More Republican family values

So what will Luna do? Make excuses or throw him under the bus? I guess the days of "compassionate conservatism" are long over... I must have slept through them or something...

Man Wanted for Sexual Conduct with Child

Story Created: Oct 25, 2007 at 5:09 PM MST

By Kiersten Throndsen

A Nampa man is on the run, charged with inappropriately touching a child and the suspect is related to the state leader for Idaho's education system.

James D. Luna is charged with lewd conduct of a child under 16-years-old. Court documents filed in Canyon County, show the victim told police Luna began touching her in 2000, to quote: "Make her feel better."

The victim says that sexual conduct happened more than 20 times during a five year span from when she was nine, until she was 14-years-old.Police say in those documents Luna admitted the crimes during a taped phone call between him and the victim.

He is the brother of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna.

CBS 2 Eyewitness News talked to one mom who says Superintendent Luna needs to help protect kids but what his brother is accused of shouldn't make a difference on his role as a state educational leader.

"What his brother is involved in I don't think he should be, you know, necessarily held responsible for that, I mean it wasn't something he specifically did," said Susan Faulkner as she waited to pick up her daughter from middle school.

Police say James Luna admitted to touching the girl and allegedly said he had a problem and needs help, but isn't sure there is anyone who can help him. Luna was last seen driving a Beige/white Mazda M3 with Idaho license plate 2CDA064.

They say Luna could be armed. You are urged to call Nampa Police at #465-2257 if you have any information.

CBS 2 Eyewitness News called Superintendent Tom Luna's office but so far no one has called back.

Additional Links

Teen reports years of molestation; suspect still sought

James Luna Turns Himself Into Police

James Luna arraigned

...After a grand jury indictment, 43-year-old Luna was arraigned on charges that he allegedly sexually abused a female family member from the time she was 9 years old until she was 14.

"By having manual to genital contact, and or oral to genital contact with the intent to arouse, appeal to, and or gratify lust, passion, and or desire of the defendant, and or the minor child. Do you understand that charge sir?" asked the judge.

"Yes sir," replied Luna.

Many of the details involved in the indictment come from a recorded conversation between Luna and the victim in which he allegedly admits to the abuse, and even tells the girl that he needs help, but isn't sure anyone can offer him the help he needs...

Luna challenged to be a man...

Thank God for people like Joe Vandal over at IdahoFallz.com! He doesn't waste time pussyfooting around, but is open and up front with his challenge to Luna--explain the discrepancies or admit the lies.

Joe Vandal points out that Luna keeps dancing around the subject and ignores the questions... instead Luna hides behind the skirts of his former boss--who tries to convince us that the REPORTER was the one who lied, not Luna.

No, the reporter was not fired. And in case anybody STILL thinks that Luna is just misunderstood, Joe Vandal points out the following:

Discrepancy #1: Luna claims he was a presidential appointee, however the 2004 Plum Book (page 55) describes Thomas R. Luna as an “SC” type of appointment, defined on page 5 as a “Schedule C Excepted Appointment”. A presidential appointment is defined as “PA” or “PAS” types. How does Luna counter this evidence?

Discrepancy #2: Luna claims he was a “Senior Advisor”, however the same 2004 Plum Book entry describes Thomas R. Luna as a “Special Assistant”. How does Luna counter this evidence? Does Tom Luna have a certificate or promotion papers that describes him as a “Senior Advisor”?

Discrepancy #3: Luna’s federal pay grade is described in the same 2004 Plum Book entry as a GS-15, indeed a few pay levels lower than what a presidential appointee would earn. This bolsters the AP reporter’s argument. How does Tom Luna counter this evidence? Does Tom Luna have a pay stub describing him at a higher pay grade?

Discrepancy #4: Luna claims he had several meetings with President George Bush and Bill Hansen, but the AP story said Hansen did not recall any. Given that Bill Hansen has attacked the AP story, does Bill Hansen now remember these meetings with President Bush and Tom Luna? Does Tom Luna have records of any meetings with President Bush? (Note: Staged photos in front of the desk are not enough.)

Joe Vandal reminds us that "Luna has said he will demand accountability from our schools. We Idahoans will demand accountability from Luna to answer these allegations before he lays his fingers on our schools."

In the Comments section, it is pointed out that Luna won by a small margin... and it's probably safe to say that those same voters would NOT have voted for Luna if he had admitted that he lied about his background... or had even honestly reflected his less-than-qualifying experiences in the first place! FYI, a recall can begin 90 days after Luna takes office (not 90 days after he was privately sworn into office).

Stop by Tom Luna Must Directly Answer Allegations or Face Consequences and read the whole post... send it on to friends... heck, send it to Tom himself and let him know, that as an Idahoan AND a voter, that you want him to answer these questions!

Any regrets?

For those of you who voted for Tom Luna or Donna Jones, does anybody wish they had known then what they know now?

Or would your vote remain the same...?

Googling Tom Luna

Mr. Rural ED: Whatever Happened to Tom Luna?
A few of us have been wondering about whatever happened to Tom Luna. Some of you will remember him as the Director of the U.S. Department of Education's ...

The Sniff Test: Tom Luna
The Statesman got very caught up in the fact that Tom Luna doesn't sound like a ... I can't help thinking Tom Luna, with his penchant for state control of ...

Luna story disputed...

Letter to the editor in the Times-News, 12/20/2006:

Source disputes reporting in story about Luna

Over the last 25 years, I have been deeply involved in education policy and politics in federal and state government, as well as the corporate, non-profit and university sectors.

During this time, I have had hundreds of opportunities to work with the media in all forms. I have had great respect for the media, as reporters have generally reported facts in an honest and straightforward manner. Unfortunately, an Associated Press story by Jesse Harlan Alderman is a stunning exception.

The story, about Superintendent-elect Tom Luna is sloppy, slanted and much ado about nothing.Simply put, there has never, ever been any question that Tom Luna was a political appointee, serving President Bush and Secretary Paige at the U.S. Department of Education. Tom's capsulation of his work in Washington, D.C., has been accurate to the letter.

Mr. Alderman misrepresents my statements in order to support his faulty premise that Luna "embellished" his resume and "misrepresented his position" with the department.

Mr. Alderman's premise is tenuous at best. Even he acknowledged he was "splitting hairs."Tom Luna is a man of integrity, and until today, that integrity has never been questioned. In fact, Tom's work at the department was stellar. He represented Secretary Paige and President Bush with honor and distinction.

The voters of Idaho have spoken, and they are anxious to let Tom get to work improving student achievement for Idaho's children.

Mr. Alderman and the Associated Press owe Tom a formal apology.

WILLIAM D. HANSEN
Washington, D.C.

(Editor's note: William D. Hansen, a former U.S. deputy Secretary of Education, is the senior managing director for Chartwell Education Group LLC in Washington, D.C.)

Background:
Tom Luna "embellished" resume?
Tom Luna "restructuring" Dept of Ed

Heads are rolling...

Yesterday, Dan commented on my previous post, "Luna Lied??" (about his Presidential nomination), and gave a heads-up and inside look as to what kind of games Tom Luna is playing in his new sandbox as Idaho's new Superintendent of Public Instruction now that he's firing people left and right before he's even begun his term in office...

Today's Times-News gives confirmation with the official version of Luna's actions...

Prior to the election, the Idaho Statesman published a statement which stated:
"Luna, a Nampa businessman, promised to surround himself with educators on his staff."
(I can't find a link to that article/editorial... if anybody has access to it, please let me know.)

Is it just me or wouldn't someone who has the skills and abilities to lead an agency wait until he was actually in place so he could evaluate the staff before cleaning house?

Is it just me or is anybody else worried about what kind of changes are going to be made in Idaho's schools which will impact Idaho's children (including mine!)?

Anyway, for review, it's very important that you hop over to:

Tom Luna: The Missing Years

Then go hug your children and their teachers...
...they'll need our support a lot more than usual for the next four years.

UPDATE [12/19/2006]:
Detailed information regarding Luna's slashing and burning at the Dept. of Education over at Royal Mountain Valice's post, Lunacy.

UPDATE (12/20/06):
Source says his statements were misrepresented...

...have you heard about the "No Child Left Behind: Football Version?"...

Luna lied????

Headline on the front page of today's Times-News...

Idaho schools chief embellished federal resume

"Tom Luna, the incoming head of the state's public school system, misrepresented his position with the U.S. Department of Education on his resume during his successful campaign this fall."

Gee, WHY couldn't this have come out BEFORE the election???

UPDATE (12/07/06):

As referenced in one of the comments to this post, heads are rolling before Luna even starts his term in office.

UPDATE (12/20/06):
Source says his statements were misrepresented...

...have you heard about the "No Child Left Behind: Football Version?"...