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Gee-Man · Nov 10, 2003, 06:57 PM

Apologies to the non-California readers here, but this is too strange to pass up:

Schwarzenegger Launches Groping Investigation

Actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger is facing groping claims head on - he's launched his own probe into allegations of sexual harassment made against him. During his successful campaign for the Governorship of California last month, the Terminator star faced a flurry of women claiming he had groped them, and was forced to issue an apology for "behaving badly" in the past, although he denied knowingly harassing anyone. Schwarzenegger has now agreed to an independent probe into the allegations after being pressured by California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer to clear up the "stain" on his reputation. Lockyer stated, "I don't think the issue's going to go away until he's willing to have some form of independent, third-party review of those complaints to see if there's any criminal liability that attaches. I think it's a stain on his reputation and administration, to have these lingering doubts, and I think they should deal with them forthrightly." However, Mr. Schwarzenegger's spokesman, Rob Stutzman, claims his client was already arranging an investigation. He says, "The governor-elect had already decided to engage a well respected investigative firm to look into the allegations."

I didn't think California politics could get any more surreal after the whole recall thing. I was wrong. Maybe govenor-elect Arnold should hire the same investigative firm that is working for O.J. to find the "real killers".

RooneyX · Nov 10, 2003, 07:15 PM

That's too insane. It's like Jekyll looking for Hyde.

MacGorilla · Nov 10, 2003, 07:47 PM

If it wasn't true I'd think you are making this up. Very surreal.

vmpaul · Nov 10, 2003, 08:00 PM

I've made it clear on this board where I stand on Schwarzenegger's political experience. I didn't and still don't think he's qualified to be Gov of CA, etc.etc... but this is crazy stuff.

From what I've heard, and correct me if I'm wrong, there have been NO CHARGES FILED on any of these accusations. NONE. I don't know why the AG of CA is even getting involved in a matter that hasn't been brought into the legal system. Seems like a political-motivated move to me. Is this what we've come to? We have political controversies based on conversations between reporters and supposed victims that haven't even gone to the police? I don't think Arnold should do anything until some of his accusers stand behind their accusations and go to the police to file a complaint.

Again, if I'm wrong about the charges part I'll retract.

chris v · Nov 10, 2003, 08:05 PM

And O.J. is still searching high and low, not resting either day or night, in his search for Nicole's real killer.

I'll say it again

CV

finboy · Nov 10, 2003, 08:20 PM

Originally posted by vmpaul:

From what I've heard, and correct me if I'm wrong, there have been NO CHARGES FILED on any of these accusations. NONE. I don't know why the AG of CA is even getting involved in a matter that hasn't been brought into the legal system. Seems like a political-motivated move to me.

No, you're right. No charges filed, except in the media. In any other instance, folks would be outraged about the obvious politics, but since he's a Republican, it's somehow ok to let innuendo and rumor stand as fact.

Shows how partisan and desperate the left in CA has become. This isn't about someone's views on an issue, this is about politics.

Plus, the article says that Ahnold has agreed to an independent investigation, even though he'd already started his own investigation into the matter. If someone smeared YOU in the press, wouldn't YOU want to start an investigation? Hell, I'd start an investigation as part of the discovery process in the defamation lawsuit I'd be filing.

If this is in any way unreasonable on the Governor-Elect's part, to any of you, please explain how, and why it is that he should be treated differently from other folks (including ex-Presidents, who had their own private investigators, too).

vmpaul · Nov 10, 2003, 08:42 PM

Originally posted by finboy:

Shows how partisan and desperate the left in CA has become. This isn't about someone's views on an issue, this is about politics.

Well, I'm not ready to condemn the whole Left for this (shout-out to my peeps!), but I WOULD like to hear more from Lockyer on why he's even commenting on this. So far, I haven't heard anything.

No point getting partisan on this. It appears to be dirty politics whatever side you're on.

finboy · Nov 10, 2003, 09:25 PM

Originally posted by vmpaul:

No point getting partisan on this.

Huh? This initiative certainly isn't coming from MAINSTREAM California Democrats, is it?

vmpaul · Nov 10, 2003, 09:44 PM

My point is that there's no reason, I've seen, for the Attorney General to get involved in this. I think HE'S making a political move. I assume you agree. If you want to condem a complete political party, then that's your prerogative.

Gee-Man · Nov 10, 2003, 10:58 PM

This is certainly about politics, but it isn't necessarily about "The Left". Rumor and innuendo have left their mark on political candidates of all persuasions, it's intellectually dishonest to claim otherwise.

This whole thing is surreal for a very simple reason - Arnold is investigating HIMSELF, as in "I want to find out if I did what people say I did". Is it that hard to remember such a thing? As Arnold put it, "where there is smoke, there is fire". Doesn't sound like the words of a man about to file a defamation lawsuit to me.

Why is the attorney general of California involved? Here's the info:

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/7213974.htm

To summarize - the reason the attorney general is involved is because he received new accusations just before the recall election. One of them allegedly occurred on the set of "Terminator 3", which would have placed it within the statue of limitations. Bill Lockyer is a long-time personal friend of Schwarzenegger, and not only that, he had already "defected" from his own party to support Arnold during the election. So, as AG, he would be accused of complacency and cronyism if he decided to ignore any new complaints his office received. He had already decided to wait until after the election to even say anything about the new accusations, because, as he put it, "that's not a fair time to be raising something like that. It would just look like another political shot." His recent comments came out during a radio interview in response to questions about what Arnold should do about the charges.

He was basically trying to defend his friend Arnold while simultaneously hedging his political bets as AG. Lockyer said the exact same thing publicly before the election when the charges surfaced - the only difference this time was that Schwarzenegger went on the attack, thereby calling attention to himself and the original accusations all over again.

This is not exactly a big left-wing conspiracy once you know the details. Political? Most definitely yes. "The Left" doing something evil and desperate? Um, no. These charges have followed Arnold around for years - hell, even I have heard some stories about him from people I know in LA (way prior to his announcement of running for governor).

theolein · Nov 11, 2003, 07:51 AM

Schwarzenegger investigates himself

Isn't this called masturbation in teenagers?

finboy · Nov 11, 2003, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by vmpaul:
My point is that there's no reason, I've seen, for the Attorney General to get involved in this. I think HE'S making a political move. I assume you agree. If you want to condem a complete political party, then that's your prerogative.

I was trying to steer it away from the mainstream California Democrat, because I think it's more about a few people on the Left with grudges against the Governor-Elect. The AG probably is making a political move.