Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 24 November 2017

Barton to go mum over disclosed photo, citing probe

In this June 14, 2017 photo, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, speaks 14-year-old girl. port, Barton said the “Cap- and a Class A misdemean-
to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Barton is apologizing The consequences for Bar- itol Police reached out to or in Texas under revenge
after a nude photo of him circulated on social media. Barton ton are not immediately me and offered to launch porn laws passed several
released a statement on Nov. 22 to the Texas Tribune acknowl- apparent aside from his an investigation and I have years ago.
edging that while separated from his second wife, prior to their mortification: The relation- accepted. More than 30 other states
divorce, he had sexual relationships “with other mature adult ship with the woman was Because of the pending have such a law; there is
women.” evidently consensual. investigation, we will have no corresponding federal
The Post published details no further comment.” law.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) of a secretly recorded He said the women’s com- These laws have historically
conversation between Bar- ments on the tape could protected women whose
ton and his lover from 2015 be evidence of a “poten- boyfriends or spouses pub-
in which he threatened to tial crime against me.” lish or publicize nude or
“take all this crap to the Capitol Police have not embarrassing photos sent
Capitol Hill Police and have said whether they have to them privately while
them launch an investiga- begun an investigation. they were in relationships.
tion” if she did not agree to A message left by The As- The jurisdiction responsible
keep “inappropriate pho- sociated Press at Barton’s in this episode could de-
tographs and video” that district office in Arlington, pend on where the photos
he had exchanged with Texas, was not returned. were taken or where they
her from becoming public. The voicemail for his office were put online.
He said she had already in Washington was full. In a portion of the record-
shared material with other Making explicit images ed conversation, the wom-
women with whom he had available without the sub- an asked Barton what he
been involved. ject’s permission is a felony would tell police if he went
In a statement after that re- in the District of Columbia to them.q

By CALVIN WOODWARD her of threatening to make
Associated Press it public when he ended
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sug- the relationship.
gesting he’s a victim of The unidentified woman
revenge porn from a jilted told The Washington Post
lover, Republican Rep. that she did not put it on-
Joe Barton of Texas says he line and said the congress-
plans to go silent about the man sought to intimidate
release of a nude photo of her by threatening to go
him online because police to the authorities if she ex-
are investigating the dis- posed his conduct.
closure as a possible crime The he said-she said dis-
against him. pute erupted in the midst
Authorities have not con- of sexual misconduct alle-
firmed an investigation. gations drawing in several
The 68-year-old Barton, other members of Con-
who joined the House in gress as well as Senate Re-
1985, has acknowledged publican candidate Roy
sharing intimate material Moore of Alabama, who
with a lover and accused is accused of disrobing a

AP: Boston archbishop decries
end to protections for Haitians

BOSTON (AP) — The Vati- Washington to reconsid-
can’s top churchman er sending an estimated
in Boston is decrying the 59,000 Haitians back to
Trump administration’s de- their impoverished home-
cision to end temporary land and maintain a pos-
protected status for tens ture of “compassion and
of thousands of immigrants care” toward those whose
who fled hardship in Haiti. visas have expired.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley The temporary residency
says the government’s de- program has allowed Hai-
cision this week to end the tians to live and work in
special designation effec- the U.S. since 2010, when a
tive July 2019 runs counter powerful earthquake struck
to “the spirit of gratitude Haiti. O’Malley issued a
and generosity embodied statement late Wednesday
in Thanksgiving.” warning of “great pain and
The Roman Catholic arch- suffering” for families even-
bishop of Boston is urging tually deported.q