Apparently they were simply attempting to walk home. From Politico.com:
The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff – and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses.
During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources [said]. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who took part in the trip.
More from Politico.com:
These GOP sources confirmed the following freshmen lawmakers also went swimming that night: Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) and his daughter; Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and his wife; Reps. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.).
Many of the lawmakers who ventured into the ocean said they did so because of the religious significance of the waters. Others said they were simply cooling off after a long day. Several privately admitted that alcohol may have played a role in why some of those present decided to jump in.
This could have implications at least for Quayle, the son of the former vice president. Ben Quayle has significant primary opposition for his Arizona seat from Dave Schweikert, a tea party-backed candidate.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.
127 comments Add your comment
Bernie
August 19th, 2012
11:36 pm
With Paul Ryan as the Oscar MEYER Weiner Mobile driver…this seems to be another
for the Republicans!
WEINER showing moment!
d down
August 19th, 2012
11:41 pm
maybe they were getting baptized to remove all their sins
C. Neville
August 19th, 2012
11:42 pm
A freshman congressman or a freshman in college? There should be a difference.
Shane
August 20th, 2012
12:05 am
Prepare for another Republican landslide in Georgia, come November. Really, there isn’t any reason to debate anymore. Democrats, liberals, and the AJC can just continue enjoying the view from the bottom rung of the political ladder.
Mark
August 20th, 2012
12:09 am
Who…gives…a…RAT’S…ASS!!!???
Bernie
August 20th, 2012
12:10 am
Jim, Just thinking of the likes of Republicans Karen Handel, Tom Price, Saxby Chambliss, Lynn Westmoreland and Phil Gingrey.
BUTT NAKED……. ANYWHERE! or ANYTIME! is enough to make me have a serious case of PROJECTILE VOMITING! ……….For DAYS!
DebDoes
August 20th, 2012
12:15 am
Just like the Republicans…’because of religious implications’…blah blah blah…we all got drunk and jumped in butt naked! Don’t ya love how they spin it to make it okay?
DebDoes
August 20th, 2012
12:16 am
Shane, kiss my democratic ‘clothed’ arse.
My Two Cents
August 20th, 2012
12:28 am
Not an important news story in my book. Next…..
LAC
August 20th, 2012
1:04 am
kevin yoder is a DISGRACE and MUST RESIGN Monday morning !!!!!!
I guess this is ALL OBAMA’s fault, as fox NOISE would describe it !!!!
But Hitler wannabe sean hannity will find a way to LIE as he ALWAYS does !!!!, What a COWARD !
Plus the PRO Rape senator wannabe akin in Missouri !!!! Plus the TWO Domestic Terroist’s,
Twit romney, and LYIN ryan, the two mose dishonest disgraceful people ever to be in a position of running our country into the ground !!!!
DO NOT BE FOOLED BY LYING republicans !!!!!!!!!!
COlumbus
August 20th, 2012
1:12 am
I wouldnt mind jumping into the Sea of Galilea nude myself. Why is this news and why the heck is the FBI investigating it? Is it wrong to take a dip nude? WOW this is probably felony somehow! What a joke and the PEOPLE DONT CARE….and we are the only ones that matter or should be.
Bernie
August 20th, 2012
1:33 am
Baby Jesus, would be OUTRAGED! at the actions of these REPUBLICANS!
1. Get Grandma PLAN
2. Health Insurance Denial
3. The Hating of “ALL” who are not like them.
4. LYING like nobody’s business DAILY and with a straight FACE!
whistleblower
August 20th, 2012
1:50 am
9-30-12
http://beforeitsnews.com/conspiracy-theories/2012/08/obamas-nuclear-false-flag-event-date-is-930-revealed-by-history-tv-2444006.html
mehlman rings twice
August 20th, 2012
3:56 am
Republicans like to disrobe in foreign countries. Just ask Gov. Mark Sanford.
James Jordan
August 20th, 2012
5:24 am
This story is really stupid, what’s wrong with someone going for a midnight swim – had this been Democrats the media would be comparing the swim to the time of Jesus and his ventures on the sea!
jd
August 20th, 2012
5:41 am
The Sea of Galilee isn’t an ocean — Politico needs to consult a map.
Hera
August 20th, 2012
5:48 am
These Elected Spenders are Representatives of the USA abroad. Their actions reflect on us. Respect for the Sea of Galilee and its history obviously was nothing they understood. I am ill that these are members of my political party. I suppose tax payers got to pay for their trip with their family. I sincerely hope that each one should lose their next election. But there are few if any consequences for the actions of Elected Spenders. Everything is OK and of course there is the excuse, so and so did it or worse. If you want to go skinny dipping with your friends do it in your pool at your expense.
Carpetbagger
August 20th, 2012
5:49 am
Great use of the FBI! What’s next, the FBI will be called in to investigate cheating on exams at Ga Tech? How they even look at themselves in the mirror?
rawmilkdrinker
August 20th, 2012
6:05 am
The sad thing is, this will likely cause their children to be born naked!
Love the Democracy
August 20th, 2012
6:06 am
This is exactly the kind of non-event that Republicans would feign “shock” over and ride it over and over and over again in an attempt to blaspheme a Democrat.
I hope these nekkid GOPers are thoroughly skewered for this. Perhaps mock indignation is something Congressional Democrats will have learned over the years from the other side of the aisle.
Uncle Billy
August 20th, 2012
6:07 am
Do I need to come to Georgia singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” again? I thought you had learned that lesson, but I am ready, willing and able. So watch out!!
Diane
August 20th, 2012
6:10 am
It states that only one person was nude. So only one person went skinny dipping. The rest took a swim with their clothes on. They should have know better. Maybe if we made them all take a test before they get jobs the same ones that are required of High School Students who attend public schools. Common since tells you put on bathing suits when you swim and that when you are in another country representing the USA at a religious site there are somethings that one does not do. Drunk is one. Naked in public is another…
Diane
August 20th, 2012
6:13 am
LOL meant common sense
Ol' Timer
August 20th, 2012
6:32 am
Actually, they didn’t intend to get in the water. The GOTPers thought they could walk on it, but couldn’t.
Moon Mullins
August 20th, 2012
6:35 am
This behavior is a little strange from those who tout their religious and family values ad nauseam.
Travis McGee
August 20th, 2012
6:41 am
My guess is that they were just checking out each other’s credentials. . . .nothing more. . . .nothing less.
Travis McGee
August 20th, 2012
6:48 am
While I can see members of Congress taking a fact-finding tour of Israel, I fail to see why the taxpayers should pay for their entire families to take the trip.
Am I missing something here?
These are the same people who get their panties in a wad ove government waste — I just don’t see why wives and children were included in this outting.
clanmack
August 20th, 2012
7:02 am
Who paid for the wives and daughters to go and why were they all R’s?
marko
August 20th, 2012
7:04 am
We live in a country that seems to think it’s a big that a congressman should drink a little too much , and go skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee. I wish Republicans would impersonate humans more often. Their constant church lady routine gets old after awhile.
shaggy
August 20th, 2012
7:06 am
“Many of the lawmakers who ventured into the ocean said they did so because of the religious significance of the waters.”
Uhhhhhhh, dimwit, it’s The Sea of Galilee, not even close to being an ocean.
Other than that stupidity, this “news” wasted 23 brain cells that I had to use to read it.
Debbie Dooley
August 20th, 2012
7:07 am
Another reason to throw every one of the bums out!
Am
August 20th, 2012
7:18 am
Hey Hypocrites, If some Muslims got drunk and went swimming naked in one your baptism pools, you freaks would be out of your minds! These are elected officials visiting another country and violated a holy place.
Willis
August 20th, 2012
7:22 am
This is news because if the group had been Democrats instead of Republicans, the Republicans would have claimed it was an orgy.
DLink
August 20th, 2012
7:44 am
Senator Anthony Weiner(D) status: Resigned. Senator Roberto Arango(R) Status: Resigned. At least Clinton kept it behind closed doors.
Curious
August 20th, 2012
7:45 am
This happened last year? Why haven’t we heard about it until now?
Jesus Loves
August 20th, 2012
7:58 am
Conservatives are the biggest freaks! I hope they wrapped it up. Don’t want any surprises nine months from now. Or any abortions — God forbid! FREAKS!!!
honested
August 20th, 2012
8:04 am
Quick, how many Democrats were involved in behavior that made the United States look like a country full of boorish louts.
They should be careful, apparently this sort of behavior carries penalties in Russia these days.
A Liberal in ATL
August 20th, 2012
8:10 am
Naked republicans! How dusgusting. Wonder what those boys did with each other when they got back to their hotel rooms. I’m pretty sure I know, but I’m trying not to think about it. Those acts don’t really bother me, but the hypocrisy gets my goat.
julia
August 20th, 2012
8:10 am
Seemed like such a good idea, go to the Middle East, get drunk and nekkid and go swimming. What a bunch of imbeciles. But they’re such good Christian people, they have the sort of values that are worthy of representing our country. Not us Godless heathen liberals.
— Peach Pundit
August 20th, 2012
8:25 am
[...] FBI investigation whether or not a Congressman went skinny dipping in Isreal. FBI? Really? – Larry Summers on why he thinks government won’t shrink. – If [...]
Tech Man
August 20th, 2012
8:25 am
Thank you for no pictures!
Gene
August 20th, 2012
8:26 am
It’s an outrage that our tax dollars would be spent on such blasphemous debauchery by Democratic….wait, they were GOP?….It’s typical that a liberal rag like the AJC would blow up such a harmless incident….
TiredOfIt
August 20th, 2012
8:27 am
“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Rep. Todd Akin, the Republican nominee for Senate in Missouri.
Last year, Akin joined with GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as two of the original co-sponsors of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” a bill which, among other things, introduced the country to the bizarre term “forcible rape.”
Why do people vote for these morons?
td
August 20th, 2012
8:29 am
Anything to cover up the real news in how Obama has actually cut medicare and how Dems are actually telling our veterans that they are “gutless”.
Those are REAL news Jim.
td
August 20th, 2012
8:31 am
TiredOfIt
August 20th, 2012
8:27 am
Kind of like why do people support Dems when they are out there saying Navy Seals are “gutless”?
honested
August 20th, 2012
8:33 am
td
Forcing healthcare providers to live within the same economic constraints they have forced upon everyone else cannot honestly be referred to as a ‘cut’ in medicare.
GTPHISH
August 20th, 2012
8:34 am
Stuppidest defense of this story I have read here yet:
“Skinny-dipping is as American as apple pie”
LOL!!
td
August 20th, 2012
8:35 am
honested
August 20th, 2012
8:04 am
“Quick, how many Democrats were involved in behavior”
How many Dems think Navy Seals are “gutless”?
td
August 20th, 2012
8:44 am
honested
August 20th, 2012
8:33 am
td
Forcing healthcare providers to live within the same economic constraints they have forced upon everyone else cannot honestly be referred to as a ‘cut’ in medicare.
This is the Democratic spin but where did those “savings” go? To balance the budget? Shovel ready construction projects? Jobs? Why no, this “savings” went into Obamacare to subsidize healthcare for the parasites of society.
Shine
August 20th, 2012
8:46 am
Prepare yourself Tampa. The Republicans are coming to town. Public nudity, skinny dipping, reach arounds, drunken binges, lice epidemics……lock ya doors Tampa!!