Closeted and antigay.
The gay former mayor of Spokane, Wash., James West, was recently recalled over allegations that he used his office for personal benefit--such as that he used city computers to offer City Hall jobs to young men he met online. But it was his long record of voting against equality that angered many gays and lesbians.Such hypocrisy isn't new.
In 1996, The Advocate reported on closeted congressmen who voted for the antigay Defense of Marriage Act. While the magazine has a policy against outing, it approached two U.S. representatives reported to be gay by other media sources: Republicans Jim Kolbe of Arizona and Mark Foley of Florida. Both defended their votes in favor of DOMA, insisting that their private lives were not relevant to their work. "The issue of my sexuality has nothing to do with the votes I cast," Kolbe said. In the time between his initial Advocate interview and the story's publication, Kolbe came out publicly, citing the magazine's questioning as a key factor.
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| Title Annotation: | ARCHIVES: (9.3.96) |
|---|---|
| Author: | Romesburg, Don |
| Publication: | The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine) |
| Article Type: | Brief Article |
| Geographic Code: | 1USA |
| Date: | Jan 31, 2006 |
| Words: | 167 |
| Previous Article: | Lesbians on series TV. |
| Next Article: | Kerry's year. |
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