Networks Obsessed Over GOP Staffer, Ignore Democrat's Sex Assault

The same networks that hyped a Republican staffer's comments about Barack Obama's daughters are now ignoring the sexual assault conviction of a Democratic congressional aide. According to the Washington Post, Donny Ray Williams "pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual abuse, two misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse and one count of misdemeanor threats." 

Williams was a staff director for the Senate majority and previously worked for panels run by Democrats as Mary Landrieu and Elijah Cummings. The conviction on Tuesday has received, so far, no coverage on ABC, CBS and NBC. In contrast, the same networks devoted 14 minutes [1] (over two days) to GOP staffer Elizabeth Lauten's Facebook complaints about how the Obama daughters dressed. 

While the Washington Post [2] placed the story about the Republican aide on A-1, giving it 1,161 words, the paper buried Williams's sex assault conviction on A-5 and only allowed 281 words. (Political journals Roll Call [3] and The Hill [4], often used as show prep for journalists, noticed the story.) 

In the brief story [5], the Post's Keith L. Alexander explained: 

Donny Ray Williams Jr., 37, who served as a staff director for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee, pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual abuse, two misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse and one count of misdemeanor threats.

Prosecutors say that on July 22, 2010, Williams invited a female congressional colleague to his Capitol Hill apartment and promised to introduce her to Senate employees. At the house, prosecutors said, Williams spiked a drink with Ambien. The woman, according to court documents, fell into a “deep sleep,” at which point Williams raped her.

A month later, prosecutors said, Williams invited another woman to his home and gave her alcoholic beverages. They said he had sexual contact with her when she was too intoxicated to give her consent.

Apparently, not all congressional staffer scandals are created equal.