Tag: out politicians

Posted on

Barney Frank On Aaron Schock’s Resignation: “He Was Outed Or What?”

Former Congressman Barney Frank

Upon learning the news of GOP Congressman Aaron Schock’s resignation, former Massachusetts Democratic congressman Barney Frank at first assumed the issue had been Schock’s sexuality:

“He was outed or what?” Frank said when Business Insider asked for his thoughts on the sudden resignation by the 33 year old congressman from Illinois.

Frank was one of the first openly gay congressmen, having come out in 1987. He is currently promoting his recent memoir “Frank: A Life In Politics From The Great Society To Same-Sex Marriage.”

The former congressman from Massachusetts did have this to offer regarding young Schock:

“I will say this, I don’t know if he’s gay or not. But if he is, he’s forfeited any right to privacy because he votes anti-gay,” Frank said of Schock. “My view is that people who are gay who vote to support the right of other people to do it have a right to privacy, but the right to privacy does not include hypocrisy.”

Schock had a severely anti-gay voting record while in office having voted against the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the repeal of DOMA and many other pieces of LGBT legislation.

Posted on

California: Gay GOP Candidate Carl DeMaio Loses Congressional Bid

Failed GOP candidate Carl DeMaio

After a scandal-ridden campaign for California’s 52nd Congressional seat, openly gay Republican Carl DeMaio has lost his race to incumbent Rep. Scott Peters.

Via 10News.com:

Ballots counted Friday gave Peters 51.3 percent of the vote compared to 48.8 percent for Carl DeMaio, or a lead of nearly 4,500 votes.

Although San Diego County Registrar of Voters Michael Vu estimates that between 10,000 and 15,000 ballots remain to be counted, The Associated Press has determined that is insufficient for DeMaio to overtake Peters.

In addition to two separate accusations of sexual harassment, DeMaio also had to contend with video footage coming to light wherein he told Tea Party supporters he would “owe” them “everything.”

Posted on

First elected out gay member of Pennsylvania legislature sworn in

Brian Sims made history on Tuesday when he took office as the first person elected to the Pennsylvania legislature as an out LGBT person. He joins Rep. Mike Fleck, who announced after his re-election that he was gay.

From Newsle.com:

Brian Sims, 34, ran unopposed in the November election after ousting longtime Rep. Babette Josephs in the Democratic primary in the Center City district.

“The tide has changed,” said Sims, a civil rights advocate who recently stepped down as board president of Equality Pennsylvania, the statewide lesbian and gay advocacy organization. “2012 will go down in history as when being anti-gay puts you in the minority.”