Wash. Blade: Did HRC's Birch out GOP congressman?

[Bleacher Creature]

http://ec.gayalliance.org/articles/000063.shtml

Elizabeth Birch of the Human Rights campaign (HRC) has been accused of outing a member of Congress by telling the story of an anti-gay congressman who, eight years ago, privately asked her how people know if they are gay, and stated that he had “loved men”.

At a Gay Pride Forum in Washington, D.C. on June 3, Birch was commenting on reaching out to foes of gay rights. She said that in 1995 she and HRC then-Political Director Daniel Zingale had met with an unnamed conservative Republican congressman, who had been “derisive and demeaning” in his attacks on gay rights legislation.

<SNIP>

Birch said that the meeting took place shortly after the congressman had created a controversy in 1995 when he referred to gays as “homos” on the floor of the House of Representatives. The Washington Blade says that media reports and background facts indicate that the congressman was Randall (“Duke”) Cunningham, “an arch-conservative from San Diego”. Cunningham was apparently the only member of the House who called gays “homos” on the House floor at the time.

<SNIP>

If true, this would be yet another lesson in the long-running class, GOP Hypocrisy 101.

P.S. This is from 2003--resurrected compliments of www.AmericaBlog.com

[davidinalameda]

1. "loved men"

what the hell does that mean

it sounds like something out of a cheesy romance novel

[roguevalley]

2. I find this whole thing oddly poignant and very, very sad:

privately asked her how people know if they are gay, and stated that he had “loved men”.

[Shallah Kali]

3. I would feel sympathy for him if he wasn't out to get gays for political

gain. Hypocrites of all types should be outed IMO.