Talk about a real embarrassment

It’s not unheard of for political aides to do stupid things that cause embarrassment for their bosses.

SHIMKUS: In the news for all the wrong reasons



Yet how often do these low-level aides who only catch the public attention because of who their boss is manage to create international incidents?

FOR THAT IS what has happened to Christian LaBella – who gets to earn a unique place in the annals of Illinois political history for his incident.

The aide to Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill. (he’s from the St. Louis area, which is why you likely don’t have a clue who he is) is the guy who will be remembered for his alleged assault of Lindsay Lohan herself.

The emotionally-troubled actress who often is in the news for incidents and outbursts seems to have captured the attention of a congressional aide.

It’s not clear why the two were together in New York at a fancy hotel. But based on the account in the Daily Mail (the British press loves this story almost as much as they love the concept of a topless Princess Kate), LaBella pulled out his cellphone and tried using its camera to take pictures of her.

SHE ALLEGEDLY GRABBED the phone from his hand and tried to delete whatever shots he was able to snap of her.

Then, in the moment that caused this incident to go global, he supposedly hit her in some form.

Depending on which account one reads, LaBella either punched her or choked her or may have thrown her on a bed. It’s really not clear exactly what happened – except for the fact that Lohan’s publicists put out a statement saying she was “assaulted” and “sustained injuries,” but did not have to be put in a hospital.

LaBella was arrested, and for a time was facing thepossibility of some sort of assault and harassment charges. But police in New York released him from custody Sunday without charges, and now he’s hinting he may try to go after Lohan for somehow assaulting him.

ALL IN ALL, a moment that I’m sure had Shimkus himself shuddering with disgust. His aides couldn’t respond quickly enough, letting it be known Sunday that he “does not condone” the behavior of LaBella – regardless of the actual details.

I have to admit to being a little appalled by some of the commentary I’ve read about this incident – some people seem to want to believe that Lohan somehow brought this on herself, and maybe even deserved a sock in the jaw.

I guess that’s what she gets for giving us a career filled with films such as a mediocre remake of “Freaky Friday (I’ll take Jodie Foster anytime), along with all those drug-related incidents that have become the ongoing saga of her life.

I’m not here to bash Lohan, or necessarily take up her defense. Because I’m not sure what details about this incident I should believe.

ALL I KNOW is that LaBella may be unlike any other political aide I have ever encountered.

They’re usually a unique breed; kind of dorky (they’d prefer to call themselves ‘wonky’) to tell you the truth. They’re the people who learn the minutia of government to the point that they actually accomplish the goals that their elected-official bosses talk about doing.

Then, the bosses get the credit for what their staffs did the grunt work of accomplishing. Which they don’t mind, because they’re government-obsessed.

Yet from the reports I have seen, LaBella seemed more interested in being able to say he was a “congressional aide” and use it to build up a glamour image for himself.

THE DAILY MAIL really seemed to love this angle – raiding his Facebook account for all the pictures he posted of himself with “celebrities” such as Kim Kardashian.

That may well be why LaBella wanted the Lohan pictures – more evidence of his “importance” in the world. I guess being in a position to learn from a member of the Illinois congressional delegation just wasn’t enough.

And the stink that has arisen from this incident? It may well be even more embarrassing to our political reputation than any of the officials who get busted for Mickey Mouse levels of corruption in government.

Just because it’s all so uncouth!

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