Roy Ashburn: 'I'm Gay'

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.

Comments

[brandon102]

05:36 PM on 04/08/2010

These pathetic cowards like Asburn should be forced to wear pink tu-tu's the rest of their lives. He's a sick, sick guy. He didn't just represent his constituents (what crap that is), he actively campaigned against gay issues and forcefully did everything he could to make live awful for people with far more courage than he'll ever know.

But it took a drunken driving incident to see the light?

I think it's all a nice diversion for one more baby boomer coward who can't admit they're LGBT and so double up on the punishment.

[Bruce Negron]

10:00 PM on 03/23/2010

I have always said that the world would be very surprised if everyone that was gay came out at once. But for that to happen a truth serum would have to be given to an entire populace of brainwashed sheep that are way to used to being sheared... and yes I am one of the sheep too... just an openly gay one.

[CmdrTomalak]

07:54 AM on 03/16/2010

The Gay Rights movement wouldn't even be much of a movement at all if the closeted opponents would just get past their own insecurities and accept who they are.

I'm very proud of Mr. Ashburn for finally standing up (however reluctantly). The sooner everyone else stands up, the sooner this issue will stop being an issue.

Let's go people! No time like the present.

[MYKLTOO]

04:32 AM on 03/14/2010

I'm happy he's out however, I've said it before and I'll say it again, "thou dost protest too much."

It amazes me how often, particularly in the past couple years, that the very politicians that vote against their true social/sexual preferences often are at home enjoying them (or in their car or local park). It makes me wonder how many of the folks in politics that are against abortion have paid for their mistresses to have them...???

[Bucinka]

11:35 AM on 03/13/2010

I don't live in California, so I don't get a chance to vote for or against him next time. But it seems to me that someone who has been in such denial for so long deserves some support as he admits who and what he truly is, and that he made horrible mistakes in his past actions. This is true penitence in action, and it took a LOT of courage for him to admit all of this. Clearly he needs a little help navigating through the minefield of life as an out gay man, let alone out gay politician, so how about cutting him a little slack?

[0u812]

06:14 PM on 03/11/2010

Am I supposed to clap or boo? I'm almost as confused as Assburn.

[JesusWasAZombie]

01:10 AM on 03/10/2010

I bet the next gay anti gay republican is going to be "confirmed bachelor" Lindsey Graham.

[Juanmanuelsotoarg]

12:37 AM on 03/11/2010

hahahah....we will see! i dont feel the least bit sorry for either of these gay-bashers...

[SmeltFisher]

11:04 PM on 03/09/2010

There now will be a whole lot of men running for Ray Ashburn's seat.

[Carpool Kathleen]

02:57 PM on 03/12/2010

Is that intended as a pun ? ? ? ? Well, something good mind come out of this, anyway.

[CmdrTomalak]

07:55 AM on 03/16/2010

LMAO!

[rsheeran]

08:23 PM on 03/09/2010

What a loser.

[CarlyHope]

06:29 PM on 03/09/2010

he doesn't to apologize to anyone.

Let's have some sympathy. This is in fact, incredibly sad. We should welcome this sad, troubled brother with open arms.

[Carpool Kathleen]

08:46 PM on 03/09/2010

He's not even really "coming out". Or he BARELY is.

In his interview, he calls his homosexuality "an internal conflict...I would ask people to pray for me. My faith is very clear and very firm....I pray to God that I can find peace, and I want to go back to work in the Senate and work hard for the people who sent me to the legislature."

He's "coming out" as someone who wants people to pray for the "internal conflict" of his homosexuality.

[GUSTOV]

11:34 AM on 03/10/2010

being a christian =
being a lifelong sinner .

what a great gig!!

[norepublicanleftbehind]

06:01 PM on 03/09/2010

You're a traitor to your people.

[AkhiBrass]

12:04 PM on 03/11/2010

Actually not,
He was true to the taxpayers who put him in office, whom by law and ethics he was responsible for.
Just because he is "Gay" doesn't mean that Homosexuals are anymore his "people" then say Christians or Republicans.

[JakeHanson]

05:42 PM on 03/09/2010

I wonder if Maggie Gallagher is really a closeted lesbian? She isn't married, has short hair, and if a fierce opponent of gay rights. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

[bobojack1]

05:36 PM on 03/09/2010

HA HA! Now he can be an outcast within his party as well as with us gays. I won't give him a chance to make amends because he has caused too much damage to our cause and he should be forced to sit in time out, for the rest of his life, and think about what a bad boy he has been!

[mollybeejay]

08:41 AM on 03/10/2010

Please, this is the Rethug party. They will welcome him with open arms. Once he said the magic words-:Pray for me" it was all over except the shouting. In the coming days and weeks you will hear about the need for forgiveness, blah blah blah, etc. He will still be in his seat. That's the way they roll.

[ItzGid]

05:04 PM on 03/09/2010

Imagine that. A hypocritical Repugnican. But since he lied about the reason behind his anit-gay votes, perhaps the other Reps will deem him eligible to remain in the party.

[wspencer]

04:57 PM on 03/09/2010

As they say, "Those who scream F*G the loudest..." It never fails to ring true.