State Sen. Ed Flanagan said Wednesday he was “very sorry” if he offended anyone while unclothed inside the men’s wellness center at the Greater Burlington YMCA.
As related in a story first reported by “Fair Game” in today’s Seven Days, last Friday a YMCA patron complained to Y officials that Flanagan was masturbating in plain view of other patrons inside the adults-only wellness center. After confirming what he had seen with a fellow patron in the center at that time, Tiki Archambeau filed his complaint.
Archambeau spoke publicly about his complaint to Seven Days and noted that he had previously observed peculiar behavior by Flanagan in the wellness center. That behavior included using the treadmill while clad in nothing but shoes, socks and a watch.
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2009.
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Seven Days “Reported” on this story long before these allegations will ever be proved, thus basically ruining Flanagan’s political career. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. Either way, WAYYYYY overhyped by Seven Days. The more I pay attention to Seven Days, the less happy I am with it’s general business plan and operations. I have a some suggestions for a new masthead: “Seven Days: All Things To Everyone, Kinda (but not really)” Or better yet, “Seven Days, Fair and Balanced: We Report, You Decide.”
Re: Agreed:We put up new blog posts when we have new information. You can expect us to put up more blog posts if we have more information and reporting to add to this story.
And on the subject of compassion, respect, and privacy for Flanagan, I’d just point out that . . . in addition to Shay’s print column yesterday, this is the THIRD blog story that Seven Days has run on this event already.
For all you sweethearts that believe these hard shots are unfair, you had NO problem leaping on US Rep Foley (R) Fl or Gov Sanford, did you! Flanagan is a public figure, caught and now he’s gets the stocks. If you’re telling me he’s mentally not up to the elected job, all the more reason for him to get out of office; Vermont is a fiscal disaster now!Otherwise, in to the shame hut with him and his ilk. I’ll have my say later on my blog!
The political and personal friends as well as his Dr.’s need to get to Sen. Flanagan and sit down and have a long chat before his life is affected any more because of his injury.The bulldog continues his stubborness for sure and thats ok if operating with clear thought.Again I urge his friends to get involved.While hardly a Flanagan supporter through the years it hurts to see this happening to him.
Would people be urging the same compassion, and criticizing the “wiseass” comments, if this were about a conservative Republican? I got my doubts.
Ed Flanagan is liked and respected both within and outside the Statehouse. His traumatic brain injury has made life difficult for him in many ways; yet he has made a remarkable recovery. It may be that his recovery has regressed or that he needs further neurological evaluation. We should all be showing compassion rather than making derogatory remarks. How many of us would prefer that compassion if we were in his place? Be kind.
Molly and Frank,I share your discomfort with the jokes at Sen. Flanagan’s expense, but I’m reluctant to remove them from the site.The comments are insensitive and rude, but the senator is an elected official — someone who represents us in the state senate, and who is still planning to run for lt. governor in 2010. If he were a private citizen suddenly thrust into the spotlight, I might feel differently. If those sorts of comments wind up dominating this thread, I will shut it down. Please keep this conversation civil, and respectful, folks.
I agree with Mr. Zaske. I wouldn’t know if 7d should remove the comments because I don’t know how strictly they interpret the words degrading, abusive, and hateful. However, I do find it sadly and embarrassingly predictable how petty little jackals jump all over a story like this with their obtuse puns and cheap shots. I picture them as grotesque miniature amalgamations of Jay Leno and Rush Limbaugh.If I were Mr. Flanagan, I guess I would probably submit to evaluation by a neurologist and a medical psychologist specializing in TBIs. If he needs help he’d find out, and if he’s in the clear then he could make the results of the evaluation public.
My comment is more about the other comments than Ed Flanagan. To me many seemed degrading, abusive and maybe even hateful which I believe violates Seven Days policy for posting comments. Like him or not, Ed Flanagan is someone who has been elected to public office several times. Also as far as I can tell he is liked and by respected by other elected officials of all persuasions.Ed Flanagan suffered a serious head injury, which may be affecting his behavior. That is indeed something we should be concerned about and certainly I am. But he doesn’t deserve to be degraded or abused.