August 20, 2012 04:58 PM UTC

You Never Want To Be "That Guy"

• 13 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Politico starts out our week with an hilarious story that includes a Colorado connection:

During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources told POLITICO. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed, while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who were participants in the trip…

“A year ago, my wife, Brooke, and I joined colleagues for dinner at the Sea of Galilee in Israel. After dinner I followed some Members of Congress in a spontaneous and very brief dive into the sea and regrettably I jumped into the water without a swimsuit,” Yoder said in a statement to POLITICO. “It is my greatest honor to represent the people of Kansas in Congress and [for] any embarrassment I have caused for my colleagues and constituents, I apologize.”

…GOP sources confirmed the following freshmen lawmakers also went swimming that night: Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) and his daughter; Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and his wife; Reps. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.). Many of the lawmakers who ventured into the lake said they did so because of the religious significance of the waters. Others said they were simply cooling off after a long day. Several privately admitted that alcohol may have played a role in why some of those present decided to jump in.

…Yoder removed all his clothes, the only person to do so, according to multiple sources. [Pols emphasis]

First of all, it doesn’t appear that much came of the investigation into this incident, more a case of inebriated good times than anything truly embarrassing. With the definite exception of Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS)–who we wouldn’t be surprised to learn was the victim of that old gag where you convince somebody you’re all going to streak the football game, but only he does it.

If that’s what happened, obviously, we feel for the dude.

It would be even more funny if our local Colorado freshman Reps. Cory Gardner and Scott Tipton had been in on the joke. As Allison Sherry of the Denver paper reported last August, this same all-expense-paid trip to Israel was Tipton and Gardner’s first experience being feted by the Israel lobby. In all likelihood, they were at least present. We haven’t seen anything to suggest that Gardner or Tipton joined on this midnight swim in the Sea of Galilee; it sounds more up the youthful Rep. Gardner’s alley than Tipton’s. But like good fraternity pledges…

Look folks, we’re only trying to help out Rep. Yoder before tonight’s monologues. It should be evident even to the lay observer what Jon Stewart is going to do with this.