Bertram, GOP spar over child abuse ad - News

The Hawaii Republican Party is airing a radio ad on Maui attacking state Rep. Joe Bertram for criticizing the conviction of a friend who used the Internet to try to entice a 14-year-old girl into having sex.

[Blues]

Bertram I think you are a hippocrite in that you can say what ever you wan't but that no-one can report that you said what you said.

You can run but you can't hide.

[MorePorkulus]

Maybe Bertram is related to Michael Jackson.

[Hiloan]

When democrats do something illegal or contrary to moral right, there's always an excuse and they continue on with their positions and lives as if nothing ever happened. If a Republican had done the same thing, the dictator hussein obama media and the democrats would be asking for that individual's head. joe bertram should be condemned by all the good people of Hawaii.

[Lolo]

If this lolo wanted to speak as a "private" citizen he shouldn't have run for "public" office.

Having said that, it is still abhorrent that he would condone the actions of his friend by making lame excuses. It exemplifies his lack of judgement, morals, and fitness to fill the office of a "public" servant.

He should resign immediately, or if he doesn't, be impeached or recalled.

[whoever]

This guy is a pig. Simply because your friend did not succeed in sexually assaulting a CHILD doesn't make it imaginary. The fact that you think so should be reported and held up to the outrage it deserves.

Run those ads frequently. This guy should be exposed for having such a perverse sense of what is right and wrong.

Again, Bertram is a PIG!

[Lolo]

It's been documented that child molesters are more prone to recidivism than any other crime. If this lolo's friend has these urges, he will eventually graduate out of fantasy and into reality. Do we wait until he actually destroys the life of a child before we act? Or do we take proactive steps and stop these sickoos before they can act?

If Bertram doesn't understand such a simple concept, how can he grasp the more complex dealings of crafting and creating constitutionally correct laws. He obviously doesn't belong in office.

[whopalawho]

aye sos joe........imaginary or not, your friend is a sexual predator and u went put your foot in your mouth when u spoke up in court. i dunno why u went even show up. u gotta think before u do dis kine stuff but too late now...........

[charles]

Let the voters of Bertram's district decide whether his comments as a private citizen were appropriate.

Why on earth would the Republican Party make this an issue this far out from an election?

It's also interesting to note that the Democratic Party didn't run ads calling for Galen Fox to resign when he was arrested for molesting a female. Lingle knew of the arrest but said nothing.

I also don't recall the Republican Party saying anything when Fox's conviction came to light.

Does anyone smell politics in all of this?

[manini]

Seems like every time Bertram opens his mouth he digs himself into a deeper hole.
He should clean out his desk.

[Translator]

Speeding.
That's an imaginary crime, too then.
Going 60 in a 35 without hurting someone shouldn't be a crime either, eh?
The enticement is the illegal act, not the rape itself.
C'mon, Joey B, the pot is damaging your judgment.
Your friend is a dangerous perv, just like Galen Fox and Keola Childs.
Sick proclivities know not of party lines.

[Humor]

Newsflash! License plate saying "ILVTOFU" for vegetarianism is denied on obscenity grounds.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/04/0...

Took a little while before I started LOL.

[Min]

I believe Bertram is also a perv and a predator. Approving something that his friend did and then saying that he is does "not believing in sting" operations. This guy is as weird as a $3 dollar bill. Get him out of office....sicko!!

[Michelle]

In regards to Fox and "oh those dastardly republicans, what can they be up to this time."
Fox was held accountable, being brought to trail and rightly so. Perhaps no republicans were actively speaking out about it but neither were they making excuses for him.
Also, Bertram is not accused of a crime, just exceptionally poor judgement. I'm glad the sunshine of public scrutiny is being bought to bear. It shouldn't be a dems vs reps issue. Apologists for sexual predators are not fit to hold office.

[KAzman]

"This is a bad law," Bertram told the court. "It's an imaginary crime. I feel very strongly that people should not be put into prison for an imaginary crime, especially when you have somebody who's so committed to correcting this mistake."

"I was speaking strictly on my own behalf and not representing myself in any other sense or way," he said. "Now we have the Republican Party saying I should be punished for my own personal opinion, and I find that reprehensible."

I think with the statements, his friend wanted to use the influence of a political figure to sway the judge during sentencing. Bertrams wording on the testimony is along the lines of a politician. He is claiming that the method to arrest his friend is unjust but the law is for electronic enticement of a minor. This is trying to steer the judge away from the real issue, The friend did do the enticement of a minor. This is typical of a corrupt politician when he puts the needs of one above the needs of the many.

No matter how much you try, any time you become a public figure, anything you do can never be a private matter. Mr. Bertram, since you have the power to change laws, lets see how you would change the law that your buddy got arrested for. I think you may as well go looking for another job since your constiuents have a reason to impeach you.

[The Truth]

Wow just .. wow... he makes a valid argument regarding civil liberties and you're accusing him of being a perv and predator. Do you realize that saying he is a perv and predator because he spoke out is no more true than saying you're a serial killer because of some words you typed on a website?

[alice]

manini wrote:

Seems like every time Bertram opens his mouth he digs himself into a deeper hole.
He should clean out his desk.True..he is a joke. But in general, the quality of people running or holding office in this state is very low.

We need a higher qulaity leadership set.

[Nobody]

We as voters judge our potential elected officials on their character and views. In this time where more and more children are being targeted by sexual deviants it's safe to say that Rep. Joe Bertram's views are in the minority. I guess soon to be ex-Representative Bertram will have to get a job with the ACLU defending people like his sex offender friend instead of protecting the children of Hawaii.

[hmmmm]

Humor wrote:

Newsflash! License plate saying "ILVTOFU" for vegetarianism is denied on obscenity grounds.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/04/0...
Took a little while before I started LOL.

Are you sure it's really talking about tofu?
I do think it's a clever plate though....I bet no one at our MVR would have caught the other meaning....

[hmmmm]

The Truth wrote:

Wow just .. wow... he makes a valid argument regarding civil liberties and you're accusing him of being a perv and predator. Do you realize that saying he is a perv and predator because he spoke out is no more true than saying you're a serial killer because of some words you typed on a website?

Don't worry, the chosen one is working on that as we speak.

[Rubba Slippa Man]

Bertram, where's your head at????????