Family Values Congressman

Congressman DesJarlais admitted to affairs with two patients during divorce trial


Posted by Aaron Blake on November 15, 2012

Things just got a whole lot worse for Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.).

According to a new report from the Chattanooga Times Free Press the congressman, who is also a doctor, admitted to sexual relationships with multiple patients and co-workers during sworn testimony at his divorce trial and urged his now-ex-wife to get two abortions, despite campaigning for Congress as an anti-abortion rights, family values candidate.

The paper obtained a transcript of his 2001 trial, in which DesJarlais cops to having “had sexual relationships with at least two patients, three coworkers and a drug representative while he was chief of staff at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper, Tenn.,” in the paper’s words. The relationships with patients both occurred in 2000, when DesJarlais was married.

DesJarlais easily won reelection last week despite reports that he had sex with patients and urged one of them to get an abortion. The congressman hasn’t directly responded to questions on the matter since then.

“had sexual relationships with at least two patients, three co-workers and a drug representative” while he was married. “At least”? Does the Congressman have a memory problem?

Urged his wife to get two abortions? This Family Values stuff sure does get complicated, but the good voters of Tennessee understand.