Roy Ashburn, antigay senator, DUI after leaving gay club

**malq** · March 5th, 2010, 09:58 AM

Who are you calling a fag now? Faaag..

Sources tell CBS13 a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving Faces, a gay nightclub in midtown Sacramento, early Wednesday morning.

The California Highway Patrol pulled over Senator Roy Ashburn at 2:00 a.m. Wednesday after an officer noticed a black Chevy Tahoe swerving at 13th and L Streets.

The Sacramento County district attorney says Republican state Sen. Roy Ashburn's blood-alcohol level was .14 percent when he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving near the Capitol.

Ashburn, a father of four, is a Republican Senator representing parts of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino Counties with a history of opposing gay rights

When the officer stopped the state-issued vehicle, the driver identified himself as Senator Ashburn. He was arrested without incident and charged with two misdemeanors: driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level higher than .08% or higher.

A male passenger, who was not identified as a lawmaker, was also in the car but was not detained.

Ashburn was booked into the Sacramento County Jail and released on $1,400 bond.

Ashburn issued a statement on the arrest Wednesday afternoon:

"I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did. I am also truly sorry for the impact this incident will have on those who support and trust me – my family, my constituents, my friends, and my colleagues in the Senate."

Ashburn served six years as a state Assemblyman before being elected to the State Senate. According to Project Vote Smart, Ashburn's voting record shows he has voted against every gay rights measure in the State Senate since taking office including Recognizing Out-Of-State Same-Sex Marriages", Harvey Milk Day and Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws.

http://cbs13.com/local/ashburn.arres...2.1534505.html

**backlash** · March 5th, 2010, 10:02 AM

I'm sure he was just conducting research on the hot issue of gay marriage. Fucking hypocrite.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · March 5th, 2010, 10:51 AM

Maybe he figures that since HE can be married to a woman and father kids, all gays should too.

Last summer an editor heard that a Sacramento publication with a gay audience might "out" state Sen. Roy Ashburn as being gay.

So I called Ashburn and asked him flat-out: "Are you gay?"

His response: "Why would that be anyone's business? Including The Californian's?

"I think there are certain subjects that are simply not relevant and this is one of them. It has no bearing on the job I do."

During the course of our conversation I listed several instances in which a politician's sexual orientation, or even just their sexual activity -- straight or gay -- would be relevant.

If Ashburn were a staunch anti-gay activist but was secretly gay, I said, that would be a legitimate concern to his constituents.

Ashburn agreed but said he didn't believe he had been such an activist. I pointed out he had voted conservatively on gay issues throughout his career.

Yes, he said, but he'd done so on almost all social issues. He represents a conservative district and votes as his constituents would want him to, he said.

Several political organizations have ranked Ashburn's voting record as extremely unfriendly to gays. (I'm not sure where those organizations rank Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, a Democrat, who initially voted against all gay issues for much the same reason, but since has turned a new leaf.)

And Ashburn did organize a "Traditional Family Values" rally in 2005 to drum up support for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

But he kept a low profile during the Proposition 8 campaign.

In my mind, the importance of his sexual orientation relative to his work on the public's behalf is still debatable.
[...]

We'd heard rumors and in 2004, another Californian reporter asked Ashburn if he was gay. He would only reply, "I'm surprised you're asking that."

We discussed Ashburn's cryptic responses, which proved nothing about his orientation, and debated pursuing the story, but kept coming back to the issue of relevance.

Other than that 2005 rally, Ashburn hadn't authored any anti-gay legislation himself, nor led the charge against equity for gays.

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/loca...s-gay-question

Interesting points but still seems hypocritical to me.

**Ninja0980** · March 5th, 2010, 10:54 AM

He deserves all the contempt he has coming his way. I know some people are self-loathing because of religious or societial reasons but it is still inexcusable to make others suffer for your self-hatred.

**Saffron** · March 5th, 2010, 11:15 AM

I have to say most of the meanest, anti-gay, hate-spewing people I've ever met have eventually come out of the closet.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · March 5th, 2010, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ninja0980

He deserves all the contempt he has coming his way. I know some people are self-loathing because of religious or societial reasons but it is still inexcusable to make others suffer for your self-hatred.

I agree with you on that. It goes the other way, too. Some folks are full of so much "anything goes" in an attempt to "accept" their own lack of control and/or refusal to accept personal responsibility. I don't trust anyone, especially in politics, that goes to any extreme.

**jus shaking my head** · March 5th, 2010, 11:35 AM

Sanctimonious bastard!

**TheMeaningOfItAll** · March 5th, 2010, 11:38 AM

I read the title of this story and had to smile. Sometimes, the cosmos align and form the perfect karmic retribution.

**Whisper** · March 9th, 2010, 12:47 AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. --

Republican state Sen. Roy Ashburn said Monday he is gay, ending days of speculation that began after his arrest last week for investigation of driving under the influence.

Ashburn, who consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in statewide office, came out in an interview with KERN radio in Bakersfield, the area he represents.

Ashburn said he felt compelled to address rumors that he had visited a gay nightclub near the Capitol before his DUI arrest.

"I am gay ... those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long," Ashburn told conservative talk show host Inga Barks.

The 55-year-old father of four said he had tried to keep his personal life separate from his professional life until his March 3 arrest.

"When I crossed the line and broke the law and put people at risk, that's different, and I do owe people an explanation," he said.

Ashburn was arrested after he was spotted driving erratically near the Capitol, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The next day, reports surfaced that he had left Faces, a gay nightclub, with an unidentified man in the passenger seat of his Senate-owned vehicle.

"The best way to handle that is to be truthful and to say to my constituents and all who care that I am gay," he said. "But I don't think it's something that has affected, nor will it affect, how I do my job."

Ashburn has voted against a number of gay rights measures, including efforts to expand anti-discrimination laws and recognize out-of-state gay marriages.

Last year, he opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honor slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

Equality California, a group that advocates for expanded gay rights and other issues, said it consistently gave Ashburn a 0 rating on its scorecard.

The senator said those votes reflected the way constituents in his district wanted him to vote.

Ashburn has been on personal leave since his arrest but was expected to return Monday to the Senate. His spokesman, Noel Libang, did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.

In the radio interview, Ashburn said he is drawing on his Christian faith, and he asked people to pray for him.

He said he does not plan to run for any public office after his term ends later this year.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/politi...04/detail.html

**Lizard** · March 9th, 2010, 02:53 AM

I should change the thread title so it is accurate but completely confusing:

Roy Ashburn, gay antigay senator, DUI after leaving gay club

**sheevaa** · March 9th, 2010, 03:16 AM

I had to go look at the latest Savage Love to see if Dan caught wind of that, yet. I'm betting Senator Ashburn is going to get torn a new asshole.

It's always the most rabid anti-gay politicians are the ones who get outed. If they don't wanna be caught they should try being only be "slightly" anti-gay...you know, since a politician being honest is unheard of:P