Wednesday, October 18, 2006

It's OK To Be A Crook . . .

You can collect a Congressional Death Benefit if your husband is a convicted felon, but not if your husband was a homosexual.

Hey, all you liberals, please note that it was Bill Clinton who signed the law that prevents spouses of homosexuals frmo receiving any pension benefits.

Here is an excerpt from the full article at the Lowell Sun:

Federal law blocks Studds' gay husband from pension

WASHINGTON -- Gerry Studds, the nation's first openly gay congressman, pushed the country to another landmark development when he died Saturday: the federal government for the first time will deny death benefits to a congressman's gay spouse.

The federal government does not recognize the 2004 Massachusetts' marriage between Studds and Dean Hara, and won't provide a portion of Studds' $114,337 annual pension to his surviving spouse.

The federal law, defined by the Defense of Marriage Act, not only trumps the Bay State's gay marriage law but reveals its limitations.

. . .

U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, the Ohio Republican who pled guilty Friday to conspiracy charges and faces up to 10 years in prison for taking bribes from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, will receive about $29,000 a year from his pension for the rest of his life.

"He will receive a pension while in prison," said NTU spokesman Sam Batkins.


It is disgustnig that Ney will benefit from the pension plan, but Studds' will not.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Richard:
Let's not forget that Gerry Studds was the Mark Foley of his day. Whereas Foley was caught sending inappropriate e-mail, Gerry Studds actually had sex with a 17 year old congressional page. He was re-elected several times after the scandal hit, but that is probably a matter of the times - - it would happen today. Let's think whether this is the type of individual that should have had a pension in the first place.

Adam

DM said...

Though it is true that Studds is guilty of the same crime Foley has committed, it is odd that a convicted felon can collect a pension but the married spouse of a homosexual cannot. This is not about Studds, per se, but the law that prevents his spouse from receiving benefits.