Stories of this nature tend to bring out the inanest of comments on social media and this story was one of those that set the internet on fire. Maybe that’s the problem. Politician punches out wife allegedly because she did not undress quickly enough for sex!
Mississippi politician Doug McLeod was arrested on Saturday, May 18, 2019, and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence. Allegedly, McLeod allegedly assaulted his wife in the face. According to the police report, she was punched in the face because she didn’t undress quickly enough to have sex.
The Mississippi House is calling for his resignation if the allegations are true. Said the speaker of the house, “I have attempted to contact Rep. McLeod to request his resignation if, in fact, these allegations are true. These actions are unacceptable to anyone.” McCleod is up for re-election and he is apparently running unopposed. Obviously, that scenario will now change.
More than a Joke – Politician Punches Out Wife
Upon his arrest, the county sheriff’s department said that McCleod was “visibly drunk.” When the police got to his home, he answered the door and said: “Are you kidding me?” Nevertheless, the police saw his wife’s bloody note and they found blood on their bed and on the floor of the bedroom.
According to the official report, “Mr. McLeod had slurred speech and walked slowly in a zigzag pattern.” He was allegedly so drunk he had to hold onto a stair railing to keep his balance. Furthermore, the report noted that McCleod’s wife said he “just snapped as he often does [my italics] while under the influence.”
Fortunately, another woman was on the scene and she ushered McCleod’s wife into a room and locked the door. The politician started to pound on the door and threatened to kill his wife’s dog if she didn’t let him into the room. That is when the police arrived at the home.
The officers took McCleod into custody and they promised his wife he would not be allowed to go near her.
McCleod heads committee’s in the Mississippi House, including the committee that oversees healthcare issues. If anyone should be entrusted to understand issues of substance abuse and domestic violence, it should be McCleod. Nevertheless, he is a prime offender on both accounts.
When the police came to arrest the politician his wife allegedly attempted to cover for him in a classic spousal abuse pattern. The inference from the report is that he is an alcoholic and a violent one at that. It would not be far-fetched to believe, in my opinion, that he had pushed her around before. It is just my opinion of course, but under oath, I’ve no doubt more details will emerge.
The #Metoo Movement isn’t Selective
If even our lawmakers are substance abusers and perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual abuse, what does it say about our ethical expectations and how our politicians are ethically screened?
I cannot imagine that no one suspected McCleod of being an alcoholic before this incident, nor can I fathom that his wife’s friends did not know of his violent, abusive tendencies. Yet, there was obviously a lot of obfuscation over the years. No one said anything and no one did anything. Why not? And, if not, where was the oversite?
McCleod’s politics are irrelevant to this discussion. Surely politicians of both major parties, both genders, all races, religions and sexual orientations have been found guilty of domestic violence and sexual abuse. I cannot concur that our lawmakers are “just like the rest of us.” As people entrusted by the voters, we must assume that they are held to a higher ethical standard.
When our politicians fail to live up to an ethical standard, they not only fail themselves but they fail us. The #MeToo movement must also be an ethical movement. If those around McCleod looked the other way, they are also somewhat culpable as lawmakers themselves.
Ethical expectations insofar as substance abuse and sexual harassment should not be an option but a hard and fast set of rules for anyone aspiring to higher office. In this case, the system failed the politician’s wife, the politician and every citizen of the state.
