Former House Speaker Rod Jetton admits he started believing the wrong people who told him what a great man he was…..and it cost him his marriage, his political life, and his self-esteem. 

Jetton writes for a webpage called “The Recovering Politician” that when he was Speaker of the House, “I made it clear that if you crossed me or my allies there would be consequences…In my mind, you were either helping my caucus pass our priorities, or you were slowing us down.”   

Jetton admits he let his political ambitions and the power he had consume him.  He says in an interview on the website that power did not corrupt him as much as it put pressures on him that people outside politics don’t feel.  He says politicians are human beings prone to the same mistakes others make.  But he says they are given more opportunities ot make those mistakes.

He says he has learned it is easy for powerful leaders to listen to flattery and to discount criticism.  His biggest mistake: failing to balance his life. 

Jetton was charged with sexually abusing a woman with whom he had had a one-night stand.  He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and was put on probation. He has remarried and works for a Poplar Bluff engineering company. 

Here’s the link to the interview:

 http://therecoveringpolitician.com/rptv/rptvs-fifteen-minutes-of-fame-with-rod-jetton