Picture this: A cross-dressing, gay, married man and father, being extorted by a male prostitute after a bizarre late-night tryst beginning at an erotic video store and ending in an up-scale hotel room. Whatever image you might have in mind, you've now pictured the new Republican sex-scandal. You just can't make this stuff up. No one would believe it. But, it is true.
The Republican Party, the political party of family values, is starting to have some credibility issues. It began with Mark Foley, and then David
Vitter, it went on with Larry Craig and now it's Rep. Richard Curtis (from the state of Washington).
This story is newsworthy for several reasons. First, the representative broke the law by hiring a prostitute, secondly and most importantly
Rep. Curtis has an anti-gay-rights voting record in his home state, and lastly he represents the self-touted party of family values while living a double-life. Another fine
hypocrite!
According to The Seattle Times, Curtis told the police an extremely detailed account of the incident. He told them where the two had met, what and where they did it and pointed out where in the hotel room police could find DNA evidence of the sexual encounter. When police questioned Curtis about a bag containing nylon rope and a toy stethoscope, Curtis said it had nothing to do with the matter.
Try to follow this convoluted summary of events (from the police report and eyewitness accounts) that took place in the wee morning hours of October 26
th, 2007. Rep. Curtis went to the Hollywood Erotic Boutique at approximately 12:45 AM; he had a conversation with the store clerk admitting he was gay but also married with children. He was then later seen wearing women's lingerie while receiving oral sex in one of the video booths. He later met Cody
Castagna, the male prostitute also known as "Stallion".
Rep. Curtis and Stallion later met at Curtis' hotel room at approximately 3:34 AM. After having unprotected anal sex, Curtis fell asleep. Stallion then took Curtis' wallet and left the room. Stallion later called Curtis, at 7:00 AM, and told him he knew he was a married, state representative and that he had taken explicit pictures of him with his cell-phone camera. Stallion offered to return Curtis' wallet in exchange for his silence and $1,000. The police report contradicts this account with details that Curtis had agreed to pay Stallion $1,000 for unprotected anal sex.
During an interview with a Spokane police detective, Curtis claimed that he had given Stallion $100 for "gas money" and not for sex. He also claimed to have left $200 for Stallion, in an envelope, at the hotel front desk in exchange for his wallet; however, Stallion later called Curtis back and demanded the remaining $800. At this point Curtis had already called the police, and Stallion's planned extortion had then been foiled.
All along, Curtis had asked the police to keep the entire incident quiet and said he didn't want to press charges against Stallion, but instead only wanted his wallet returned.
Stallion's version of the tryst was slightly different in that, Curtis had given his wallet to him as collateral until Curtis could pay the remainder of the $1,000. Stallion also admitted that he threatened to tell Curtis' wife and publicly expose his double-life.
Curtis was later interviewed by
The Columbian newspaper in which he said he did not solicit sex, he is not gay, and that he got into this mess by trying to help someone out.
Yah, right!
Representative Curtis later resigned. What more can I say?
Happy Thanksgiving to all. As I reflect back on this last year, I have much for which to be thankful. I am fortunate enough to be spending this holiday with my partner, Bill, in our Miami home. My mother is flying in today and we'll be spending quality time together. The weather is beautiful in South Florida and the windows are open.
