Missing Inaction
By Mitch Berg
SCENE: Former Governor Mark DAYTON’s house, on Lake Minnetonka [1].
He’s sitting in his bathrobe and slippers by a roaring fire, reading the Strib. His wife , Ana ORKE-DAYTON, enters the room.
ORKE-DAYTON: I’m taking a stack of credit cards and taking the Porsche to the Galleria.
DAYTON: Mpfmbfh.
ORKE-DAYTON leaves, as DAYTON’s eye alights on a news item:
U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, has missed votes in Congress and has been “having some dementia issues late in the year,” her son told The Dallas Morning News. Granger, 81, last cast a vote on the morning of July 24…The congresswoman now resides in a Fort Worth senior living facility called Tradition Senior Living. There are two locations on the same property, but Brandon Granger confirmed it is not the memory care facility, as some media outlets have reported. Granger said his mother is staying in the independent living facility to be around other seniors.
DAYTON: (Thinking to self) Huh. I wonder what the statute of limitations is on pretending to be in office?
And SCENE
[1] I have no idea where he lives. It’s gotta be Minnetonka, right?
December 26th, 2024 at 7:54 am
One wonders whether the 2 wheel dolly used by Dayton’s aides to move him around the capital will be preserved and displayed by the Minnesota Historical Society.
December 26th, 2024 at 8:10 am
During spring of 2020, at a conference of consultants and donors, the question of the day was, “How can we elect a candidate handicapped by dementia.”
At the back of the room a soon to be well known party leader from Minnesota raised his hand.
December 26th, 2024 at 8:50 am
There’s something fishy about all this. The mother has dementia issues but lives in the independent living area. As someone who has a lot of experience with the senior living world, I can safely assert that there is a large market segment called assisted living which exists between memory care and independent living. There’s even “assisted living plus”. That said, if the client is willing to pay for high levels of assistance on an a la carte basis (expensive), one can get darn close to memory care service while living in independent living.
There’s also something truly dishonorable, nearly criminally so, in maintaining a hold on a congressional seat while being unable to perform the functions. I know, I know, cue the idiot congressmen jokes, but this woman cannot even perform at that level. And that seems to be OK?
But there’s lots more dishonor to go around. What about all the people in TX and DC who were aware of her long absence, as well as the – of course – media?
So, yes, Mitch, this situation perfect fit for grifter like Dayton.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:20 am
While I think that this is scandalous enough to highlight, that’s purely because the Democrats tried to hide it. The effect on the national governance was non existent.
The Representative had already announced her planned retirement and didn’t run for reelection this Fall. Had she retired early, there probably would’ve been a Special Election in November to fill the lame duck term, but the Dems are already in the Minority, so it doesn’t really effect anything. As long as her staff is continuing to provide Constituent Services, that’s the most important thing. OTOH, if you want to ding the old gal for running for reelection in 2022, that’s a different issue, but hardly unique to her.
December 26th, 2024 at 4:34 pm
SSN, Granger is a Republican. Why would Democrats want to hide her activities? Which makes it even more odd: why the Democrats didn’t make a big stink about it?
December 26th, 2024 at 8:22 pm
jdm,
I seem to recall something about Dianne Feinstein missing some votes toward the end of her career or someone voted for her. Friends that live in her district, said that she was pretty much out of it for over a year, but the media surprise, surprise, didn’t cover it. There was also the incident with her driver of 21 years, that was found to be a ChiCom agent, yet again, no investigation. Whose fault was that? The FBI is supposed to vette these people, but was the Senator so dumb that she didn’t double check?
December 27th, 2024 at 12:13 am
Boss – Feinstein was being told how to vote on an appropriations bill.
Senate Judiciary Committee Dems only had a one vote margin so she had to show up in order for them to get any federal judges appointed.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-dianne-feinstein-told-just-say-aye-awkward-senate-committee-moment-rcna96697
December 27th, 2024 at 7:29 pm
[1] I have no idea where he lives. It’s gotta be Minnetonka, right?
I think he moved to South Dakota to be closer to his trust fund.