Anti-Gay Politician Says Blacks Responsible For Soliciting Gay Sex Charge

via Mark Frauenfelder @ Boing-Boing

(Tampa, Florida) State Rep. Bob Allen (R), a longtime foe of LGBT rights in Florida, has a bizarre excuse for being charged with offering a male cop $20 for oral sex in a washroom at a park.

He was busted last month in a sting at Veteran's Memorial Park in Titusville, Florida. (story)

In taped statements made by Allen to police following his arrest and released by the force Allen admits to soliciting the male officer but claims that it was the result of being nervous by the high number of black men in the park.

"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," Allen told officers.

Of the arresting officer Allen said in the tape, "This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park."

He claimed he feared he "was about to be a statistic" would have said anything just to get away.

But on the tape Allen also admits warning the undercover cop that "undercover cops" were in the area and the man should be careful.

"I said they're around here, you ought to know about that."

He only realized he was talking to an officer when he flashed his badge.

The arresting officer's handwritten report on the arrest also was released by the force. 

Titusville Officer Danny Kavanaugh who was on plainclothes duty says he observed Allen entering the washroom twice. Kavanaugh said he was drying his hands in a stall when Allen peered over the stall door.

The officer's report said that after peering over the stall a second time, Allen pushed open the door and joined Kavanaugh inside. Allen muttered "'hi,'v" and then said, "'this is kind of a public place, isn't it,'" the report said.

Kavanaugh wrote that he asked Allen about going somewhere else and Allen suggested going "across the bridge, it's quieter over there."

"Well look, man, I'm trying to make some money; you think you can hook me up with 20 bucks?" Kavanaugh wrote in the report that he had asked Allen.

The Republican lawmaker, the report said, replied, "Sure, I can do that, but this place is too public."

According to Kavanaugh's statement, the officer said, "do you want just (oral sex)?" and Allen replied, "I was thinking you would want one."

It was at that point Allen was arrested.

Ironically, Allen was the Police Union's 2007 Lawmaker of the Year.

In the last session of the Florida legislature he sponsored a failed bill that would have tightened the state's prohibition on public sex. He also has been a supporter of amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage and has opposed a bill to curb bullying of gay students.

Allen has been charged with solicitation for prostitution, which has a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

Prior to his arrest Allen was a co-chair of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in Florida, a position he has since resigned. Link.

But I guess it's OK 'cause he's part of the Republic Party.

Comments

[HappyMan]

I enjoy your site but the attack on the Republican party seems out of place here. Most Republicans who are caught in moral turpitude cases resign their positions whereas Democrats wear the scandal as a badge of honor.

If proved guilty by a jury of his peers, this State Rep will be outed as a hypocrite and a law breaker. Something that is way too common in today's politics.

[Cookie]

"Most Republicans who are caught in moral turpitude cases resign their positions whereas Democrats wear the scandal as a badge of honor."

Huh? What are you talking about? Name me one Democratic official caught in a "moral turpitude case" who has worn the scandal as a "badge of honor"? Just one. You won't be able to because there are none. You just made that up. A staple of the modern Republic party.

"If proved guilty by a jury of his peers, this State Rep will be outed as a hypocrite and a law breaker. Something that is way too common in today's politics"

Yeah- In todays' Republican party. You can count the Democrats caught in scandal on one hand. You'd need an abacus to calculate the number of Republicans who are under investigation or have been indicted or convicted. There is no equivalence. Today's Republican party is corrupt to its' core.

[HappyMan]

Name me one Democratic official caught in a "moral turpitude case" who has worn the scandal as a "badge of honor"?

A few choice examples:

Bill Clinton - refused to resign

Marion Berry - refused to resign

William Jefferson - refuses to resign

Gerry Studds - refused to resign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Studds

Kentucky Gov Paul Patton
http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14990

[Cookie]

So now "refused to resign" equals "wearing the scandal as a badge of honor"?

I knew you couldn't come up with any examples to illustrate your point.

Show me some examples of Democrats that bragged about their "moral turpitude" and were proud of it. That is wearing it as a badge of honor.

As I remember it Clinton made some very public apologies. He didn't brag about his conquests.

Anyway- I guess I forgot to disable comments on my political posts, which I do because I hate to get into these tit-for-tat arguments with Republicans. So consider the comments on this thread closed. If you can't deal with my political opinions, don't look at my blog. I don't have time for this back and forth stuff.