

Rep. Jim Moran

Patrick Moran, the son of Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA), pleaded guilty on Wednesday to beating the crap out of his girlfriend. Well, those are my words. The Washington City Paper reported it as “brutally assaulting,” but I’m pretty sure that’s the same as beating the snot out of someone.

According to the police report, on December 1, Patrick and his girlfriend were at a bar in Washington, D.C., when they started arguing over his talking to another girl. Patrick then slammed her head into a metal trash can cage outside the bar. Later at Howard University Hospital, the lady was diagnosed with a broken nose and a skull fracture under her right eye.

Patrick Moran was charged for felony domestic violence assault but was able to get off on simple assault. He was sentenced to probation. Let me repeat: He was sentenced to probation for crushing his girlfriend’s skull into a piece of metal.

His dad didn't seem too out of sorts over the whole thing. In an official statement, Jim Moran said, “I hope their privacy will be respected. They look forward to putting this embarrassing situation behind them.” He also described them as “good kids.”

Is it just me, or do “good kids” not go around smacking their girlfriends? I hope the only thing this chick leaves behind is this loser. No woman deserves to be hit by her partner, and Representative Moran is doing a disservice to the millions of women living in fear in an abusive relationship.

"Embarrassing" situation? No. As Vice President Joe Biden would say, it’s a big f***ing deal! Twenty-five percent of all women will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime, and three women die at the hands of their intimate partners in the United States every day. It’s estimated that up to three million women are abused by their husbands or boyfriends per year.

These women need help, and this is a missed opportunity to shed light on the terrible situations that too many women find themselves in. How can they be encouraged to leave their abusive partners when they see a congressman exude an attitude like, “Meh -- it ain’t no thing”? Actually, a fractured skull is a thing. Someone who breaks his girlfriend’s head is not a good kid.

But what can you expect from the elder Moran? After all, like father, like son -- in 1995, Capitol Hill Police had to pull him off California Republican Randy Cunningham on the House floor, and he once told Washingtonian magazine, “I like to hit people.”

Domestic abuse is not cool, and if your partner hits you, it is a big deal, no matter what Jim Moran says. If you need help, you can visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233).

Have you ever been involved in an abusive relationship or known someone that has? How could you help someone in this situation?





Image via cliff1066/Flickr

