The Huckster's Son Hanged A Stray Dog And The Huckster Impeded The Investigation

[DemocratSinceBirth]

As Mike Huckabee gains in the polls, the former Arkansas governor is finding that his record in office is getting more scrutiny. One issue likely to get attention is his handling of a sensitive family matter: allegations that one of his sons was involved in the hanging of a stray dog at a Boy Scout camp in 1998. The incident led to the dismissal of David Huckabee, then 17, from his job as a counselor at Camp Pioneer in Hatfield, Ark. It also prompted the local prosecuting attorney— bombarded with complaints generated by a national animal-rights group—to write a letter to the Arkansas state police seeking help investigating whether David and another teenager had violated state animal-cruelty laws. The state police never granted the request, and no charges were ever filed. But John Bailey, then the director of Arkansas's state police, tells NEWSWEEK that Governor Huckabee's chief of staff and personal lawyer both leaned on him to write a letter officially denying the local prosecutor's request. Bailey, a career officer who had been appointed chief by Huckabee's Democratic predecessor, said he viewed the lawyer's intervention as improper and terminated the conversation. Seven months later, he was called into Huckabee's office and fired. "I've lost confidence in your ability to do your job," Bailey says Huckabee told him. One reason Huckabee cited was "I couldn't get you to help me with my son when I had that problem," according to Bailey. "Without question, was making a conscious attempt to keep the state police from investigating his son," says I. C. Smith, the former FBI chief in Little Rock, who worked closely with Bailey and called him a "courageous" and "very solid" professional.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/78241

[Eurobabe]

1. Pffft, we at DU don't care about this fluff, we'd rather attack Dem candidates

It's much more productive. :eyes:

:sarcasm:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. Why Would You Hang A Damn Dog?

~

[denem]

6. It was a black dog.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Ha

~

[joeybee12]

17. Becayuse you're sick phucker...

...boy is this guy and his family something.

[ixion]

5. don't be so maudlin. You know darn well that DU cares about this stuff, as ANY

self-respecting human should. Why try and hijack the thread?

It's disgusting what Huckster's son did to that animal.

[Eurobabe]

7. Please see the sarcasm icon

and suggest you read some of the disgusting flamewars in GD Politics lately.

No attempts to hijack this thread were made. If this is true, then Huckabee's son should spend some time behind bars with Michael Vick.

[WillParkinson]

3. Um...

"a sensitive family matter"?

It's a CRIME. Hello?

[denem]

4. Our good friends, the Repubican Establishment

would seem to be at work. The Huckster hasn't won them over yet.

It's hearsay from a guy that Huckabee fired. He said he did not cave into the pressure but, as far as I can gather David Huckabee was neither indicted, nor convicted.

[izzie]

8. I can not think right when I see this 'kid' was 17.

Didn't he ever read the Bible? I believe we were to care for these animals of the world, but I guess he missed that part. And I am not even a church person any more. I just am sure I re-call that from my Sunday School years before I was 17.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Seventeen Is Not A Kid

If he hanged a human being it's a capital offense...

[izzie]

20. By the time I was 12 my parent's felt I should think for my self and

be able to face the things I did wrong. And not do them all over. Not that I always lived up to what they wanted but I sure knew at 12 not to hurt animals. They are in your care. I learned that at a very early age.

[Eagle_Eye]

9. Republican elites live by a different set of rules than the rest of us

Of course they are all in favor of enforcing the rules that apply to us (the rules that the elite republicans don't have to follow).

[BeyondGeography]

12. What is it with the Republicans and dogs this time around?

[saltpoint]

13. Charming individual, that Dave Huckabee.

Republicans and animals.

Bill Frist, the Cat Butcher.

Rudy's wife torturing dogs.

Romney's dog in the cag atop the car on the high-speed interstate.

Dubya using firecrackers to explode frogs in his youth.

Oh, yeah -- and there's Abu Ghraib.

It kinda all adds up.

[Jennifer C]

14. It seriously makes me sick.

David Huckabee is a disturbing twisted fuck.

He's the one in the middle. No surprises that the family dog looks like it's being strangled.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. Ha

The men folk are rather on the portly side...

[0007]

16. The big fat guy on the back row is David Huckabee, 'The Dog Killer"

He also has permit to carry a concealed weapon.

The report says a gun was found in his carry on luggage by TSA x-ray machines as he attempted to pass through security.

When asked by authorities why he tried to pass through security with a gun, David Huckabee said he forgot he had a weapon in his luggage.

Former Governor Mike Huckabee, prepping for a weekend of campaigning in Iowa, issued a statement on Thursday about the arrest.

"I love my son but what he did was irresponsible, but not intentional," read Huckabee's statement. "The right to carry a firearm has to be balanced with an equal responsibility to not make foolish errors like forgetting about it being in one's briefcase."

The GOP presidential candidate said in the statement that his son was treated courteously but received no special treatment.

"His family's responsibility (is) to love him and temper our disappointment with our support," Huckabee said in the statement.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/04/huckabees_son_a.html

http://politics.wizbangblog.com/tag/Huckabee

http://www.horsesass.org/?p=2851

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. He Needs To Go On His Daddy's Diet

~

[Red Zelda]

19. jesus hated that dog

[amandabeech]

21. That kid had a real problem.

I doubt if prayer fixed it.

[annie1]

22. WHAT?! holy ----. omg, if this is true, that's beyond revolting

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. Par For The Course

~

[styersc]

24. Good news is that the dog was Mexican-

that should seal up the GOP nomiation for Huckabee.

[Joe the Revelator]

25. Damn, I thought he'd be like 8-10 years old (not that it'd be any better)

But 17 years old? Christ.

[styersc]

26. You're right about the age thing. Most self respecting 17 year old

Arkansas boys are preparing for the arrival of their third child from his second wife.