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 A
Republican congressman from California who has repeatedly
voted against gay rights measures is believed to be
gay himself.
After RAW STORY ran an article Wednesday about a
gay activist who announced his intention to ‘out’
Congressman David Dreier, R-CA, Hustler Magazine revealed
that they planned a major expose exploring the intersection
of the congressman’s sexuality and his positions on
gay rights.
Another individual also came forward after the article
was published, saying that she set up a liaison between
the congressman and another man.
RAW STORY received a statement from Hustler Friday
detailing their investigation.
“Hustler believes that the best way to deal with
what appears to be glaring examples of hypocrisy is
to expose them and bring them into full relief in
front of the public,” the magazine said. “Our team
of journalists in New York City covering the GOP convention
struck gold—the details of which are to be published
in an upcoming issue this fall.”
The 52-year-old single congressman voted for the
Marriage Protection Act in July, a measure that would
have stripped federal courts of jurisdiction over
challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans
the federal government from recognizing gay partnerships.
Dreier also voted for the original Defense of Marriage
Act in 1996 and a measure that banned gays from adopting
in Washington, D.C. He has a 92 percent favorability
rating from the Christian Coalition, and was elected
with Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Michael Rogers, the gay activist who first asked
that Dreier be more candid about his sexuality on
his site, blogACTIVE,
expects to present additional information as early
as Monday. On his site last week, he said he “was
especially interested in talking with Brad Smith about
his living arrangements with the Congressman here
in DC."
Rogers was largely responsible for the resignation
of Rep. Ed Schrock (R-Va), after he posted a suggestion
that the congressman might be gay Aug. 19. He subsequently
posted three audio clips which allegedly reveal Schrock
leaving voicemails on a gay phone sex service.
Hustler says the media has played along in a charade
to preserve the Dreier's heterosexual facade. It is
believed that several of the newspapers in his home
district have an editorial policy which prohibits
reporters from asking certain questions about the
congressman's private life.
“Hustler knows that Rep. Dreier has enjoyed for many
years the benefit of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell policy’
of the Republican-controlled newspapers in his home
district,” the magazine’s editors asserted, “the very
benefit that most Americans don’t enjoy and thus suffer
blatant discrimination as a result, including job
termination.”
Hustler sent Dreier a letter last Tuesday asking
to interview him about the “intersection of human
sexuality, national politics and the conservative
agenda.” They have not received a response. Rogers
said Dreier’s office has not returned calls placed
he placed on the issue either.
When asked if he was heterosexual on a Sirus Radio
interview Aug. 31, Rep. Dreier refused to answer.
“I’m not going to talk about that issue,” Dreier said.
“That’s really not what I’m here about.”
Hustler said they hope the congressman will come
forward and address the issue. “This has nothing to
do with what a public official does in private,” they
said. “It has everything to do with the consistency
of a political party’s agenda and the honesty of its
members.”
Congressman Dreier is viewed as the Silicon Valley's
man in Washington and an affable star of the House
Republican leadership. In a July
profile published by the San Jose Mercury News,
the paper said he had become a leading public face
for the party.
"More eloquent than understated House Speaker Dennis
Hastert, R-Ill., and more ingratiating than tough-talking
Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, Dreier has emerged
as the House GOP leadership's public face on television,"
a reporter wrote.
Charlie Black, an adviser to the Bush re-election
campaign, told the paper the Bush attitude is, ''Get
him on every show you can.''
Rep. Dreier is the chair of the powerful Rules Committee
in the House of Representatives. He played a large
role in the recall of former California governor Gray
Davis, and in the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Hustler is published by Larry Flynt, who won a landmark
Supreme Court case against conservative preacher Jerry
Falwell, which established the doctrine that public
figures and officials may not recover damages for
emotional distress without showing actual malice or
reckless disregard for the truth.
Developing...
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