Warning To The Media About Putting Too Much Pressure On House Leadership

Speaker Rod Jetton and his staff have been under significant pressure lately. Everyone knows that being a Republican Speaker of the House, or their legal counsel, can cause a lot of stress.

So, while I normally encourage the media to do their job of holding the Republicans in the legislature accountable, I feel obligated to warn my fellow journalists what can happen when GOP leaders and their staffers feel too much pressure.

Here's a Columbus Dispatch story on the former legal counsel to the Ohio Speaker of the House:

In his disciplinary hearing last November, Linnen admitted to
dishonoring his profession but blamed his conduct on the stress of
working for the House.

"I got some relief by taking off my clothes and running around," he said.

More:

 A disciplinary panel yesterday recommended that Stephen P. Linnen, the
Columbus lawyer dubbed the "naked photographer" for taking pictures of
38 women while he was wearing only sneakers and a knit cap, be stripped
of his ability to practice law for at least two years.

And, yet more:

Before he was unmasked as the photographer in late 2003, Linnen gained
notoriety for approaching women throughout Franklin County for 18
months and documenting their startled reaction to his lack of clothing.
At the time, Linnen was working as a lawyer for the Ohio House under
then-Speaker Larry Householder.

So keep your eyes peeled for Don Lograsso. Actually, on second thought, perhaps a better warning might be, "Don't look Ethel!"