7 of 9 is a prude

[Josh]

Jeri Lynn Ryan charged during a custody hearing that Ryan took her on surprise trips to New Orleans, New York and Paris in 1998, the year before they divorced, and that he insisted she go to sex clubs with him each time.


In New York, Ryan's former wife described a club "with cages, whips and other apparatus hanging from the ceiling." She said she refused when Ryan asked her to perform a sexual act while others watched.


Ryan denied the accusations and said he felt bad for their son, now 9, that she would falsely accuse him.


"I did arrange romantic getaways for us, but that did not include the type of activity she described," Ryan said in court papers. "We did go to one avant-garde nightclub in Paris which was more than either one of us felt comfortable with. We left and vowed never to return."


Ryan, a millionaire investment banker-turned-teacher, won the GOP Senate primary in March despite having little political experience,


He and his ex-wife vigorously fought the public disclosure of the files since their existence became known during the primary campaign. They had argued that making them public would harm their son.


In a news conference Monday, Ryan refused to comment further on the allegations, saying his response in the court papers spoke for itself. "I am sticking by the exact things I said five years ago," he said.


Ryan has tried to shore up support from Republican leaders in recent days. But one GOP member of the Illinois congressional delegation, Rep. Ray LaHood, called Monday for Ryan to withdraw as a candidate.


"There's no way the people of Illinois are going to countenance this behavior from a Senate candidate from the Republican Party," said LaHood, of Peoria.


Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, who is retiring and whom Ryan is hoping to replace, remained supportive of Ryan.


"Divorce cases and child custody cases are by nature acrimonious and allegations on all sides are often unreliable or sensationalized. The Jack Ryan that I know very well is a good and decent man," Fitzgerald said.


Ryan had repeatedly assured GOP leaders the files contained nothing embarrassing enough to torpedo his bid for the Senate against Democrat Barack Obama.


Obama did not return calls for comment Monday night. But he told the Chicago Tribune that it would not be "appropriate" for him to comment on the revelations. "Obviously, Mr. Ryan and his supporters will be discussing this and I don't think that's my role," he said.


Democratic leaders have targeted Illinois, which is widely seen as leaning Democratic, as a key battleground in their effort to regain control of the Senate. Thirty-four seats are up for grabs in November.


In a statement released Monday evening, Jeri Lynn Ryan made no mention of the allegations, but said she now considered Ryan a good man and loving father.