Dirty old men in the Assembly

In a "shocking" piece of news from the New York Post we learn that NY Assemblymen take advantage of their position to score with young, hot college girls working as interns.

Excuse me, but this is hardly news. The New York Post must have had nothing better to do. I am appreciative of the fact that the Assembly wants to do something about it but I can guarentee NOTHING will change. Nasty old men with money and power will always chase after cute 19 year olds in short skirts who sometimes don't know better. And other times they do know better and are gold-digging.

The Empress worked for 2 sessions at the TN General Assembly. The first tour of duty (as an intern) turned her from a moderate into a raging libertarian hell-bent on the destruction of government. I've since calmed down alittle bit. Her second time around as a legislative aid (one step up from intern) served as time to convince people of the evil nature of an income tax from the inside. Anyway... the legislator she worked for (who shall remain nameless) was NOTORIOUS for hitting on interns.

He didn't hit on the Empress because it was pretty clear at the time, she would hit him back. And he is just nasty, disgusting, and she is totally un-impressed by his bling-bling. Her sources tell her that this legislator (who is still married) is dating a law student who works down there.

So I will share one story of working with this particular Senator. Senator X was to call a resolution up out of order so the engrossed (pretty copy with the seal and ribbons) could be picked up in time for some woman's 90th birthday - request to do so was made by a House member from his district. Not a problem. Easy to do. Happens all the time. The Empress prints off a copy of the resolution (he has to be able to say something quickly about it before they say ok and we all move on). She gives it to Michael - the Research Analyst with specific instructions to put it in his notebook. Do NOT let him touch it.

We get up to session and it's about over, so I go up to him and say "Senator, please don't forget to call HJR --- for so-n-so so we can get the engrossed copy." He nods and starts looking through the notebook for the resolution I printed off. He can't find it.

We both go through the notebook and it isn't there. And he starts to yell at me. Well, after 3 months of this abuse, I had had it. I stood up (all 5'3" of me) and said very loudly in the middle of session. "NO! You are not blaming this on me. I don't know what happened to it. I have it to Michael. Michael gave it to you and I don't know what happened to it after that. You are not pinning it on be because you lost it!"

The other senators started laughing - out loud - that an intern went off on him. The Chiefl Clerk stared at me like I was nuts. I turned around and walked out.

The next day, I started packing my things, fully expecting to be dismissed from the program. He called me out of my office to introduce me to a group of lobbyists and said "This is PK - she is the best intern I've ever had."

We had a great relationship for the rest of the time I was there.


*edited because the word I wanted to use in the title was not in spellcheck anywhere*