FBI Investigated After GOP Trip To Sea Of Galilee Included Skinny-Dipping

Politico reports that the FBI investigated a group of GOP congressmen after their trip to Israel's Sea of Galilee included an irreverent and allegedly drunken incident of skinny-dipping by Rep. Kevin Yoder, who, it turns out, cannot walk on water.

During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources told POLITICO. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed, while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who were participants in the trip.

“A year ago, my wife, Brooke, and I joined colleagues for dinner at the Sea of Galilee in Israel. After dinner I followed some Members of Congress in a spontaneous and very brief dive into the sea and regrettably I jumped into the water without a swimsuit,” Yoder said in a statement to POLITICO. “It is my greatest honor to represent the people of Kansas in Congress and [for] any embarrassment I have caused for my colleagues and constituents, I apologize.”

House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor reportedly rebuked his underlings for the embarrassment.

Many of the lawmakers who ventured into the lake said they did so because of the religious significance of the waters. Others said they were simply cooling off after a long day. Several privately admitted that alcohol may have played a role in why some of those present decided to jump in. The Sea of Galilee, a Christian holy site, is where Jesus is said in the Bible to have walked on water.

Apparently the FBI got involved in order to determine if the incident might have damaged US-Israel relations. Seems more like a State Department issue to me. There's got to be more to this nothing story than we're seeing.