Thune Offers Weak And Hypocritical Argument For Voting Against Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment
Thune Offers Weak And Hypocritical Argument For Voting Against Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment
Earlier this month, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) proposed an amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill to withhold defense contracts from companies which “restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court.” The amendment stemmed from a incident where Halliburton/KBR employee Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her co-workers, then detained in a shipping container for at least 24 hours without food, water, or a bed, and “warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she’d be out of a job.” Jones was prevented from bringing charges in court against KBR because her employment contract stipulated that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration. (Jones was not an isolated case.)
Although Franken’s amendment passed, it was opposed by 30 Republican Senators and by lobbyists of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Blogger-activist Mike Stark interviewed several of the GOP Senators who voted against the amendment, including Sen. John Thune (R-SD). Thune explained his vote by arguing that he was simply defending the sanctity of using binding arbitration to settle disputes between labor and management:
STARK: What it would have prevented, was the government from contracting with anyone who forces women who have been raped into arbitration instead of giving them their day in court. … It sounds to a lot of us that you sided with corporations over rape victims.
THUNE: It was clearly politically inspired amendment to make it appear that way. The issue has to do with whether or not arbitration is going to be something that continues to be a part of labor agreements.
STARK: Well this was narrowly defined to prevent arbitration in cases of rape.
THUNE: No, no it wasn’t. … It has to do with the broader issue about whether or not arbitration is going to be a tool available for labor and management to use when it comes to labor agreements.
Watch it:
While Thune is committed to the principle that corporations have the right to use binding arbitration to muzzle victims of rape, he has long argued against the use of arbitrators in regards to reforming how unions sign labor contracts. In fact, Thune has fashioned himself a chief opponent of the Employee Free Choice Act simply because of arbitration. Arbitration is a part of EFCA because, all too often, when employees vote to form a union, they still can’t get a first contract due to their employer’s delay tactics. However, Thune has argued that the most “egregious” provision of EFCA is arbitration. Arbitration to help unions form contracts with their employers, Thune argues, would “kill jobs” and hurt “every American business, both large and small.”
Thune’s only consistency here appears to be that he believes both union workers and rape victims don’t deserve justice.
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So corporations now have a legal right to demand people give up their rights as citizens if they want a job?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:06 pmHates the unions. Loves the gang-rapes
October 21st, 2009 at 4:07 pmWhile I am disappointed in Thune’s attitude, his actions are what I have come to expect from anyone wearing the Republican mantle. Republicans offer no hope for the average, honest, hard working American.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:08 pmSouth Dakota deserves better. Thune, you disgust me.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:09 pmA Republican supports arbitration? No way.
Republicans fight for corporations tooth and nail against unions, workers and the workers’ rights.
Thune is a liar, and a lame one at that.
This case was solely to deprive (female) workers of their rights in court against their employers.
Repugs love their women so.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:09 pmThe Repubs who voted against Franken’s amendment are pathetic sexists & they know it. They voted the way they did because in their world greed trumps ethics, and are now trying to save face with absurd “reasons” for their vote. The real reason is simply that they are pathetic sexists who believe that raped women should have no rights, but big greedy corporations should have all the rights they want.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:10 pmThis idiot believes that corporations should be allowed to own slaves. No unions, no representation by a union, no arbitration, no protections for the worker(s).
Thune believes the worker(s) should live in company housing, shop at the company store, and be impoverished and powerless to stop any exploitation of the worker by the corporate monster.
Thune is a monster.
My only wish is that he will be, at some point in his miserable life, be subject to the kinds of abuses workers are subjected to.
Wish in one hand, s**t in the other, see which one gets full.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:11 pmThese Repugs have no respect for women, period. Jon Stewart did and excellent segment of these idiots. Funding for ACORN, and big no no. But funding for Haliburton, sure! Why not?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:11 pmTHUNE: It was clearly politically inspired amendment…
So, rape is a partisan issue now? I guess Thune is saying that the Republicans are the pro-rape party.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:11 pmThune’s wife and 2 daughters must be so proud of his “courageous” stand.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pmclearly
October 21st, 2009 at 4:13 pmI wonder if he would be OK with them being gang raped and thrown into a shipping container?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:13 pmA dispute? It’s fricking RAPE, for crying out loud!!!
You petty, disgusting corporate wh0re.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:15 pmI don’t know about anyone else, but I for one am sick and tired of these people thinking that we are all stupid enough to believe the stuff that comes flowing from their mouths on a daily basis.
Thune, take responsibility for your own actions man and stop with the spin because it isn’t getting you anywhere.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:17 pmHoodathunk says: “So corporations now have a legal right to demand people give up their rights as citizens if they want a job?”
The short answer is “no”. The Supreme Court has held that you can sign any paper you want, but you never sign away your constitutional rights. Having said that, this didn’t happen in America (where the rule applies). By preventing her from leaving the country where it happened, they also prevented her from being in America where she could have sued over the issue if they refused to let her return to work.
Americans often think that because they are Americans, they have certain rights no matter where in the world they are. It simply isn’t true.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:18 pmYou know, South Dakota is a wonderful state. I have lived there, and it has great, hard working people. I don’t think the people I knew in SD would be in favor of a woman being gang raped,and then denying her her day in court. I kind of think they support workers rights as well.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:18 pmIf Thune believes gang rape constitutes a “labor dispute” I almost pity his staff — then again, they are Republicans so maybe not.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:18 pmTHUNE: No, no it wasn’t. … It has to do with the broader issue about whether or not arbitration is going to be a tool available for labor and management to use when it comes to labor agreements.
Sorry wrong answer senator. If what he was true I’m fairly certain one of the strongest unions, the MLB Players Association, would have be all over this amendment. Let’s not forget the MLBPA shut down the ‘94 World Series.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:19 pmOnly Repugs can equate rape with dispute. These guys are unfeeling monsters. They KNOW it was wrong, but they don’t care. They KNOW thousands of Americans die every year because of lack of insurance, but they don’t care. They KNOW Afghanistan is going to hell in a hand basket, but they are willing to push our soldiers there because they don’t care. They KNOW Climate Change is a threat, but they don’t care because going green will cut profits. They are immoral, unempathetic vermin.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:19 pmThune explained his vote by arguing that he was simply defending the sanctity of using binding arbitration to settle disputes between labor and management:
That refers to wages, conditions of work, compensation.
It does not apply to criminal misbehavior. Only corporocrats think citizen rights are negotiable.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:20 pmshoeless says: “I wonder if he would be OK with them being gang raped and thrown into a shipping container?”
Ok? OK? Hell, he probably pays extra for it on Saturday nights! He’s one of them shoe-tappin’ Rethuglicans, after all….
October 21st, 2009 at 4:20 pmIf this is a political issue, as Thune states, I hope his next opponent is smart enough to use this against him politically.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:23 pmGang rape is a crime – a violent crime!
Not something to be settled in arbitration.
This idiot has a wife, and daughters, who will soon be entering the workplace.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:24 pmAmericans often think that because they are Americans, they have certain rights no matter where in the world they are. It simply isn’t true.
Wake up and smell the humis, buddy. Americans have rights due to their citizenship, not their geographic location. An American, employed by an American company is still an American, no matter where the employment is..
October 21st, 2009 at 4:25 pmRape is a criminal act and just like all other criminal acts, it should NOT be subject to arbitration. Bet Thune would be singing a different song if one of his family members were raped. This criminal act does not discriminate. It happens in all social classes.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:27 pmIf an American chooses to do something on their own in a foreign country, they still retain rights as an American citizen to representation by our diplomatic sources in the country of infraction. This then becomes a problem of negotiation between our government and theirs.
Offenses against US personnel by US personnel comes under US law.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:29 pmJack-ass.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:29 pmA Republican taking inconsistent positions on different issues is no surprise. I would hope Thune’s words are used against him in his next election.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:30 pmAs important as citizenship rights are, it isn’t a necessary part of the debate. If Congress wants to deny contracts to companies that respond to the rape of one their employees by locking that person in a container, then they can do so. The companies do not have a constitutional or God-given right to government contracts.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:30 pmSo… gang rape is simply a labor/management dispute? What about murder? Is that simply a labor/management dispute as well?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:32 pmOh, please forgive me. I forgot that Halliburton is allowed to murder. Totally my fault.
Thune beat Daschle partly by giving lots of RNC money to Native Americans on SD reservations.
It’s true.
Right now, Tom Daschle would be calling health insurers out and providing leadership in a Party struggling to find any in the Senate.
Thune is a pig, but he’ll be a rich pig after lobbyists reward him for his sexist, lying words.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:32 pmAll I know is if Thune gets a challenger, that person better find a way to inform the WOMEN of his district how he feels about a crime as serious as rape. See how many women think he is a fine upstanding Christian.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:34 pm24 Hooda
You and zorbear are both right.
Zorbear was referring to the fact that Halliburton tried to intimidate the victim while in a foreign country (Iraq) where her rights would not be acknowledged.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:36 pmZimzone – And what exactly has Thune done for the Lakotahs? Other than paying them to vote for him, he has done nothing to help them. I hope that the Republic of Lakotah thinks differently when Thune is up for re-election.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:37 pmI would dearly love for 30 well-qualified Democratic women to take up Thune’s implied challenge and run against all these jokers when their terms are up and use this issue against them.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:37 pmLet’s hope that Thune’s challenger reminds women and men with daughters that Thune supports rape.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:38 pmWe can bring this down to something even Thune can understand.
Mr. Senator, Flompwit, Inc has negotiated a contract to provide widgets in your state. Part of the contract says they have the right to consider federal and state crimes committed by the company against personnel in their employ is not a crime but part of arbitration. Is this cool with you?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:40 pmToday’s Republic Party:
Pro-Rape
Pro-Wall St
Pro-Reaganomics
Pro-Life
Anti-choice
Anti-woman
Anti-citizen
Anti-American
With ‘friend’s like this, who needs enemas?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:46 pmHere’s the Franken amendment:
It’s not the broad slippery slope that Thune alluded to.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:46 pmIt’s not the broad slippery slope that Thune alluded to.
To Republican’s, ANY barrier to corporate profits is a slippery slope.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:53 pmSo according to Thune, a rape victim being held incommunicado in a foreign land is a Good commercial for binding arbitration ?
And let us look at it from the other side. If an employee should embezzle funds from their employer, the employer shouldn’t regard it as a crime but rather another chance to apply arbitration ?
October 21st, 2009 at 5:07 pmMaybe Thune can get his daughter a job with Halliburton/KBR.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:09 pmThune: Just another depraved Christian-right GOP thug Senate member with his own tiny “member” who, if he saw it again in the presents of a women, would mean 6 more weeks of Winter.
South Dakota must be so proud.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:13 pmShorter Thune: Damn people’s (women’s) lives… support the business interests!
If these men has any idea what it means to a woman to be raped, then they would not be voting this way.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:16 pmSo much for being tough on crime. More shame on the Rape-ublican Party.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:19 pmThune is hoping to get a job there after he’s voted out of office and gang rape is a great perk! LOL!
October 21st, 2009 at 5:21 pmYes, but they don’t give him campaign contributions.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:23 pmThune explained his vote by arguing that he was simply defending the sanctity of using binding arbitration to settle disputes between labor and management—
Disputes between labor and management should not extend to intentional bodily harm inflicted by co-workers.
Whether or not your working hours are adequate, whether you have safe working conditions, etc. these are disputes between management and labor. Physical assault in the workplace is not just a “dispute” between labor and management.
Unless that contract that a person signed before employment lists the possibility of rape as a condition of employment, this shouldn’t even be a question.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:26 pmThis poor woman was mutilated. She was bleeding both vaginally and anally when they rescued her from the shipping container.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pmSanctity? Of Binding Arbitration?
Is he confusing that with Holy Matrimony?
F- for Senator Thune.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:32 pmWhere’s bit
October 21st, 2009 at 5:38 pmHe can’t very well give his real reason. The fact is that the men who voted against this bill are tied, at least tenuously, to contractors. The reason they were willing to take the hit for “voting for rape” was to show solidarity with said contractors. Even with no hope of stopping the bill they had to show those who may face indictment their unqualified support.
Because, what this bill really does, is provide the protection of federal law to whistle-blowers. Writing it around a rape case was a big political edge and, frankly, it’s horrible that it took such a case to trigger such a law. But, in today’s political climate is was a brilliant bit of maneuvering.
In a more perfect world, 30 Senators would be facing questions about this vote for the rest of their careers and beyond. And if Jamie Leigh Jones is as strong as she seems? Her name should hang around the necks of these scumbags, who were willing to come out in support of rape rather than admit their true allegiances.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:41 pmWhere’s Darlyy, arguing for the elimination of women in overseas posts, military or civilian. Also the elimination of shoes for women and the electronic fence around the kitchen boundaries.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:42 pmI called Sen. Bob Corker, R-TN about his no vote on the Franken Amendment … guess they recognize this looks bad because not one but TWO aides called me back to discuss the issue. But they basically had the same lame argument, and a new one that is even worse: because the victim in this case took her case to court and the court decided with her, that arbitration should not apply to rape, sexual harassment, etc. Corker felt like it was a case of “problem solved.”
And then here’s the kicker: the Franken Amendment also included discrimination as an instance that shouldn’t be arbitrated. And Corker didn’t think discrimination should be added to that. That went “too far” for him.
What a jerk.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:42 pmduring the election cycle, the people inhis state out to be treated to billboards with his face on it with the caption, “your senator supports the gang rape of women. he thinks it a labor issue”
October 21st, 2009 at 6:09 pmIf Democrats acted like Republicans, the Democrats would be calling the Republicans the party of rape, and they would be repeating it every day, every hour.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:01 pmVan Jones was right….republicans are as#holes!
October 21st, 2009 at 7:08 pmOpps, I’m a bit late in getting this up!
You can GO HERE and tell Thune what you think…actually, I wonder how he would feel if it was a daughter or granddaughter that had been raped.
Email Page:
http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email
or
TollFree: 1-866-850-3855
Washington Office
Senator John Thune
United States Senate SR-493
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2321
Fax: (202) 228-5429
Aberdeen Office
320 South 1st Street
Suite 101
Aberdeen, SD 57401
Phone: (605) 225-8823
Rapid City Office
1313 West Main Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 348-7551
Sioux Falls Office
October 21st, 2009 at 7:12 pm320 North Main Avenue
Suite B
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Phone: (605) 334-9596
Thanks for all you do, Soapbox. :)
October 21st, 2009 at 7:26 pmThe company lawyer, the company store and the company housing.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:30 pmThis crap is grist for the publicity mill come election time. A Democratic candidate would have to be totally brain dead not to use this in a campaign.
As for Thune’s feelings about his wife and daughters being in this situation– no big deal; after all they’re just females. They’re born to be used by men.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:04 pmZooey@59
Why thank you!
I hope and hope…that at least 1 or 2 readers will email or get on the phone to these Rushpubs and tell that they are just plain wrong.
I sincerely appreciate the post!
October 21st, 2009 at 8:25 pmMr. Thune, I believe I see the principled Republican at work.
Ms. Jones was ganged raped while in the employment of KRB.
You would assume a principled Republican would understand how serious this act of extreme violence is.
Ms. Jones’ contract with KRB stipulates sexual assault cases go to binding arbitration, not a court of law.
Being a Principled Republican, you would clearly see that absolutely no contract can limit the legal obligations KRB, considering the violent nature of this particular case.
You insist binding arbitration is correct in this instance, but you have opposed binding arbitration with regards to labor.
A Principled Republican’s application of the law clearly has to be applied fairly, for this is the only reasonable way a “Nations of Laws” conducts itself.
Aside from the voters on Election Day, how do you explain you “Republican Principles” to your wife, mother and daughters?
Ah yes, you have a contract with KRB maybe?
October 21st, 2009 at 10:12 pmRepublican Principles?????????????
/snarkon Glad we’ve abolished slavery in the work place. /snarkoff
October 21st, 2009 at 11:49 pmI would be inclined to the view that criminal law trumps any civil contract stipulation of arbitration and several KBR executives should be indicted for aiding and abetting a felony by persons in their employ.
And Mr. Thune should be sent into the ranks of unemployed politicians at the earliest possible opportunity.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:51 am@ 65. And there are 29 other Republipimp Senators who should join Mr. Thune in being unemployed. Any hack who puts corporations above people has gone over the line.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:53 amProfit over rape victim…that’s a fine platform to run on…
Wiz says:
If Democrats acted like Republicans, the Democrats would be calling the Republicans the party of rape, and they would be repeating it every day, every hour.
The Democrats are too busy worrying about the Republicans’ outrage to ever do that…Now all what they have to do is say that some Republicans believe that profit is more important than helping a rape victim…plain and simple…
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 amHere’s the breakdown of Halliburton PAC contributions over the past 5 election cycles to these 30 cretins (2010 in progress):
Cornyn (R-TX) $20,000
Inhofe (R-OK) $11,500
McConnell (R-KY) $8,500
Enzi (R-WY) $8,000
Vitter (R-LA) $8,000
Burr (R-NC) $5,000
DeMint (R-SC) $5,000
Sessions (R-AL) $5,000
Thune (R-SD) $5,000
Roberts (R-KS) $4,500
Wicker (R-MS) $4,500
Bond (R-MO) $4,000
Kyl (R-AZ) $4,000
Alexander (R-TN) $3,500
Barrasso (R-WY) $3,500
Bunning (R-KY) $3,000
Corker (R-TN) $3,000
Isakson (R-GA) $3,000
Brownback (R-KS) $2,000
Chambliss (R-GA) $2,000
Cochran (R-MS) $2,000
Ensign (R-NV) $2,000
Gregg (R-NH) $2,000
Risch (R-ID) $2,000
Johanns (R-NE) $1,500
Crapo (R-ID) $1,000
Graham (R-SC) $1,000
Coburn (R-OK) $-
McCain (R-AZ) $-
Shelby (R-AL) $-
That’s $124,500 of the $311,850 (40%) donated by Halliburton PAC to US Senate candidates in that time frame (thanks, OpenSecrets.org).
Money doesn’t talk, right?
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:08 amIf the situation were reversed I could hear Glenny Beck, Michelle Bachmann, and any other Right winger screaming that this will eventually lead to the legalization of rape!
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:54 amPig….. thats all
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:29 am@ 67. USCKitty says: Profit over rape victim…that’s a fine platform to run on… “Wiz says:If Democrats acted like Republicans, the Democrats would be calling the Republicans the party of rape, and they would be repeating it every day, every hour.” The Democrats are too busy worrying about the Republicans’ outrage to ever do that…Now all what they have to do is say that some Republicans believe that profit is more important than helping a rape victim…plain and simple… October 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 am
True that, and something needs to be done about this specific case, and it’s a good campaign hammer.
There’s also a larger issue. It’s apparent that Republicans and some corporation executives and legalists think that criminal matters can just be ignored, swept aside. They think that criminal issues don’t have to be reported or dealt with at law; they think criminal issues can simply be arbitrated.
A cynic (quick, where’s my cynic hat?) might ask, “Just who hires or owns the arbitrator and what guarantee of neutrality do you have?”. But question is BS in this instance and similar circumstances; a legitimate arbitrator recognizes legal issues and will not try to arbitrate criminal matters; a professional, ethical corporate counsel will do likewise.
Halliburton/KBR management needs to be dragged into court in handcuffs in this matter. The incident may not have occured on US soil or territory, but the people involved were in the (contracted) employ of the US government.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:42 amThey voted the way they did because in their world greed trumps ethics estetik, and are now trying to save face with absurd “reasons” for their vote estetik burun ameliyati. The real reason is simply that they are pathetic sexists who believe that raped women should have no rights gögüs büyütme, but big greedy corporations should have all the rights they want estetik gögüs ameliyatlari. No unions, no representation by a union, no arbitration, no protections for the worker(s) gögüs küçültme. Thune believes the worker(s) should live in company housing vajina daraltma, shop at the company store, and be impoverished and powerless to stop any exploitation of the worker by the corporate monster lazer epilasyon fiyatlari. Thune is a monster. karin germe ameliyatlari My only wish is that he will be, at some point in his miserable life, be subject to the kinds of abuses workers are subjected to plastik cerrahi. “So corporations now have a legal right to demand people give up their rights as citizens if they want a job?” karin estetigi The short answer is “no”. The Supreme Court has held that you can sign any paper you want saç nakli, but you never sign away your constitutional rights gögüs büyütme. Having said that, this didn’t happen in America (where the rule applies) gögüs diklestirme. By preventing her from leaving the country where it happened, they also prevented her from being in America where she could have sued over the issue if they refused to let her return to work. gögüs küçültme Americans often think that because they are Americans, they have certain rights no matter where in the world they are vajina daraltma ameliyati. These guys are unfeeling monsters. They KNOW it was wrong, but they don’t care gögüs estetigi. They KNOW thousands of Americans die every year because of lack of insurance, but they don’t care.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:25 am