Suddenly Last Summer

September 19, 2007 10:59 AM

A gay Republican news story that you probably didn't read about in the paper: In late August, Ralph Gonzalez--Republican strategist, former Georgia GOP executive director, and "political powerhouse"--was murdered (along with his roommate, David Abrami, another Republican political consultant) by Gonzalez' "friend" and former Marine Jason Robert Drake. Characterized as the result of a "lovers' quarrel," it's a bizarre crime story that should've made at least a ripple in the national news, given some other recent incidents. But it never did.

While Gonzalez wasn't a politician himself, he had some high-powered (and controversial) clients/associates. Like the spectacularly corrupt Florida Rep. Tom Feeney. Gonzalez was a long-time pal of Ralph Reed, of Christian Coalition/Jack Abramoff fame. He also orchestrated an "Adam and Steve" smear campaign for an Alabama State House election. Yet allegedly it wasn't even a secret Gonzalez was gay.

And who was Jason Robert Drake? Ex-military, campaign volunteer for right-wing Virginia Rep. Patrick McHenry (who isn't a stranger to unsavory company himself), and purported rough trade. Sound familiar? [Via. ]

posted by cowboy_sally (30 comments total)

All this gay Republican stuff makes me so hot.
posted by hermitosis at 11:11 AM on September 19, 2007

Damn degenerates.

Wait, these are Republicans?

I will not stand idly by while good men are slandered so!
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:13 AM on September 19, 2007 [4 favorites]

Wait, these are Republicans?

No, they are gay and therefore plants (which is not to say fruits, thank you very much Clue) to tarnish the conservative image.
posted by DU at 11:18 AM on September 19, 2007

See also republicansexoffenders.com
posted by exogenous at 11:28 AM on September 19, 2007

Link: Republican Sex Offenders.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:32 AM on September 19, 2007

It's almost like many Republicans are only pretending to be conservative to get the votes and ride the gravy train to tax cuts and personal wealth. But that couldn't be.
posted by DU at 11:36 AM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

But what do you really think, cowboy_sally?
posted by roll truck roll at 11:38 AM on September 19, 2007

I think "it's a bizarre crime story that should've made at least a ripple in the national news," roll truck roll.
posted by cowboy_sally at 11:43 AM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Hmm, let me rephrase.

I think that there is an unnecessary amount of editorializing in this post.
posted by roll truck roll at 11:46 AM on September 19, 2007

why am i supposed to be outraged?
posted by caddis at 11:48 AM on September 19, 2007

I don't see any editorializing at all (well, maybe "bizarre"), let alone too much. What part specifically do you think crosses the line?
posted by DU at 11:51 AM on September 19, 2007

LOLmurdervictims!
posted by GrammarMoses at 12:00 PM on September 19, 2007

"it's a bizarre crime story that should've made at least a ripple in the national news,"

they're too busy doing wall-to-wall coverage of what George Soros thinks of Gen. Petraeus
posted by matteo at 12:01 PM on September 19, 2007

Which is arguably more important...
posted by anthill at 12:20 PM on September 19, 2007

no, it's back to all OJ all the time
posted by caddis at 12:31 PM on September 19, 2007

OK, roll truck roll, you're right, I was editorializing when I wrote "spectacularly corrupt." How do you feel about "more corrupt than the average politician"?

I don't think the murders of Gonzalez and Abrami should've made front-page news. I don't believe the fact that they didn't is proof of some elaborate cover up. I'm not outraged and I'm not suggesting anyone else should be.

I'm surprised that such a strange story didn't get any coverage at all when the media generally love a good murder-suicide.
posted by cowboy_sally at 12:39 PM on September 19, 2007

Ex-military, campaign volunteer for right-wing Virginia Rep. Patrick McHenry (who isn't a stranger to unsavory company himself), and purported rough trade.

McHenry represents North Carolina, not Virginia. In Our Fair State, we instead had Republican Rep. Ed Schrock, who resigned after being outed by BlogActive in 2004 (self link). Schrock was the guy who called a gay sex line and made the following request:

Uh, hi, I weigh 200 pounds, uh, six-foot-four, hazel eyes, blond hair, very muscular, very buffed-up, uh, very tanned, um, I’d just like to get together with a guy from time to time just to — just to play. I’d like him to be, uh, in very good shape, flat stomach, good chest, good arms, well-hung, cut, uh, just get naked, play, and see what happens, nothing real heavy duty, but just a fun time, go down on him, he can go down on me, and just, uh, take it from there. Hope to hear from you. Bye.

There's just something about Republicans and man-sex.
posted by waldo at 12:43 PM on September 19, 2007

The author of Bob the Angry Flower. Is trying to popularize the term "Wide Stance Republicans" for our closeted, civil rights hating brethren.

I suggest we use it.
posted by lumpenprole at 12:56 PM on September 19, 2007 [2 favorites]

The Big Pitch a Tent Party.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:02 PM on September 19, 2007

Y'know...there's a Master's thesis (or even a Doctoral dissertation) just waiting to be written on this whole "gay-conservatives-who-act-against-their-own" meme. Some real self-hating psychology there.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:19 PM on September 19, 2007

And it's great to see that there's a whole category of gays that, judging by the practice on this board, it's OK to bash. Fuller makes little note in staying-up-to-date notebook.
posted by jfuller at 1:37 PM on September 19, 2007

Yeah, the outing and bashing on homosexuals who publicly denounce homosexuality and work to create a society where homosexuals can be harmed without recourse isn't exactly new meme, jfuller.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:55 PM on September 19, 2007

jfuller, don't be so fucking obtuse.

Nobody is bashing these guys for being gay. They're being bashed and mocked and denigrated for being fucking hypocrites who indulge in every single thing they want to, whilst simultaneously spewing forth vile filth from their gloryhole cocksucking mouths and doing their fucking damnedest to make sure that no other queer people get to enjoy the same rights and privileges they do, much less be socially accepted for who they are.

Make no mistake, jfuller; these people are sad and broken and they hate themselves. We are bashing them because of the hypocrisy they exhibit, not because of who they sleep with.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:16 PM on September 19, 2007

You really don't see the difference between gay-bashing and calling out hypocritical liars, jfuller? Really? I mean, do you as a conservative really approve of all these Republican politicians and consultants telling you homosexuality is wrong and then sucking mad cock in their spare time?

I mean, it's great you're suddenly discovering sympathy for gay people and all, but I thought you conservatives were supposed to be for honesty and forthrightness. Or does that not apply with closeted Republican liars for some reason?
posted by mediareport at 3:44 PM on September 19, 2007

What dnab said. And mediareport.

Haggard. Vitter. The state guy in Florida who wanted a blowjob but blamed it on all the scary invisible black dudes. Now Larry Craig. Their crime isn't being gay, it's running on "family values" platforms meant to disenfranchise gay people while at the same time practicing gay sex themselves.

BTW, I love it when Republicans start telling all of us just how darn insensitive we are. Boo-fucking-hoo jfuller.
posted by bardic at 3:50 PM on September 19, 2007

I hear the the greatest band ever is scheduled to play at the next Republican Convention.
posted by bunnytricks at 4:30 PM on September 19, 2007

We are bashing them because of the hypocrisy they exhibit, not because of who they sleep with.

I agree in general, but I think it's a bit more complicated than that. If we assume (as most of us do) that it's wrong to persecute a minority for personal gain, we can still often find it in ourselves to forgive those making that mistake due to their own ignorance. But after finding out someone is actually a member of the minority they've persecuted, it's much more difficult to forgive them for what they've done, because they've apparently done it while fully aware that it was wrong. Just as we give stiffer penalties for premeditated murder, we should give increased scorn (if not jail time) for premeditated persecution.
posted by scottreynen at 5:42 PM on September 19, 2007

The right to privacy should not be a right to hypocrisy, and people who want to demonize other people shouldn't then be able to go home and close the door and do it themselves.

-- My big gay hero Barney Frank.

Maybe Senator Craig was looking for the airport chapel.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:52 PM on September 19, 2007

it's a bizarre crime story that should've made at least a ripple in the national news

Why exactly? None of the people involved were national figures.

it's great to see that there's a whole category of gays that, judging by the practice on this board, it's OK to bash

Just like how it is okay to call blacks Uncle Tom, Aunt Jemima, or House Negroes if they don't agree with you politically.

Tolerance is cool, so long as everything thinks the same!
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 9:21 PM on September 19, 2007

And it's great to see that there's a whole category of gays that, judging by the practice on this board, it's OK to bash.

If you really believe that reporting about hypocritical Republicans is "gay bashing", you do not begin to comprehend what the term means.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:24 PM on September 19, 2007