I have to admit, I am somewhat impressed.  The guy has taken some fairly good steps in his road to recovery and has taken responsibility for his actions, something any addict has to do at one time or another.

While most of Congress might have delayed and avoided the costs (ala McKinney and Jefferson), he seems to have a desire to come clean.

Maybe there is some integrity in the Kennedy line after all.  His dad and cousin sure do not show signs of it.

But don’t get me started on those guys.

Would that more in Congress would do likewise.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy has reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of prescription drugs in connection for his middle-of-the-night car crash last month near the U.S. Capitol.

Two additional charges of reckless driving and failure to exhibit a driving permit will be dismissed under the plea agreement reached with prosecutors.

"As congressman Kennedy has said all along, he will take full responsibility for his actions and that is what he is doing today," Kennedy’s chief of staff, Sean Richardson, said Tuesday.

I am sure the cynics will emerge, and proclaim that this is an empty plea, that he likely has a sentencing agreement as well, and likely they are right.  The amount of jail time is not the issue, accepting consequences is.

Congress, like it or not, is a privilaged class.  He could have stonewalled this and done nothing except pay his tickets.

He didn’t and I think that takes a certain amount of guts.  His opponants will not let this go, and this could eventually cost him his seat in the next election.  He obviously knows that, and I am sure he is hoping to capture loyalty with the honesty factor.

So yes, I am admitting this is possibly a calculated risk on his part.  Is that so shocking?  That someone in Congress might have a second agenda of self interest?  I may be naturally cynical, but I am also a realist.  The system is what it is.

To me, it isn’t relevent.  What is relevent, is that the guy stood up and said "I screwed up" and rather then waste tax payer money trying to fight his way out of responsibility, he decided for whatever reason to take the direct route of accepting responsibility.

In any event, LSU salutes Rep Pat Kennedy for having the guts to admit his problems and face the music.

Hat tip Stop the ACLU

Others:  Stuck On Stupid, Assorted Babble,

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