Curtis resignation statment: 'Events have hurt people'

[Akoto]

Source: Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- State Representative Richard Curtis has issued a statement on his resignation from office while involved in a gay sex scandal in Spokane.

Curtis says he feels he's done a lot of good during his time in the Legislature, but "events that have recently come to light have hurt a lot of people."

He says, "I sincerely apologize for any pain my actions may have caused."

He says, "This has been damaging to my family, and I don't want to subject them to any additional pain that might result from carrying out this matter under the scrutiny that comes with holding public office."

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_Lawmaker_Extortion_Statement.html

[annabanana]

1. At least he had the good grace to resign

and spare his family the additional strain...

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

2. wow, I thought the even the gay activists were skeptical on this one

So is this number 3 for Spokane?

[Demeter]

3. Now That Was Pretty Classy for a GOP

Perhaps he can come out of the closet, switch to Democratic Party, and make an honest man of himself.

[Faygo Kid]

4. He got caught. Period. Why would we want him as a Dem?

What, the Democratic Party is the home of hypocritical creeps like this jerk?

That's an insult not only to Dems, but to gays who have to put up with crap like this every day.

He should stay in the GOP, where he belongs.

[Orsino]

6. Yeah. Sounds pretty...

...while managing not to admit to, or apologize for, anything specific. But it is as close to a real apology as we ever seem to hear these days.

[Divine Discontent]

5. again?

how many MARRIED (to women) male politicians/ministers does this make since 1-06 getting outed for this stuff? Rev. Ted Haggard the former LEADER of the Evangelical Association of America hiring gay prostitutes & buying drugs, GOP Congressman Mark Foley of FL involved in an underage male paige scandal, GOP Florida State Rep. Bob Allen of Titusville soliciting to give undercover cops oral sex, and the GOP State Rep. from Washington State who just resigned who got caught paying for male prostitution, oh and the head of Young Republicans Club up in Michigan being secretly closeted and being accused of sexually assaulting another Young Republican! All married to women. I'm sure I've missed several others, and there's plenty of non-politicians who are busted for this daily that I've seen in local news, but this is just within the past 12 months. This doesn't include the hundred or more politicians on armchairsubversive.com !!!

There is a disease of SHAME in these people about their GOD given sexuality, so they refrain from finding adult males to have normal relations with so they do illicit behavior behind their wives, and 99% of these men are against civil rights for gay people and actually are quite judgmental about GLBT in their support of anti-gay bigotry. Just shocking - I truly cannot believe how many men this is happening to!

[dingaling]

7. Dont ask dont tell

seems to be the best policy for Gay republicans or republicans in the closet. Look at David Drier. I think he is in a steady relationship. He got passed over for top leadership positions but was never subjected to the kind of humiliation like some others. Foley was also in a relationship (I think). He got into trouble because he fooled around. This case is a little different. At least this guy was somewhat honest compared to the others. "He got caught" would imply he was doing something illegal. He wasnt (unless he paid the guy). Also, he chose to call the police rather than cover it up. That was a good thing. Voting against legislation pertaining to gays and lesbians is a given for republicans. He could have voted that way because he knew it would pass. Maybe. In summary, I think this guy is a special case that deserves some sympathy.

[SKKY]

8. It never ceases to amaze me...

...how many closet homosexuals there are in the GOP. Isn't it bad enought to live your life feeling "conflicted"? Why on earth would you chose to compound that with being a Republican?

[gratuitous]

9. My guess, and it's only a guess

Incredible, deep-rooted shame and self-revulsion whose depths are beyond my ability to comprehend. I read Mel White's book "Stranger at the Gate," and read through his descriptions of his desperate attempts to deny himself and his basic, core identity. Every active (therapy, pharmaceuticals, marriage to a woman) and passive (denial, it's just a phase, if I don't think about it it will go away) technique he could possibly use, he tried at one time or another. It was heart-breaking to read.

Maybe (maybe, maybe, maybe, please God, maybe) we're entering a new phase, though it's pitifully slow a-borning. But the shame and self-loathing some men feel for their natural sexual orientation gets passed on to them in ways big and small throughout their childhood and adolescence, but I'm seeing some hopeful signs that the lethal mistakes, prejudice and just plain hatred of our generation are being addressed and rectified by today's teen-agers and pre-teens. Good luck, younger people; we left you a hash of a lot of things, but here's hoping you'll do humanity a little better.