Owned by the “Reverend” Sun Myung Moon, the Times has played the role of Fox News Lite for years, spreading unsubstantiated rumors as if they were factual news.
The latest? Kevin Jennings, President Obama’s “safe schools czar”, is being accused of not reporting a reported incident of sex between a 15-year-old student and “an older man” years ago. The story goes that Jennings not only did not reported the repeated statutory rape, but reportedly encouraged continuance of the relationship and advised the boy to use condoms (a highly responsible thing to do). In Massachusetts, as elsewhere, teachers (the profession which Jennings had at the time), are required to report such to law enforcement.
The Times picked this item up from Fox News, which should have been a big red flag right there. An editorial from the Times declares
It’s getting hard to keep track of all of this president’s problematic appointments. Clearly, the process for vetting White House employees has broken down.
The real story? The boy was actually 16, which is age of consent for Massachusetts. The rest of the real story? Jennings is gay, which is, of course, likely to be the real reason.
Nice try, Mr. Beck. Try harder next time.
UPDATE: A very quiet retraction from Fox News, but a roaring silence from Hannity and the other fringe-y wingnuts.
UPDATE 2: Continue to manufacture facts, Mr. Hannity. Like a broken watch, you’re bound to be right twice a day, anyway.
I have a better idea. Instead of Beck trying harder, how about if he tells the truth? I didn’t think that being a lying sack of shit made one highly sought after as a journalist.
Actually, you and your source are wrong; the age of consent in Massachusetts is 18, not 16. Please see General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 272, Section 4.
Actually, my sources are correct. General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 265, Section 23, implies that the age of consent is 16. Also the AIDS site Avert states that the age of consent is 16.
Cindy:
I think Beck should continue to reach even further to try to smear Obama administration personnel. The more shot-down rumors the better the chances of getting that lying sack of shit off the air.
Petard. Hoist. His own.
Apparently there’s is what could, by some, be considered a conflict in MA’s laws. Chapter 272, Section 4 states 18 and Massachusetts, Chapter 265, Section 23 states 16.
Of course, since the crimes and penalties are different, it could just be that under 16 is more illegal than just under 18.
You can also goto SexLaws.org who state it’s 18, refuting Avert’s claim of 16.
In any case though, Chapter 272, Section 35 made the whole act illegal in the first place, irrespective of age – though if the kid had been under 16 the crime would have been worse.
Like it or not, there’s no way to get around the fact that Kevin Jennings failed to report a crime when he was in a position that required that he do so.
But that’s the whole point I made here–he didn’t commit a crime. The age of 16, being the consent minimum, meant that there was no punishable crime, and that the Fox News Idiots were again trying to nibble away at the current administration.
What Jennings likely saw was a chicken hawk and his current prey. Being that he couldn’t stop it, he did the next best responsible thing–made sure the boy was using condoms.
Well, I’m honest enough to admit that, given the conflicting statutes, age of consent could be either 16 or 18. On that score we would need a legally definitive answer to settle the issue, but I can’t find one online.
As for no crime though – Chapter 272, Section 35 made their liaison illegal, irrespective of age.