The television station CBS 13 is being credited with outing California State Sen. Roy Ashburn, arrested on DUI charges this week after leaving a gay bar. But as more details unfurl, we learn other reporters knew Ashburn — whose voting record is anti-gay, are as his public pronouncements — is a homo. And they were tipped off by one guy who says after he first spotted Ashburn, he called the local media, but nobody would carry his story.
Our tipster is hanging on to his anonymity, but here’s his story (submitted to Queerty as a defense of Sacramento’s gay community, in fact):
I noticed on your blog today that you’re being a little critical of the Sacramento gay community for not outing Roy Ashburn sooner. Well, let me tell you it’s not for the lack of trying.
I’d heard rumors that he was out at gay bars early last year. I then finally saw him myself. When I did, I called several reporters I know (I do political media consulting work) who all told me basically the same thing — it’s his personal life, we don’t care (despite his horrid voting record.)
Since then, I have been looking for ways to do this. If you’re going to out a prominent politician, you don’t do it half-assedly — like taking a blurry cell phone picture and posting on a blog someplace. That’s chickenshit and easily deniable.
Then he got a DUI. I knew from a few folks that he’d been at Latin Night at Faces (the manager will deny she saw him because under CA law a bar can be held liable if a patron gets a DUI) so I prompted several reporters to head over with a picture of him and confirm that he was there.
The Ch. 13 reporter did just that — and has made national news because of it.
And in [West Sacramento Mayor] Christopher Cabaldon’s defense — he did try outing Roy several times. Again, the MSM didn’t take the bait.
So, Roy is out. Yes, it took a little time but like I said, it wasn’t for the lack of trying. So, please don’t beat up on my city and my community. That is not fair.
Some great background information. And a worthwhile point about why Faces’ manager would choose not to say whether Ashburn was in the bar that night.
More people like the source above, please. Anti-gay politicians — whose decisions affect the real lives of LGBT Americans — who themselves are gay should be forced to face their actions.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Meanwhile, some Facebook details on the still-unidentified guy from the gay bar who was in Ashburn’s car during the arrest.
Leon
Thank God someone is willing to post the truth. Ashburn’s local paper, The Californian, is hemming and hawing about protecting the closet. They revealed in an article yesterday that they knew for years that Ashburn is a gay man. Another local paper in Visalia is desperately trying to re-closet Ashburn and insists that a politician can be both anti-gay and yet enjoy gay sex. I’m so sick of this bullshit. Yes, of course, a politician can revel in boy/boy sex and in public say we are a danger to the military, unfit to adopt, and too perverted to marry. But once it’s out in the open, they lose all credibility. It’s sick for the media to protect these creeps. If David Duke had had an African-American mistress in his home, would the media have kept that secret to “respect Duke’s private life”? Give me a break.
Jeff
Bravo “Queerty!” Great article. I have a suggestion to all members of the LGBT community who become aware that a politician who actively campaigns to deny our community our Constitutional rights is closeted – report the same to sites like “Queerty” in addition to the mainstream press. These politicians have no respect for our rights, including our rights to privacy, so give them a taste of their own medicine.
Best,
Jeff
Cam
They need to do the same in Washington. People in DC knew or suspected for years about Mark Foley and Senator Craig. There have been rumors for years saying that the following two people are “ALLEGEDLY” gay, the same kind of rumors that abounded about Foley and Craig. So may I introduce to you the “Possibly Gay”
Senator Herb Kohl
http://racinenews.org/files/2009/03/herb-kohl.jpg
and
Senator Barbara Mikulski.
http://blog.pappastax.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/senatormikulski2.jpg
lamac66
If he were a Democrat the media would have jumped at the chance to out him. MSM=Republican/conservative controlled. That simple.
Cam
No. 4 · lamac66 said…
If he were a Democrat the media would have jumped at the chance to out him. MSM=Republican/conservative controlled. That simple.
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then they need to get going, there are tons of closeted dems in congress also…none of them have been outed yet.