Sweet Irony: Virginia's Former Anti-Gay Governor Is Living With A Gay Priest - The New Civil Rights Movement

When Bob McDonnell was governor of Virginia, he and his rabidly homophobic attorney general Ken Cuccinelli made no secret of their disdain for the LGBT community. McDonnell not only opposed marriage equality and anti-discrimination laws on principle, one of his first acts as governor was to rescind the executive order enacted by his predecessor, Democratic Governor Tim Kaine, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Governor McDonnell replaced the order with one that left Virginia's LGBT citizens unprotected.

At the time, Hari Sevugan, a spokesman for Governor Kaine, commented on Governor McDonnell's move:

"It says a lot about the Republican party that they would anoint as their 'rising star' someone who in 2010 is actually stripping away from Americans legal protections against discrimination. Bob McDonnell is proving his critics right. He said he'd focus on creating jobs, not social issues. But, one of his first acts as Governor was to make it easier for a fellow citizen to be denied a job and he did so as an adherent to a right-wing ideology that allows for such discriminatory behavior. McDonnell's decision is just plain wrong in any context, but especially so in this economic climate."

Given his open hostility to all things gay, there is some delightful irony to be found in the situation Governor McDonnell now finds himself in. McDonnell and his wife Maureen are facing charges that they conspired to use the governorship to enrich themselves. Their unusual defense has been to claim they could not possibly be part of a conspiracy because their marriage is completely dysfunctional. They barely even spoke, much less colluded.

Gary Legum over at Wonkette sums up the irony quite well:

So Bob McDonnell, the right-wing former governor who wrote a master’s thesis at Regents University (founded by longtime Wonkette lust object Pat Robertson) in which he essentially called for gays to be cast out of society, is living with a Catholic priest who once was arrested for going all George Michael on another man in a public park. The aptly named Father Ball later blamed his behavior on a recurrence of the depression he had suffered from in the past, which is an easier excuse to latch onto than just admitting you like the sexxxytime with dudes. Anyway aren’t we all sinners or some shit?

Sweet Irony: Virginia's Former Anti-Gay Governor Is Living With A Gay Priest - The New Civil Rights Movement

Oelwein mayor, preparing for trial, resigns

Oelwein Mayor Jason Manus has resigned from office as he prepares to defend himself against charges he sexually abused two children ages 9 and 14.

The Oelwein City Council on Monday approved Manus’ resignation, which he issued through his attorney Friday.

“I think there was a collective sigh of relief in the community,” said Larry Murphy, a former longtime Oelwein mayor who lost to Manus in last November’s city election. “Candidly, some people were concerned he was just bullheaded enough to stay in the job.”

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Manus was arrested Aug. 11. He was released last week on supervised bond and is being monitored via an ankle bracelet.

Murphy expressed concern about Manus’ release.

Manus “lives close to a school and a city park,” Murphy said. “I guess they’ve got monitoring on him, but it’s too close for my comfort.”

The Oelwein City Council set a special meeting for Thursday to discuss how to replace Manus, said Jamie Letzring, Oelwein city administrator.

Oelwein mayor, preparing for trial, resigns

Glenn Champ, ex-gubernatorial candidate from Fresno foothills, arrested in shooting | Crime | FresnoBee.com

The Fresno County man who campaigned for governor this year has been arrested in connection with the shooting of his neighbor and the slaying of a horse Thursday afternoon.

Tye "Glenn" Champ, 48, was taken into custody around midday Friday near Goshen without incident. A Tulare County sheriff's deputy caught up to him on a traffic stop.

Champ previously served a prison term for manslaughter, has several convictions for weapons offenses and is also a registered sex offender.

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Champ campaigned in this year's California primary on a platform that he would clean up state government. He had a brief, scheduled appearance on the dais during the California Republican Party convention in March and attracted 2% of the total vote in June.

Champ is a "felon with an extensive criminal history that dates back to 1985," Mims said.

This is the same man who, when confronted about his arrest concerning picking up an under-aged prostitute, stated, "'I found the Lord when I got arrested for picking up the prostitutes,,,I was like most people, ignorant in the darkness, in the very dark. I had no peace, had no love, had no joy. And now I do. Praise God for that…. I've grown considerably since I met Christ.'"

So would the be the Republican Jesus?

Glenn Champ, ex-gubernatorial candidate from Fresno foothills, arrested in shooting | Crime | FresnoBee.com