House Assistant Majority Leader Michael Garcia, 34, isn’t the first lawmaker to be “exposed” in a lobbyist-related scandal, but in this case, the exposure in question wasn’t about assets under the table, it was about assets on the table – the pool table.
The Aurora Democrat resigned Friday after a lobbyist reportedly accused him of unzipping and letting it all hang out while playing pool at the Lancer Lounge after a fundraiser. Garcia released a statement saying that the "initial press reports are highly inaccurate regarding my alleged conduct," adding that "the other party and I engaged in consensual conduct that was inappropriate given my position in the legislature and the fact that the other party is a lobbyist."
And for that, Garcia, who has served in the state House since 2000, embodies the Shmuck of the Week.