I hate overusing the Breaking header as much as the next Kossack, so I hope you forgive me, but GOP California state senator Roy Ashburn officially came out of the closet this morning.
During a radio interview this morning Ashburn, who was arrested last week for DUI after having been seen at a Sacramento gay night club and with an unknown male companion said "I'm gay. Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long."
And while I am willing to give props to Ashburn for making what may have been a personally hard admission he still has a depressing anti-gay voting record and is using a particularly lame defense.
The Bakersfield Republican, who has consistently voted against gay-rights measures, said his votes were a reflection of how the majority of voters in his conservative district would have wanted him to vote.
What he really means is that if he voted his conscience he's have been out of a job even if he had stayed closeted.
UPDATE: The local ABC affiliate in Bakersfield has audio of the interview here. I don't have time to do a transcription, but if someone else does I'd appreciate it.
UPDATE 2: Wow! Top of the rec list! Thanks a lot folks. I know there's a lot of disagreement out there about this guy just by reading the comments but I appreciate the recommendations.
EDITORIAL Personally I think this guy is human excrement. I don't care one way or another about his sexuality. I wouldn't even mind the fact he wanted to stay in the closet. What does irritate me is the strident anti-gay stances he took. That kind of hypocrisy I loathe. If you want to be a closeted Republican, how hard would it be to not say anything and abstain on these votes? But he chose to rile the base to get votes.
As several commenters have said, the real question is "What are you going to do now, Roy?" If he decides to work forcefully for gay rights then I will take back the excrement comment. But if he just slinks into the shadows I stand by it.
And as several other commenters have said, at least he didn't pull a Larry Craig. Yeah, that's not much but at least he's willing to admit the truth to himself and the world. But until he fixes the damage he's done he's still a hypocrite.