Maryland, they elected Erlich and Virginia elected Mark Warner. Go figure!
He told her to walk again for him.
And as other's have pointed out in many other threads, her slapping him could have cost her job.
She did it as a 'good sport' but as even he put it, she was embarassed by it.
I've had geezers pinch my butt, grab for my boob, say incredibly outrageous things to me. Some at work, some when performing. Most of the time it's in good humor and often, no big deal. But sometimes, even an 80 year old can be a nasty pig....
In EVERY one of those situations I was in the position to walk away, shut the door, take away their tube feeding (just kidding) say no, slap them silly etc.
However, I've also been in a postition where a request was made that I had to stumble and think about....all because I wasn't in a position to walk away or slap them silly (without losing my job, or costing my troupe their gig fee etc).
It's not a pleasant feeling, and I do feel for the girl.
Well, I guess you got me on that one. What's not to like about an old man in a wheelchair with drool running down his chin.
I know this isn't PC, but I think what a 26 year old single guy can get away with around a 24 year old single woman is far different than what a man of 84 can get away with.
That doesn't say much about Maryland. After watching that video yesterday, the thing I found most pathetic was that as the demented old foll continue to act like a third rate ass, not one person in the room had the guts to tell the jerk he was out of line. Just a lot of embarrassed silence or chuckling. Bunch of ass kissers. I wish the young woman had put him in her place but I can understand her reluctance to do that. If I were her father and I was in the audience the old fool would have needed a new diaper.
If you're an older man, it may be just groovy. But few women I know - actually, make that no women, including myself when I was younger - enjoy being grossly ogled or pawed by a wrinkled lecher, especially in a workplace environment where you can't get away.
This guy is clearly full of entertainment value, but he really blew it with this stunt. Put yourself in the place of this young woman, being forced to walk again for an aged woman (or an aged gay man) who happened to have power over you, and I think you'll get the picture.
Another one of those cliches that turns out to be so true is that there is no fool like an old fool.
He actually endorsed Bush over Clinton in 1992.
Don't be stupid.
This was a person using his power to humiliate an attractive young woman. He's a bully and should be canned.
Somewhere anti feminist turned into anti-female for some.
Calling the woman back into the meeting room and asking her to walk out AGAIN was where he crossed the line...
It was an intentional act intended to degrade. Once upon at time such an action would have branded him with the socially crippling label of "Not a Gentleman"
Schaeffer has a secret list of all the ways ever invented to p*** people off, and he's trying to do every one of these items before he kicks the bucket.
That's not original with me, but it sure seems to be true!
Karen M. Kaufmann, an associate professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park with an interest in women's issues, said that while Schaefer's behavior was highly inappropriate, he was raised in an era when gender roles were different.
She said he represents the thinking of that time and does not reflect a systemic problem.
"I think if we're going to have collective outrage, let's focus on the big issues of the day, the things that we can change," she said.
So the 'feminist' academic is rushing to his defense. "Reflects the thinking of that time". What if he had called a black aide "boy" ? That certainly would have reflected the thinking of his time. Would she have defended that ?
Schaeffer is far from the best thing that ever happened to Maryland. and he damned sure didnt get Ehrlich electec. His Predecesser Louis Goldstein was the best Comptroller Maryland ever had ,was a Consummate politician and would never have allowed Glendenning to spend Maryland into its financial situation previous to Ehrlich.
Schaeffer has always been an asshole. His kept woman when he was Governor was well-known to most Maryland voters , but he was a Democrat and got away with it. However sometimes he does get a good idea, Like registry for HIV/AIDS patients. It would be nice if Health care people knew in advance when they are treating people who may have a disease that could possibly harm the caretaker.
"If you're an older man, it may be just groovy. But few women I know - actually, make that no women, including myself when I was younger - enjoy being grossly ogled or pawed by a wrinkled lecher, especially in a workplace environment where you can't get away."
Ah there's the rub. He was old, and unattractive. What if he'd have been rich, 60 and looked like Sean Connery? No complaints then?
"Put yourself in the place of this young woman, being forced to walk again for an aged woman (or an aged gay man) who happened to have power over you, and I think you'll get the picture."
Leave out the gay man angle becuase it doesn't apply here but neither I nor any buddy of mine would take offense at being oogled or looked at by any woman, young or old, boss or not.
There's an amazing gulf between the sexes on how this is looked at.
Oh, fuhevinssakes, why are some of us acting like feminists about this? So what if he asked her to walk back toward him again? She should've just laughed it off considering his age. It's not like her job was threatened if she refused. I would've thought it was humorous and given an extra umph to my walk the second time, just for fun.
That's just my opinion, of course, but did you read this?
He also has referred to women as "little girls" — a term celebrated by some women who have worked for him, who say he treated them with respect. After a campaign ad in 2002 suggested he was unfair to women, some former employees held a rally and waved signs that read, "Little Girls for Schaefer."
Reference: Md. Official Defends Behavior Toward Woman
Now the young woman has opened herself up to being used by the man-hating Feminazis for their cause just like Anita Hill was. Oh well, at least she'll be 'famous'.
In my neighborhood, it would have involved a visit from the young woman's male family members -- DEMANDING a public apology on threat of getting his senile ass kicked.
Semper Fi
Brilliant! I think I lub you (in a very Freeperish, sisterly, youknowaddamean kinda way ;) )
Republican enough for the NOW gang, despite the fact that he was one of their staunchest defenders while he was in the Senate.
It is about respect. Male or female you are suppose to respect other people and not abuse your power especially over those who can not strike back.
Which is why I think God either as a very wicked sense of humor or even a sadistic streak. How ARE we supposed to get along at all?!? ;)
So what?
It happened that this woman was embarrassed to be instructed to entertain a lecherous old fart...
That - in itself was sufficient to cross the line.
Now then - if a woman earns her living "servicing" the whims of wrinkled dick old farts - then - no big deal
But this wasn't the case in this scenario.
This was in a Public GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MEETING environment - not a strip joint.
If the silly old fart wished to demonstrate his "manliness", then he is obligated to do it on his time and his dime, with his hired bimbo - not the taxpayer's employee.
I'm not a supporter of Feminazis, just a rational man who has fired a few private industry managers for less than this asshole pulled off.
Semper Fi
"Which is why I think God either as a very wicked sense of humor or even a sadistic streak"
God didn't create thin-skinned feminists. The ME generation did.
Hey! I was crackin' a joke. You're the one who said that it's viewed very differently by the genders.
And if you've read anything by Bronte, Austen, Mitchell etc, I think that gap has been there since Eve got a hankerin' for fresh apples ;)
Wait a minute -- you mean we're SUPPOSED to get along? Okay, I get it now, let me try this again!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.