Apparently, the Republican party needs to have a revolving closet door. A conservative Republican Wasington state representative, Richard Curtis, has resigned from office after it came out that a prostitute he hired was blackmailing him. The story is here. Married? Of course! Voted again GLBT legislation? Check! Protestations of "I am not gay!" even after details come out? Need you even ask?? Lather, rinse, repeat.
It also seems that noted mega whack job Rev. Fred Phelps is also beng sued for nearly $11 million in damages for his tirades at funerals, specifically the funeral for a casualty of the Iraq war. He will appeal it, of course. I am not sure where the appropriate boundary is between free speech and harassment. Phelps wil appeal, of course.
Wa Rep Resigns In Gay Hustler Scandal
by 365Gay.com Newscenter StaffPosted: October 31, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET
(Olympia, Washington) Conservative Republican Washington state Rep. Richard Curtis is resigning from office a day after a sex scandal erupted that linked him to a gay prostitute.
In a statement saying he was "sorry" and apologizing to anyone he has "hurt" Curtis said he is leaving politics.
"While I believe we've done some good and helped a lot of people during the time I served in the Legislature, events that have recently come to light have hurt a lot of people. I sincerely apologize for any pain my actions may have caused."
Republican leaders will choose a successor for Curtis to serve in the Legislature until the 2008 election.
For days rumors had spread that Curtis was being blackmailed by a hustler. Curtis on Monday denied he was gay and said he never had sex with a male.
Tuesday, though, Seattle police unsealed a search warrant showing Curtis went to police alleging he was being blackmailed by a man he had picked up for sex. (story)
The warrant said that Curtis met the man at a Spokane adult video store and brought him back to his hotel for sex.
Following sex with the man Curtis fell asleep.
When he awoke his wallet was missing.
The warrant claims that later the man contacted Curtis and said he would return the wallet for $1000.
Curtis claimed he had only $200 and left the money in an envelope at the front desk of the hotel for the man to pick up.
The man is later alleged to have called Curtis again demanding an additional $800 or he would go to Curtis' wife.
Curtis then went to police.
Named in the warrant as the man who Curtis had met is Cody Castagna.
Police say Catagna has a different version of events.
Police said that Castagna claimed that Curtis had met him at the Hollywood Erotic Boutique and offered him $1,000 in exchange for sex.
Following sex, Castagna claims, Curtis told him he did not have the $1000 on him and gave his wallet as collateral.
When Curtis failed to pay up the following day, Castagna admits to threatening to expose Curtis to his wife.
What Castagna did not know was Curtis had contacted police following the first call by Castagna and a police officer was in the room when the second call came in.
In the legislature Curtis voted against two major LGBT rights bills. Both passed and were signed into law.
The domestic partnership lawl created a domestic partnership registry with the state, and provides enhanced rights for same-sex couples, including hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations and inheritance rights when there is no will. The other law bars LGBT discrimination.
