Pete Sessions cuts loose

U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions is taking a lot of flack from his conservative brethren for holding a fund-raiser in a Las Vegas nightclub last year. The congressman, whose district includes parts of East Dallas, Lake Highlands, Preston Hollow and North Dallas, used the Forty Deuce at the Mandalay Bay, and it does seem a bit risque for someone who sponsored legislation to require that the Treasury mint commemorative coins to honor the Boy Scouts.

But what struck me -– and I’m really surprised that Sessions’ colleagues at the Texas Eagle Forum didn’t catch this –- is that the 2008 fundraiser was held at a Vegas sports bar owned by rapper Jay Z. I’m assuming that Sessions and his friends don’t know who Jay Z is, because his bar seems an even more unlikely venue for a Sessions event than the Forty Deuce.

Let’s just say that Jay Z likes to use the N word. Two of his hits were Big Pimpin’ and Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up). There are 15 tracks on Jay Z’s current album, and all are labeled explicit for the lyrics. Plus, and I know this will raise some eyebrows, Jay Z did a guest spot on a song by rapper Nas in 2006 called Black Republican. One reviewer said "Black Republican is an understanding and admittance of hypocrisy."

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a free speech guy through and through, and Sessions is free to hold his fund-raisers anywhere he wants. The catch is that someone who adheres to the family values line as strongly as Sessions does (he said Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were forcing "their liberal values upon the rest of the country" after their infamous 2004 Super Bowl halftime show) needs to understand some people may make sport of where he holds them.

Technorati Tags: Pete Sessions,family values,Jay Z,nightclubs

Comments

[Farinata X]

Wow. A Republican family values hypocrite. Now there's a news flash.

[Robert]

This piece looks like a cheap shot. Is the author a Democrat?

Are you for/against the boys scouts having a commenormative coin? What the heck does that have to do with this story line.

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Norman Alston]

While the venue is an interesting choice, the Congressman's personal commitment to strong family values is beyond question. Further, his abhorrence of some of the practices you describe that have been undertaken by the club owner is likewise without doubt.

[Robert]

What a piece of shoddy work. You link everyting in your article (Las Vegas Nightclub, Jay Z, Fourty Deuce, commenorative coins, etc.) but leave out the fundamental link to your story line...."flack from his conservative brethren".....

This author should stick to reviewing wines and pontificating on real estate matters.

[Alex]

It's a national story Robert, settle down:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/07/conservative_rep_sessions_star.html

[Robert]

Jeff Siegel's misleading characterization of Sessions "taking alot of flack from his conservative bretheren" is actually a single person (Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum)who is quoted by the original DMNs storyline.

Backtalkeastdallas should remove this story from the web site, or require Jeff Siegel to ammend his reporting of the facts!!!

[Robert]

The Washington Post article says nothing about Sessions taking heat from his conservative bretheren.

The Siegel storyline is a total flasehood and should be amended.

[sickofrepublicans]

I love how all you GOP supporters yell and scream when a story breaks about one of your guys, but you all support the trash that FOX News and the like spew everyday about Dems. Grow up.

[Nathan]

I'm sure the Boyscouts are just relieved to know that Sessions and his supporters are clearly into chicks.

[Robert]

I think Siegel needs to come out from hiding under his desk and prove his original statment that ".S. Rep. Pete Sessions is taking a lot of flack from his conservative brethren"....in all the stories published by other news organizations I don't see any references to his taking alot of flack...

I see liberal pundits trying to cause a controversy.