Shock and savage criticism broke out against Vice President Mike Pence this week when comments from 2002 resurfaced, sparking outrage—not over some scandalous encounter, but over his resolute commitment to his dear wife Karen.

The backlash broke out over a quote from 2002 reposted in a Washington Post report, quoting the Hill: “In 2002, Mike Pence told the Hill that he never eats alone with a woman other than his wife and that he won’t attend events featuring alcohol without her by his side, either.”

In a town where innuendo and unfaithfulness is no stranger, critics circled around Pence’s very personal decision to keep the potential for temptation and accusations at bay.

Author of the Post article Ashley Parker tweeted the article out on Wednesday morning with the reference to the Hill:

Mike Pence never dines alone w a woman not his wife, nor does he attends events w alcohol, w/o her by his side. https://t.co/BxfS0JzbAc — Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) March 29, 2017

Later the same day she tweeted again:

Response to this Tweet — a pure statement of fact, quoting Pence himself — has been a fascinating Rorschach test. https://t.co/jddpb7oh7C — Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) March 29, 2017

Internet outrage and reports from the left blasted the Vice President over his practice that was very briefly brought up in the Post.

The Atlantic characterized the Pences’ policy as “misguided,” while at the same time displaying “an admirable awareness of their own human weaknesses.” It referred to Pence’s decision as the “Billy Graham rule,” noting that the practice is common among evangelical Christians. The article slams the practice as sexist, particularly in the church.

Slate brutally assailed Pence as sexist and lacking respect for women in response to Pence’s practice in his own marriage: “This kind of thinking does point toward a pretty radically retrograde mindset on the part of its adherents, one that doesn’t respect women as humans with thoughts and skills to contribute but rather sees them primarily as sexual temptations.”

The Washington Examiner tweeted an article calling Pence’s commitment “clearly harmful to the many women on his staff”:

Pence's dining habits clearly harmful to the many women on his staff https://t.co/n9K5nHeNSM by @BecketAdams pic.twitter.com/RaIJ5UOLRg — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 30, 2017

The Examiner article noted the reaction of Mother Jones Editor-In-Chief Clara Jeffery to the Post article, who leaped so far as to conclude, “If Pence won’t eat dinner alone with any woman but his wife, that means he won’t hire women in key spots.” While Jeffrey’s rant questioned whether women had served in high positions in his “campaign, administration, private practice, radio show or think-tank?,” the article lists eight women currently on the Vice President’s staff, including his Deputy Chief of Staff, Jen Pavlik. However, the article’s headline, “Pence’s dining habits clearly harmful to the many women on his staff” does not elude to the several women on staff that are listed at the close of the piece.

The Post headlined their article, “Karen Pence is the vice president’s ‘prayer warrior,’ gut check and shield.” The article details the close relationship between Mike and Karen Pence from the beginning days of their relationship and marriage to his campaigns for and election to Congress, his years as Governor of Indiana, to the vice presidential campaign and his early days in that office.

A correspondent for the Times of London went so far as to compare Pence to Muslim Brotherhood officials:

Mike Pence sounds a lot like the Muslim Brotherhood officials I've interviewed. https://t.co/xSkHtbIrHo pic.twitter.com/F9mEhnqK0W — Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) March 30, 2017

Knee jerk outrage continued online, reaching so far as to compare Pence’s practice to Islamic Sharia Law:

Sincere question. How is this different from extreme repressive interpretations of Islam ("Sharia Law!") mocked by people like Mike Pence — XENI (@xeni) March 29, 2017

The same people defending Pence's words would whine about creeping sharia if an Arab or Muslim man said the same thing. Enough. — Laila Lalami (@LailaLalami) March 30, 2017

My problem with comparing @mike_pence to #sharia is that #muslims are not backwards ass misogynists. None of you seem to know what sharia is — Maysoon (@maysoonzayid) March 31, 2017

Katie Pavlich pointed out that there are 50,000 accounts in Washington, D.C. alone on the marital infidelity dating site Ashley Madison.

Breitbart News’s Frances Martel tweeted:

Wait is the fact that Mike Pence doesn't cheat on his wife an actual scandal now? — Frances Martel (@francesmartel) March 30, 2017

Meanwhile, Thursday afternoon, Karen Pence tweeted out a watercolor painting that she created and presented to an art therapist:

Presented Kate, an art therapist, with a watercolor I created of the VP residence as a way to say thanks to @nyphospital. @tracyskidsdc pic.twitter.com/S0BqbYO76v — Karen Pence (@SecondLady) March 30, 2017

An up close look at the art therapy program, provided by @tracyskidsdc at @nyphospital today! So amazed by the difference art therapy brings pic.twitter.com/GMJNGBFCBA — Karen Pence (@SecondLady) March 30, 2017

On their anniversary last year, then-Indiana Gov. Pence tweeted a photo of the couple’s wedding:

Celebrating our 31st wedding anniversary today with my wonderful wife, @FirstLadyIN pic.twitter.com/1xdb5x8SJA — Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) June 8, 2016

The original 2002 Hill article being referenced in this week’s lefty outrage originally came not long after the deadly sex scandal involving former Democratic Rep. Gary Condit of California and his intern Chandra Levy, whose disappearance lit up headlines across the country. Levy disappeared in 2001, but the deceased young woman’s remains weren’t found until a year later, according to ABC News, which wrote last October about Condit breaking his 15-year silence on the story. In an interview with TV’s Dr. Phil, he claimed he never had an affair with Levy and had nothing to do with her death. “She came by my condo once,” maybe twice, he told Dr. Phil. Condit is now peddling a book based on his experience.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana