Rick Perry Coverage Gets Sexy: Ad Seeks Dirt, Others Press Porn Past

"Have you had sex with Rick Perry?"

I mean, let me think about it. But while I'm recollecting, head on over to Salon's War Room, where Justin Elliott has the details of an ad running in the Austin Chronicle which asks the same question, adding, "Are you a stripper, an escort, or just a 'young hottie' impressed by an arrogant, entitled governor of Texas? Contact CASH, and we will help you publicize your direct dealings with a Christian-buzzwords-spouting, 'family values' hypocrite and fraud."

The ad is the work of Robert Morrow, the man behind CASH -- the Committee Against Sexual Hypocrisy. Morrow is the only man behind the Committee Against Sexual Hypocrisy, actually. Add another person and it becomes a Super Committee Against Sexual Hypocrisy, and then the whole thing falls apart in partisan gridlock.

Morrow tells Elliot that "he knows strippers in Austin who have stories about Perry, but none of them are willing to come forward to the press." So he's hoping to shake the tree and get someone who'll put their name to some claims.

In addition, CASH is trolling for leads that might confirm another longstanding Perry rumor -- that he's had sexual experiences with men. "Note to gay people," reads the ad, "If you know the truth about Rick, please QUIT covering for him." As Elliott notes, these rumors, though persistent, have never panned out for reporters. That said, Morrow claims that a reporter from the National Enquirer has been "dispatched to Austin." You might recall the success the Enquirer had during the 2008 election cycle.

The running of Morrow's ad coincides with another case of Perry's potential "sexual hypocrisy," reports of which have recently started to pop up all over the web. First reported on by Sarah Jones at PoliticusUSA, the second matter relates to an investment Perry made in 1995 in a company called Movie Gallery. Movie Gallery no longer exists -- they filed for bankruptcy in February of 2010. But in its heyday, the company grew to become the second largest movie rental company in the United States. Movie Gallery acquired video rental chain Hollywood Video in 2005, and, for a time, was Blockbuster's chief competitor.

Movie Gallery did brisk trade in the rental of videocassettes, DVDs, and video games. But it wasn't the sale of these wares that Forbes' -- reporting around the time of the Hollywood Video acquisition -- called "the dirty little secret of [their] success":

Unlike Blockbuster and Hollywood, Movie Gallery is the last of the big chains to rent out X-rated videos (at least in stores bearing its name). When asked, the company claims porn rentals make up barely 5% of revenues. But outside critics say they're much higher, as porn flicks are significantly more profitable than family movies since they have a longer rental life span. They've tried to gum up the takeover but so far to little avail.

It was the Hollywood acquisition that attracted the attention of the American Family Association, who -- concerned that Movie Gallery would bring porn to Hollywood Video's shelves -- launched a boycott campaign against Movie Gallery that persisted with furor right up until the company finally went out of business. Of course, the American Family Association is also known for sponsoring "The Response," Rick Perry's pre-campaign kick-off prayer rally in Houston, Texas.

Back in 1995, there was nothing nonsensical about making an investment in a company like Movie Gallery. Frankly, the fact that they were a porn distributor made the investment all the smarter, since at the time, spankware wasn't widely available for free, on the Internet.

Perry was also no mere penny-investor in Movie Gallery: He passed laws that benefitted the company and protected it from lawsuits.As the Burnt Orange Report reported back in 2006:

As reported in Forbes, Movie Gallery possesses a winning business model, which has allowed it to acquire the much-larger franchise Hollywood Video. Forbes reports that pornography increases Movie Gallery’s profits enough to lowball the prices on regular, non-pornographic rentals. Pornography is a unique product that many stores are reluctant to sell. Movie Gallery’s practices have forced small, locally owned rental chains out of business.

Zealously boycotted by the conservative, two-million-strong American Family Association (AFA), Movie Gallery faces two lawsuits because of its allegedly illegal business practices. Smaller competing video stores claim that Movie Gallery illegally distributes porn across state lines. Movie Gallery’s Interim Chief Financial Officer, Thomas D. Johnson, Jr., described these lawsuits as "frivolous."

Coincidentally, Rick Perry used similar language when signing the tort-reform bill that limited the liability—thereby increasing profits -- of companies like Movie Gallery. Perry said the bill would "remov[e] the incentive for trial lawyers to file frivolous lawsuits." Continuing Perry said, "we will save thousands of jobs, generate millions in new revenue to the state;" only some of those jobs come at the price of young girl’s physical and psychological health.

The AFA has undertaken a nationwide campaign -- advertising in USA Today and Washington Post -- urging government officials to investigate Movie Gallery. Many local authorities -- like the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Texas -- are allegedly dragging their feet. With Gov. Perry owning stock in Movie Gallery, his financial interests contravene the success of any such investigation.

Lisa Derrick reports that an "AFA press person" professed that they "had no idea" that Perry had connections with Movie Gallery. Bob Vander Plaats, who authored the Family Leader's "Marriage Vow" pledge, which incorporates a strenuous opposition to pornography (and which Perry has not signed, by all accounts), has welcomed Perry into the race without objection. It's possible that the leading lights of the Christian right simply have no knowledge of Perry's connection to pornography. It's also possible that they do, and everyone is just being collossal hypocrites.

So, once again, "Have you had sex with Rick Perry?" If the answer is yes, then this is going to be a pretty interesting time in your life, I imagine!

READ THE WHOLE THING:
"Have you ever had sex with Rick Perry?" [War Room @ Salon]
Rick Perry’s Hardcore History of Investment in Porn [PoliticusUSA]

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Comments

[crunchie]

03:26 PM on 09/01/2011

As a resident of Texas - Perry is terrible. We owe our job growth largely to the federal spending Perry rails against. Not only that, but our education and healthcare are among the worst of any state thanks to Perry's policies.

Add to that his total disregard for separation of church and state, his idiocy regarding science issues like global climate change and evolution - he is not just unqualified to be president, he is dangerous.
The sad thing is that in America politicians like him, who appeal to the lowest common denominator of uneducated voters, gain popularity - Bachmann and Palin are similar examples.

[crunchie]

03:15 PM on 09/01/2011

Perry, is a "cowboy" who wears Armani suits and French cuffs (seriously, French cuffs?). Attacks stimulus spending while taking a heaped helping of it to bail himself out. Uses taxpayer money to enrich his corporate-lobbyist friends - and endangers the United States of America by inviting a Chinese telecoms company into Texas that George W Bush's national security team warned him would pose a cyber-security threat to our military - after talking tough on the Chinese in his children's book: Another pseudo-christian Fraud.

[Aaron Calhoun]

07:11 PM on 08/27/2011

"It's possible that the leading lights of the Christian right simply have no knowledge of Perry's connection to pornography. It's also possible that they do, and everyone is just being collossal hypocrites."

Hahahaha.....you can be sure there's no "even money" on THIS bet! ;)

[JohnBryansFontaine]

12:55 AM on 08/20/2011

EXPOSED: Governor Rick Perry's Porno Profits; the Devil's in the Details.
by: Polonii Phasma

http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/1219/

[chriscp]

10:00 PM on 08/20/2011

This is nothing but ugly gossip that is unproven. Are you perfect? You seem to think you are perfect. . It is disgusting.

[jh61]

11:18 AM on 08/22/2011

It is one thing to invest in porn. I do not hold that against Perry. But you can't spout family values, church and God at the same time.

It is hypocritical and he shouldn't be a Presidential candidate because of that.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

12:45 AM on 08/24/2011

FACT :

"...back in 1995, Perry invested between $5,000 and $10,000 in Movie Gallery corporation. Back then, the company was the biggest distributor of pornography in the United States..."

[Amalek]

11:42 PM on 08/19/2011

I thought Rick Perry was gay?

[Michael Houghton-]

01:31 AM on 08/20/2011

He's bisexual actually

[Aaron Calhoun]

07:20 PM on 08/27/2011

Heh, heh...I think the term bisexual should be replaced with "occasionally gay" to more accurately describe the fact that there is essentially no qualitative difference between a man being gay and a man being bisexual, in terms of any anti-gay rhetoric or whatever.

In other words, Republicans / Christian conservatives / other miscellaneous bigots somehow seem to think that using the term "bisexual" is somehow "better" or less objectionable because hey, that means they're still kinda straight! And we all know straight is better....the whole semantic thing is so lame...you either engage in homosexual behavior or you don't. If you do, you're homosexual, REGARDLESS if you ALSO engage in heterosexual activity. A bisexual simply does both....but it doesn't give them license to justify their gay bigotry because they're "not gay", but rather "bisexual".....so preposterous.

[tomasino]

02:50 PM on 08/19/2011

Dear everydayjoe101,

You're depressed.

[mrnationalist]

02:33 PM on 08/19/2011

"Plenty of girls and bands and slogans and lots of hoopla, but remember, no politics. Issues confuse people."

Penguin, from the original Batman series.

[librldem]

01:06 PM on 08/19/2011

Ask Larry 'I'm not gay' Craig! lol

[petersjlynn]

12:54 PM on 08/19/2011

"Morrow is the only man behind the Committee Against Sexual Hypocrisy, actually." And he grabs a Huff Post headline.....Hmmmm. I wonder if this guy had anything to say about Bill Clinton not having sex in the White House with Monica Lewinsky? Honestly, I really don't care what a man does privately, as long as he performs his job!

Here's a radical idea.....Why doesn't the press focus on Perry's "governing" record versus Obama's? Then, perhaps, we can better decide our choice for presidency rather than waste our votes as per the last time around!

[shieldvulf]

03:19 PM on 08/20/2011

Perry's failures and hypocrisy are written about everywhere. Like that the jobs he claims to have created are either minimum wage jobs without benefits or government jobs provided by the Obama stimulus. And that, once you factor in the influx of job seekers, Texas has the WORST job creation record under Perry of all 50. That he has gutted the schools. And rigging state law to serve his own investments, as described here? All well documented.

Trolling for Perry's strippers, escorts, and boyfriends is relevant because Perry presents himself as an evangelical, sex-negative fundamentalist. His hypocrisy deserves to be exposed, just as President Clinton's lapse deserved. Don't you want to know if he is a liar, as well as a failed administrator?

And President Obama? He's made your health insurance more affordable, reliable, and honest. He has begun to restore your protections from crooked bankers. He saved the country and the world from a Depression that would have made the 1930s look like the Gay 90s. He lowered your income taxes THREE times. He disposed of Don't Ask Don't Tell. He has taken superstition out of science funding. He has achieved the most sweeping progressive legislative agenda since Lyndon Johnson. His success is full proof of his competence.

Once we remove the obstructionist, know-nothing, fringe Republicans from the House, we will finish the job he started. Your life will be better as a result, even if your ignorance and prejudice forbid you to admit it.

[petersjlynn]

08:13 PM on 08/20/2011

So......how many "jobs" has the Obama administration created - whether minimum wage or not? Or allow me to ask you an easier question; How many "jobs" have Americans lost during the Obama Administration? You seem more concerned with a politicians "personal" affairs than positive results. JFK and RFK had their way with Marylin Monroe in the White House, but they kept it private and performed their jobs well. Bill had his way with Monica in the Oval office, but he did his job well - who cares? Obama has shown nothing but "failure." And if you want to give him 4 more years, you must be a "failure," too......

[SoCalNick]

12:04 PM on 08/19/2011

OK Porn is not against the law

BUT railing against things that you make money off of should be.

Blatantly PASSING LAWS to protect your own business interests and prevent legal actions against your interests?

Why isn't he in Prison? Oh wait that is where The Shrub learned how to change all of the rules to suit him and his friends too isn't it? No Bid contracts, sealed meetings for energy etc.

This guy is DOA at the starters gate. The Country has had enough of Texas style management.

That is all

[I try to be reasonable]

11:15 AM on 08/19/2011

@ Robert Masters:
I apologize for starting a new comment chain, but i the reply chain reached its limit and I could not therefore reply to you in turn. You wrote: "You are concluding that because you can show some politician­s who were guilty then any accusation has merit? Very poor logical conclusion­. Very poor."
I was arguing with the previous poster's assertion that "professional politician[s]", such as Perry, are not "foolish enough to put [their] career[s] in danger" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Bonnie_Larkin/rick-perry-coverage-gets-sexy_n_930377_103499649.html). To accomplish this, I showed a number of professional politicians who were indeed foolish enough to put their careers in such danger - and those were only cases of sexual malfeasance. I did include all the professional politicians who put themselves in danger by means of other ethical mishaps and poor decisions.
So no, sir, am I saying that all are guilty by association or solely by accusation - although we rarely ever hear about FALSE sexual misconduct allegations (if anyone can provide, that would be great. The only one that comes to mind is a resurfacing Nikki Haley rumor, which did seem like a vendetta). I was rebutting the point that politicians are smart enough to avoid doing dumb sexual things.

[Deborah Beck]

10:46 AM on 08/19/2011

Huh, so is it Rick Perry I hear when I hear a shout across the City of Austin of "oh God." Hmmmm, wonder if it's Perry having sex or praying?

[supra21]

10:35 AM on 08/19/2011

Well, everyone, have a wonderful day. Mine's going to be great!!!

[redonthehead]

10:20 AM on 08/19/2011

Attack attack attack. Demonize and Deflect. Page one of the Saul Alinsky playbook.

HP and others will seek to destroy the GOP front runner because that's all they have.

Obama is the worst president since Jimmy Carter (maybe even worse). He can't run his record of failed economic policy, failed foreign policy, or failed social policy. All he can do is attack and blame. Our nation needs a leader and I don't know if Perry is the guy or not, but I do know that Obama is definitely not.

[mrm3]

10:57 AM on 08/19/2011

Well, there have been worse presidents since Jimmy Carter---

Ronnie Reagan the Alzheimers' President

George W Bush the mentally-challenged helmet-wearing President

[supra21]

10:19 AM on 08/19/2011

Aside from all the hypcracy and religious blather, isn't it a criminal offense to pass laws that benefit a company you have a financial interest in? Aren't elected officials supposed to hold their investments in blind trusts once they take office? Hmmmm. Go get em Rick. BAd for Tx, worse for America.

[billydkidd]

12:14 PM on 08/20/2011

that was the good ole days. Corporations got their feet firmingly in the door now.