Few people have experienced such a sickening feeling after hitting the “send” key as Bryan Brandenburg, who is apparently hiding under his desk ever since he accidentally sent a racy e-mail to 160 House staffers in Lansing.
According to the MIRS newsletter, Brandenburg, son of Sen. Jack Brandenburg and aide to rookie Rep. Jeff Farrington, a Utica Republican, sent a personal message on the Legislature’s computer system announcing that a “hot” female staffer was now available.
Brandenburg, 29, reportedly thought he was sending the e-mail to just a few friends on the House staff as a joke. But House Speaker Jase Bolger didn’t think it was funny at all.
“The Speaker’s Office is aware of the e-mail and is considering this a personnel issue, which we do not comment on publicly,” said Bolger press secretary Ari Adler. “We will address the incident in accordance with House policies and guidelines related to staff conduct.”
MIRS obtained the e-mail and printed it in full, though they left out the name of the “traumatized” House staffer:
“Hey guys,
“I know it’s slow today so I thought I’d help a friend out. (The staffer) broke up with her man yesterday and is now single and looking. She’s a dem, but she’s hot. Go visit her in (her employer’s) office or send her a message on Groupwise. Good luck!!
Bryan
“ps. feel free to facebook stalk her too lol”
Farrington told MIRS that he is aware of the situation, and that he’s talked with Brandenburg and House leadership. He said it’s a personnel matter that will be handled internally. Brandenburg was not available for comment.
In his unsuccessful run for state House in 2008 against then-rep. Sarah Roberts, Brandenburg was accused of campaign shenanigans and dirty tricks, including production of a fake Roberts flyer which claimed that she favored partial-birth abortions and gay marriage.
Brandenburg’s father was accused last year of sexually harassing Jennifer Gratz, a nationally known political activist, by placing a vulgar phone call to Gratz while attempting to pose as a newspaper reporter.
I leave it up to the political observers out there to come up with their favorite punch line.
Chad, You're kidding right ? Where is the story here ? A Lansing staffer sends out an email to a few other staffers that a female colleague broke up with her boyfriend, and you tag it as "sexually-inappropriate" ??? PLEASE !
Chad, I gave you more credit than this. Please write about some substantive issues !! God knows there is REAL political-news to cover in Lansing, so don't waste your time and ours spreading low-level gossip.
No kidding. Its not just Chad, its everyone at the MD. They come up with some bs headline(to get you to read),then once you read the story you find out that the headline is NOTHING like the story, or the TRUTH! How bout all the stupid stories from Ohio, Indiana, and other places far,far away That have NO REASON TO BE IN THE MD! Back in high school the dumbest kid in the school could write better than MD reporters. Also, arent you sick of EVERY page scrolling down for some stupid ad. I, for one, will NEVER spend money at one of the places that advertize like that.
I don't see where this has ANYTHING AT ALL to do with Bryan's father. Why does Selweski even mention him ??? That is getting awful close to muck-raking, don't ya think.
Bringing up old accusations and rumors is trash journalism at its worst. Selweski should be more careful about the baseless accusations he makes in the paper …
Well, I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree in the Brandenburg family. Sent on a State computer, smart kid Jack-O. About as smart as the other useless state PAID aide Brian Pannebecker. Another home run.
Hello Mackinac Center?
Nice use of our state tax dollars. Typical Republicans!