Oregon's Cuckoo Congressman

credit: Willamette Week, "HELP!", says Wu

This one did not fly over Kesey's nest, but made a nice seven term nest as Oregon's 1st Congressional District Representative. David Wu is in deep political trouble since six senior staff quit on him unexpectedly in January. News reports cited his bizarre behavior as the reason members of his mostly female staff quit. At one point his staff staged an intervention and suggested their temperamental boss rest in a psychiatric facility. Normally congressional staff are tight-lipped, but one former aide said she would not work for Wu again. Stumptown's state-wide newspaper has revealed the Congressman experienced what US Person's describes as a nervous collapse three days before the November, 2010 election. Wu's condition was unknown to the public as he withdrew from public campaigning. Despite the brief hiatus, he won reelection against a weak field of opponents, who were unequipped to defeat a six term congressman.

Wu has not build a solid legislative record while in the House, nevertheless he has been able to raise funds effectively enough in a majority Democratic district to return to Washington. He told ABC News in a six minute interview that he sent inappropriate e-mails to staff (one in which he was dressed in a tiger costume) and is receiving psychiatric treatment and medication. The newspaper said Wu accepted the much-abused pain killer oxycondon from a financial supporter in October. He attributes his self-described unprofessional behavior to the stress of caring for an elderly mother and two children. His wife has separated from him, and his dad died recently. His erratic and inappropriate behavior continues, recently announcing he will function as his own treasurer after his campaign treasurer resigned. This move is highly unorthodox and considered by political operatives to be fraught with peril for a Congressman subject to strict federal campaign finance accounting rules. Despite his apparent melt down, Wu continues to maintain that he is fit for office* now that he is under medical treatment. But the centrist editorial page put it aptly, David Wu's "charade" as a Congressmen should be so over.

*Questions about Wu's conduct are not new as the Boston Herald points out.  During the 2004 campaign questions arose about an alleged sexual assault he committed on his girlfriend while attending Stanford University.  Wu responded his past conduct was "inexcusable".  Wu's campaign organization was fined by the state for not having workman's compensation insurance, and there are unpaid expenses from Wu's last run for office.  Last summer an apparently worried Wu phoned US Person to ask him to volunteer for his 2010 campaign.  US Person politely refused, explaining he wants to return to federal civil service.