Dumbass of the Month *Update*

[JamesSavik]

Entering the Larry Craig Pantheon

Josh Marshall | March 4, 2010, 1:36AM

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Sen. Roy Ashburn - R

It's no good for a family values Republican to get picked up on a DUI. But substantially worse to get picked up for a DUI after leaving a gay nightclub with an unidentified man in a state vehicle.

That's the sorry state that befell California state Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) early Wednesday.

In better days Ashburn, a fierce opponent of gay rights, was fighting marriage equality and organizing anti-gay marriage rallies as part of his "Traditional Family Values" campaign.

But he hit a bump in the road -- figuratively, not literally -- Wednesday at around 2 AM when CHP officers observed him weaving and driving erratically in downtown Sacramento. After a field sobriety test, officers determined that Ashburn, who reeked of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes, was under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest. He was released from jail just before 4 AM.

Initial reports only noted the DUI arrest and Ashburn issued a contrite apology on Wednesday. But late this evening, the CBS affiliate in Sacramento reported that "sources" confirmed that Ashburn had left Faces, a gay nightclub in downtown Sacramento, just prior to his arrest.

The state issued black Chevrolet Tahoe Ashburn was driving has been impounded at the state Capitol.

[The Pecman]

This is such typical hypocritical behavior from politicians like this. You have to figure on some level, these guys are unbelievably self-destructive. They know they're gonna get caught eventually. How long did they possibly think they could campaign for anti-gay rights laws during the day, then go lookin' for love in all the wrong places, without somebody putting two and two together? Idiots...

I really, really hate people like this. Same with the evangelical ministers who get caught with their hand in the cookie jar (so to speak), like Ted Haggard. People like this are far beyond mean, way past cruel, and far to the north of stupid.

[Cole Parker]

One hopes that when he's frogmarched out of office in disgrace, it's because of his hypocrisy and not his sexuality.

C

[TracyMN]

One hopes that when he's frogmarched out of office in disgrace, it's because of his hypocrisy and not his sexuality.

I get your point, Cole, and and agree with the spirit of it, but these are both areas so sick with

distinctions that justice can never be served in anything involving them. Nobody's justice. All evidence points to more enabling of behavior than discouraging it, and I doubt this man's personality

went unnoticed until this little episode. People simply do not hold each other accountable, and if the reason for that was that it is "none of my business" there would be no Media Circus, and 25% of on-line newspaper reading would not be a bee-line to the arrests pages. So I share your hope for an honest and just society, and the battle then is disappointment vs apathy. For today anyway, I'll take sad over indifferent.

I'm interested in how you would define this guys sexuality. I am certain he can't. And the issue of married men who have homosexual relationships or sexual interactions appears to be a deeply closeted one everywhere except the Media Circus, and I can't know because I have no access to real information (I know the stats, they only add to my confusion) but my concern is that this is another area that is sick with distinctions.

Is this guy news? Not by my definition.

You have to figure on some level, these guys are unbelievably self-destructive.

That is a most unusual insight, Pec, and after the initial explosion of consciousness that is usually followed by a flood of confirmatory data that recognizes "the sum of it's parts", I am instead wandering around, scratching my head, not quite knowing what i'm looking at or for, and yet, quite certain that it is there. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be so intriqued by an idea, or to have to actually work for a perspective. Too many things are painfully obvious. Thanks, Catalyst, friend of change and foe of inertia.

Tracy

[JamesSavik]

Roy Ashburn: 'I'm Gay'

First Posted: 03- 8-10 01:37 PM | Updated: 03- 8-10 03:09 PM

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State Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Calif.), the fierce opponent of gay rights who was arrested last week for drunk driving after leaving a gay nightclub, confirmed in a radio interview Monday that he is gay.

"I'm gay," Ashburn told local radio host Inga Barks before returning to the Senate for the first time since his arrest. "Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long."

Ashburn, a 55-year-old divorced father of four, claimed his 15-year crusade against proposed gay-rights laws in the California statehouse stemmed from his desire to vote the way his constituents wanted.

______________________________________________________________________

Roy- you may be gay but you're still a raging douche-bag.

I'm so sure that your 15 year crusade against gay rights had nothing to do with your own personal gain and political ambitions.

In other news- there's a new facebook group: 10 million gay guys who say Roy Ashburn will never get laid again.

[colinian]

James, there was a misspelled word in what you wrote that, as an editor, I was compelled to rectify:

"...I'm so sure that your 15 year crusade against gay rights had nothing everything to do with your own personal gain and political ambitions...."

Colin

[TracyMN]

Good eye, Colin.

James, this guy is a disgrace to douche-bags everywhere.

There are reasons, and there are excuses, and even poor-excuse-wanna-be-reasons; but "the devil made me" is the best he could do? Usually I give some credit to a person who knows when the gig is up, but for this guy to say "I'm Gay" at the first sign of trouble begs me to ask "all that for this?"

It ought to be a law that he never get laid again.

Pec, your insight will have to wait for someone with a self to dsestruct.

Tracy

[JamesSavik]

James, there was a misspelled word in what you wrote that, as an editor, I was compelled to rectify:

"...I'm so sure that your 15 year crusade against gay rights had nothing everything to do with your own personal gain and political ambitions...."

Colin

I was being sarcastic. :P

[DesDownunder]

I was being sarcastic. :P

That's what I thought.

[TracyMN]

I take it as a given, James, and that means around here ay least, I get it right as often as anybody.

So does this guy get to keep his job? I've only seen them quit, and what would he gain by that, since going to work or going to the grocery store are going to be pretty much the same thing.

I say make him "jump out".

And i'd be kinda interested in how he'd vote now that he doesn't have anybody to please.

Tracy

[TracyMN]

Not so, Rick, and at least for me your point is well taken.

It is a fatal mistake to consider the weight of such things based on how it might serve personal purposes. The downfall of many battles of principle, it weakens by degree and in that lies its danger and effectiveness.

I am always grateful that there are those who manage to keep the broader perspective

in place even as focus zeros in on a single frame. I think of it as having a bigger room in the mind, or a wide angle lens of vision. You are always welcome in my world, I know where i'd be without you.

Tracy

[colinian]

I was being sarcastic. :P

I know you were being sarcastic, James. This guy is such a dumbass that I think if he read your post he'd fail to understand so I clarified it for him. Then I posted a message on his website though I'm sure he'll never see it. I included a link to your post on this forum. BTW, the most recent "E-Report" on his website is dated 1/22/2010. I guess he's not known for keeping his constituents informed.

Roy Ashburn has admitted that he's gay, and that his votes were made based on the "majority views of my constituents" (see article from the SF Chronicle Politics Blog here and from the Bakersfield Californian here). He was "warmly received by fellow Republicans" when he returned to the Senate yesterday after making his announcement. Some Democrats commented that he might become a more moderate influence on gay issues in the future, but he made it clear that he will continue to vote reflecting (his view of) how his constituents want him to vote. He terms out at the end of this year and has stated that he's not going to run for public office in the future.

Colin

[DesDownunder]

I have little doubt that Roy Ashburn would change his mind about standing for office again, if he thought he could get re-elected by appealing to the gay vote.

Such is the nature of his hypocrisy.

[Cole Parker]

Rick wrote: Quote; "sources" confirmed that Ashburn had left Faces, a gay nightclub in downtown Sacramento, just prior to his arrest".

This actually begs the question of whether or not he would have been stopped had he not been coming from a 'gay' nightclub. We all know, no matter where they are from, that the Police can be very hypocritical themselves. I just bet that had he been exiting the local conservative 'white collar' golf club he'd have been left alone.

I need to be careful, I'm almost sounding as if I'm a left winger with that hypothesis.

Rick

I have no idea if they were sitting on the gay club, waiting to bust whomever came out, but the article itself said they stopped him because he was weaving and driving erratically. I guess it comes down to what you believe.

Myself, I think they stopped him because he was paying too little attention to his driving at way too much to his weaving. That, like doily making and embroidery, should be done only in the privacy of his own home. Otherwise, what would people think?

C

[DesDownunder]

None shall sleep tonight, wondering what it was you said.

[Cole Parker]

All right, I'll tell. I originally saw the wordplay between James, Colin and you, Des, and knew Colin was being funny with his remark, that he too was being sarcastic. So I wrote to say that, adding a little conjolery as is my wont, then read on down the thread and saw Colin had already defended himself, and I had no need to.

Then I read what Rick wrote and changed what I'd written to comment on that.

See? Nothing underhanded or deceitful at all, just a misguided attempt at persiflage.

[DesDownunder]

I understand Cole. I thought you might have thought that Ashburn wasn't stopped for weaving, as much as he was for waving like the queen he pretended he wasn't.

[Cole Parker]

I understand Cole. I thought you might have thought that Ashburn wasn't stopped for weaving, as much as he was for waving like the queen he pretended he wasn't.

Now you're stretching just a bit.

C

[TracyMN]

In this case, restraint is to be commended.

T.

[Tanuki Racoon]

Quote. "just a misguided attempt at persiflage".

I had to look this up in the Oxford dictionary. I can honestly say I've never seen that word before. Not only, then, is it a pleasure coming here, its educational, too.

Thanks Cole.

He does that on purpose. He's a closet librarian.

[Cole Parker]

Much more a lexicographer than a librarian.

Try to get it right!

C

[TracyMN]

I missed that when Cole said it. Never one to waste a second chance, I looked it up, too.

A little dressy for the occasion, I think, but no education is ever a waste.

I'm changing my name to "Casper".

Tracy

[The Pecman]

We're already starting to call this guy Roy Assburn. What a schmuck...

You just know this guy had problems in Junior High school, with a name like that.

[colinian]

You just know this guy had problems in Junior High school, with a name like that.

Gee, maybe that's the root of his problem, you think? And that's what coulda turned him gay! Yeah, sure.

Colin

[Drewbie]

Ugh, even still after coming out he's gonna vote that way, again no sympathy from me, I hope he feels guilt someday.