Sen. Ashburn’s Glass Closet Door Shatters

by Brian Leubitz

That California state Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield was a closet case was one of the worst kept secrets around Sacramento. He would periodically appear in a gay bar, trying to be as discreet as a state senator can be in Sacramento. He’s not exactly a rock star or anything, but in a city built around state government, he’s pretty recognizable.

And so, on 2 occasions, somebody sent me an email, because of my work at Calitics, saying that they had seen him at a gay bar. It had become more common over the last few years, as he was heading for his term limit and had no logical place to continue his political career. And, with his vote in support of a few minor tax increases in the California budget dispute last year, his chances of winning a Republican primary for dog catcher were also rapidly decreasing. Apparently, he became sloppy in his closet, either because he didn’t care anymore or because he thought he would never be caught. But, I’m no Mike Rogers, and I’ve never been all that great at the CYA work that’s necessary if you are going to start publishing that kind of stuff.

But, one sure way to get your name in lights? Get busted for DUI. And to make sure it is really exciting, bring along a guy that you picked up at the gay bar:

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.

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. (CBS13)

Ashburn was quickly released (you can get the records by searching for Ashburn here), and probably thought he would just get to make the standard apologies.

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.

Of course, this was before the part about the gay club came out in the media. I guess you can now read the statement in a slightly different light.

If people choose to live in the closet, it’s their own poor choice. It will eventually drive them to do stupid things (like a DUI), and act like a jerk. But Ashburn is a slightly different case. Back when he still had campaigns to think about, he was something of an anti-marriage crusader:

In better days Ashburn, a fierce opponent of gay rights, was fighting marriage equality and organizing anti-gay marriage rallies as part of his “Traditional Family Values” campaign. (TalkingPointsMemo)

In fact, Ashburn’s efforts weren’t only focused on marriage equality. His little coalition actually wanted to ban domestic partnerships. The effort never really got anywhere; it wasn’t until In re Marriage Cases, the case that gave California marriage equality, that the move to ban marriage again really gained steam.

But Ashburn was there. Campaigning against gay rights in the day light while cruising for gay men after hours. You could make a lot of excuses for Ashburn, he was doing what you have to do to get elected in Bakersfield, or some other such nonsense, but he went out of his way to attack gay rights. And, that is often the case for these closet cases. They want to draw attention away from themselves, and so they go as far away politically as you can get from the LGBT community. They are scared of their own shadows.

Ultimately, it takes a little something extra to really go out on the limb against gay rights like Ashburn does. Yeah, some of these people trace it back to their deeply held faith views, but there are so many issues to take up from the Bible. The extreme poverty across the world would seem to be a far bigger issue, with far more and far more direct advice from the Bible. Yet, these people choose to focus on one misinterpreted section of Leviticus amongst a whole volume. In a sea of advice, commandments, and admonishments, they focus on one unclear passage. To spend so much time on one issue, there has to be something else to it than just one passage in the Bible.

The fight against homophobia won’t end anytime soon, but at least we can call it for what it is. Recognize those who are hypocritical, and stand up for our own rights. The fight will continue. But, as Martin Luther King, Jr, famously said, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.