Finnish minister the latest politician sunk by texting
Following a recent trend of politicians embroiled in text message-related sex scandals, Finland's foreign minister is facing calls for his resignation Saturday after a tabloid published a suggestive text message he had sent to an erotic dancer, Reuters is reporting.
Ilkka Kanerva sent about 200 text messages to the 29-year-old dancer and at first said they were related to her performing at his 60th birthday party, Reuters says. But on Friday he admitted the messages weren't appropriate.
A Finnish paper quoted him as saying, "I would not present them in Sunday school, but they are not totally out of line either," according to Reuters.
Kanerva is saying he won't resign. His longstanding partner "has accepted his apology over the matter," according to Reuters.
The story sounds all too familiar, what with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick facing charges in a text message scandal that threatens to send him to prison, and salacious text messages playing a role in the fall of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
Our role is to highlight the technological trend--not to pass judgment--but that's hard given all we know about how easily phone records can become public records, especially in the case of officials.
Michelle Meyers is an associate editor who tracks online happenings in media, entertainment, and politics. E-mail Michelle.
Some people are really hypocrites.