Bob Barr

honoring our rubber-stamp congress, whose members have found plenty of time to do squat

Image: AP/Wide World Photos

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


In the annals of congressional arrogance, Barr is a repeat offender. In 1998, The New York Times reported an incident in which Barr slapped a female security guard at the airport, after which his wife summarized her view of airport security: “They were all from other countries, and they were talking about me in their language…I thought, ‘Hey, this is my country.'”

Related Coverage:
Security Guards Accuse CongressmanAccess Atlanta

From the Archives:
Uzi Does It

The Class Clown Award

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) publicly sang — picture it — “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

In a fundraising mailer, Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) sent out “Jim Jeffords Barf Bags” to be used while contemplating the senator’s “sickening…disgusting…treachery.”

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), accused of causing $28,000 of damage to a rented yacht on a Y2K booze cruise, later appeared at a political roast dressed in a sailor suit. Tough to the finish, the son of Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) capped off the evening by singing “Patrick the Sailor Man.”

Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) brought up the rumor of Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s affair with Katherine Harris. “I believe him,” cracked Foley about Jeb’s denials. “I mean, good God — dating Katherine Harris? How would you get that makeup off your collar?”

Back | And the winner is…

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate