It's not honesty to confess after you've been caught

All hail Republican House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, who confessed he paid $150,000 to silence a woman he had been with. In a hot tub. Naked.

When she was a minor and he was 28.

What strength of character to confess his sins on the House floor, and how his fellow politicians applauded his honesty!

Only one problem:

It's not brave to confess after you've been caught.

It would have been brave if he had left it out there and said "You know what, 20 years ago, I was a jackass and did something stupid-judge me by my actions since them" before the incident came out.

Or maybe if he had told the woman "You know - I was stupid, but I'm not paying you hush money."

But to do the stupid thing of being almost 30 and hanging out with a 15 year old girl naked in a hot tub, then pay her money to keep quiet, then confess only *after* the newspapers started picking up the story - that's not bravery.

That's damage control.

So bravo, Mr. Garn. Bravo. Truly, the heart of a lion. Well, after the lion has run away, hid in the bushes, waited until everybody went away.