Out of control partying trumps the cause, like there ever was one: A Steven Palazzo jackassery update.

If I had a nickel for everyone that has told me they made a mistake voting to throw out Gene Taylor out of congress last year, someone else would be moderating Slabbed and I’d be retired. From the wild Palazzo party files via Roll Call:

Palazzo had invited friends and family to Annapolis, Md., for a tailgate party leading up to the Southern Mississippi-Navy football game during the Columbus Day weekend.

But the real blowout happened at a waterfront home rented for the Congressman by his scheduler, Whitney Donald, an event that morphed into a two-night party attended by a host of unruly House aides. The scene became festive enough that local police were called on the second night.

Sources close to the Congressman insist Palazzo and his family never stayed at the rental property in question, nor asked staffers to reserve the house.

“The Congressman at no time asked someone on staff to book a house for him,” Palazzo’s chief of staff, Jamie Miller, tells HOH.

But multiple members of his office staff did stay at the house that weekend.

And the ensuing shenanigans guaranteed that the security deposit, which was put on a credit card with a Cannon House Office Building billing address, was forfeited.

Once again we see the problem with telling lies folks. Fooling people in South Mississippi with a Fire Pelosi slogan is easy; fooling a journalist with good sources is something else altogether different as I continue:

Following the fracas, at least two Palazzo staffers, Donald and Richard McKay, tried to run interference, going as far as to put someone up to impersonate the Congressman over the phone to the irate homeowner. They also offered Southern confections as conciliatory countermeasures.

“The Congressman has been made aware that there has been some potential misconduct,” Miller says, “and [knows] we are looking into it.”

Miller and Palazzo’s communications director were made aware of the incident more than two weeks ago, and Miller assured the property manager for the house during the week of Oct. 24 that those responsible would be taken care of.

Miller confirmed Monday that Donald and McKay will no longer be working for Palazzo.

Neighbors say it became clear on that Friday night that the weekenders next door were looking for a good time.

A neighbor returned home around 9:30 p.m. Oct. 7 and discovered a “frat house” scene at the rental property, with people carousing outside.

The neighbor shrugged it off until about 11:15 p.m., at which point he stepped out on his deck and asked the revelers to settle down.

“Who the f— is that?!” one partygoer barked. The neighbor reiterated his plea for peace and quiet at 11:30 p.m. — with the caveat that the cops would be called as a last resort. That persuaded the party attendants to retreat inside, where they kept at it for at least an hour and a half.

The following morning, a young man who introduced himself as “Jason” went to the neighbor and “profusely” apologized for the disturbance. “He must have said sorry about 11 times,” the neighbor said.

As part of his mea culpa, the young man divulged that the occupants were all overzealous Hill staffers who had gotten a little crazy because their boss had never materialized.

“When we found out that he was not coming down with his family and kids, we decided to let our hair down,” Jason said, according to the neighbor.

The young man insisted to the neighbor that it would not happen again Saturday night.

When the good times resumed that evening — “There were bottles on the front stoop, bottles on the bumpers of the car … and a young man wandering around out front in his boxer shorts” — the neighbor gave the out-of-towners one more warning, at 11 p.m., before phoning the police.

Meanwhile, after being blindsided by noise complaints Friday night, the property manager called Donald on Saturday and demanded an explanation. Donald feigned ignorance, insisting that she, Palazzo and his family had been asleep at the house by 10 p.m.

They were just funnin’ folks. Down here in Soggy Bottom we have a phrase when uncouth locals “let their hair down”: Country boy gone to town. Now before anybody dare accuse these young staffers, many of whom are from Jackson County, of not acting that way at home I call au contraire as it seems like just yesterday Palazzo running buddy Scott Walker was passed out dead drunk in his car in the ditch in Ocean Springs. Everyday is a party when the taxpayers are paying the freight with this group.

The unfortunate reality is these frat boys were the ones chosen by the voters here last year to represent them in congress and sadly he was elected on little more than cheap talking points.  There is a cost though as Congressman Palazzo voted to cut a net $50MM from a project at Ingalls Shipyard ostensibly to spite President Obama despite the fact it endangered the well-paying jobs of his own people building ships badly needed by our military.

There have been rumors floating about for several months that Palazzo could well face a primary challenge in 2012 as there are several people in his own party that abhor how the Congressman has conducted South Mississippi’s business in Washington DC. Sadly among the true believers on the GOP side this leads to the fear that Gene Taylor may make a run for his old seat causing them to support a lightweight in Palazzo rather than risk losing the seat. I enjoy seeing the angst but do not see how the GOP keeps this guy as the GOP standard-bearer in Congress next year without running the greater risk of losing the seat.

Finally this brings up the mystery the GOP would love to solve in whether Gene will be running for his seat next year.  I have some insights but will not share them beyond saying there was a shrimp boil on the front lawn of USM Gulf Park featuring Gene late last month as he has donated his congressional papers accumulated during his 21 years in congress to USM for posterity. I understand a good time was had by all and regret I was unable to make the event. I know I’d personally be delighted to see Gene run again as his 21 year record was not only squeaky clean, he actually represented the people in South Mississippi instead of special interests.

Something tells me this will not be the last bit of Palazzo jackassery that will make the news cycle before the primary elections next year.

sop