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Originally Posted by rollhead
She replaces our douchbag congressman, John Sweeney, who is shown here drunk at a recent frat party. |
U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, with party goers at the Alpha Delta Phi house on the Union College campus in Schenectady. (Photo courtesy of Kenneth Falcon)
April 27, 2006 at 5:04 pm by Elizabeth Benjamin
As The Daily Politics has noted, Union College’s newspaper, The Concordiensis (affectionately known around campus as “The Concordy“) reports on its front page today that U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, attended a registered, on-campus frat party on April 22.
The paper has a photo, which Ben Smith has posted. I’ve spoken to the student who took that shot, Kenneth Falcon, 19, of Long Island, who was kind enough to email it to me, along with some others. He said they were taken around 1 a.m.
Sweeney’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Melissa Carlson, said today she has nothing more to say about this incident other than what she told the paper, which was:
“As a committed representative of the people throughout the area where he lives and works, he enjoyed the discussion he shared with the students from Union College. (Sweeney) was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the students - particularly on a Friday evening.”
Union College, which is in Schenectady, is not in Sweeney’s district. It’s in the 21st CD, which is represented by U.S. Rep. Mike McNulty, a Democrat. A Union student who worked for McNulty is quoted in The Concordy story saying she told Sweeney about her connection to his fellow congressman and he was “very rude” about it.
I also spoke to John Tomlin, who wrote story. Tomlin described Sweeney in print as “acting openly intoxicated.” He told me the congressman was “very loud and cursing,” and also slurring his words while trying to discuss policy with the students.
Tomlin, 20, of Westchester, admitted he had been drinking himself that night, (although not inside the frat house). But he said he had interviewed a number of people who corroborated his recollection of the evening.
“If anyone from his district was there, they wouldn’t vote for him,” Tomlin said.
Sweeney came to the party with Paulie Lichorat, a longtime friend of the congressman who owns Geppetto’s, a bar popular with Union students that is located across the street from Alpha Delt. Sweeney was in Schenectady to attend the wake of a close friend, Carlson told The Concordy, although she didn’t say who.
Union College President James Underwood told the paper that just because Sweeney appeared drunk to the students (who, of course, have no experience in identifying someone under the influence) doesn’t mean he was.
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