Salon, here. It's early in the post and possibly easily missed, "the 2002 George W. Bush lifetime-appointee to the federal bench." Sure, we all make mistakes, but we do not all make political alliances, etc.
Apart from that one partisan note, this is Ray Rice stuff from a senior public servant, not a ball carrier. Yes, it is Alabama, but that's only an explanation, not an excuse.
UPDATE: More coverage, same author, here.