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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyFebruary 20th, 2012
Pinal County, Arizona, Sheriff Paul Babeu appeared with CNN’s Wolfe Blitzer today for an extensive interivew. In this clip, he says he supports marriage equality as an issue that should be left up to the states. I haven’t been able to find any position he might have taken on Arizona’ Prop 102 in 2008. (Gay rights, it should be noted, is not a topic that comes up very often in sheriff races.)
With his outing over the weekend and this statement to the press, I really have my doubts that Babeu will win his primary. The Congressional seat he’s running for in south-central/western AZ is very, very different from the one Jim Kolbe, the last openly-gay Republican in Congress, held in Southestern Arizona and East Tucson. Kolbe’s seat was a swing seat alongside the border. which, ironically, is not as upset over immigration issues as other districts further away. (In Arizona, it seems the further north you go from the border, the more freaked out people get over immigration, with the notable exception of Flagstaff which is generally pretty easy-going.) The seat Babeu’s running for is much, much more like Imperial Valley in its politics, and frankly I’m not even sure he could win as Sheriff of Pinal County again, at least for the time being.
In the next statement, he denies threatening “Jose” with reporting him to INS.
UPDATE: “Jose” appeared on CNN and stands by his allegations. He also says his immigration status is current and he has a 10-year, US tourist visa that allows him to cross the border. That’s a very common visa for Mexicans living along the border to hold.
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Lucrece
February 20th, 2012
“My oath”. You can’t even keep your ass from cheating on a sleazy casual sex site. What assurance can you offer on staying faithful to even more complex matters? This guy talks out of slogans, no better than Jan Brewer.
Timothy Kincaid
February 20th, 2012
Lucrece,
one caution: we only have heard from “Jose” about that relationship. We don’t know it’s boundaries, terms, or agreements so “cheating” may or may not be the right term.
Timothy Kincaid
February 20th, 2012
oh good heavens. Jose “finds himself in the middle of presidential politics” because three years after a break up he went to a newspaper and spoke with a reporter who was happy to play up homophobia if it also benefited illegal immigrants. Pardon me if my sympathy for the anonymous martyr just went to zero.
Ben in Oakland
February 20th, 2012
You know, Timothy, I had exactly the same feeling about this. Drama, and lots of it. My personal belief isthat grown ups don’t air this kind of scheiss on national news. Even one year after the fact is pushing the statute of limitations.None of these people seemed any better Than they should be, or that I would expect them to be.
I find Babeu’s position on mqarriage frankly repellant. I realize tHat there is no official gay party line, but nonetheless, it appears to be the smallest bit of principle wrapped in a veritable. Shroud of panderation. Does he not understand that the question is more and more one of yes or no, not hem or haw?
Does he truly believe his backers are the sort of people to overlook public homosexual conduct because he is an auntie Tom and is as riled up about aliens, illega or no, as they are?
Personally, I’d have no problem with the idea, provided tHat the Federal government must recognize my marriage, and though no state would be required to permit marriage equality in its borders, they must recognize a valid marriage performed elsewhere.
But that isnt what Babeu and his cohorts are after.
and of course, it may just mean that he understands after this kind of public exposure ones own marriage prospects might be dimming.
PaulR
February 20th, 2012
There’s nothing good in this situation from a relationship standpoint.
If Babeu threatened Jose as claimed, then he was probably engaged in intimidation. But I have questions about Jose, and I’m not 100% sure about him as a jilted (obsessive) lover.
And Jose may lose his 10-year tourist visa status. He insists that it’s legal to be running a business in the US on a tourist (not worker) visa…really??
Lucrece
February 20th, 2012
Oh, it’s obvious Jose is no saint. Jose is also not running for political office or holding any considerable position of power and authority, unlike Babeau.
Whether Jose is petty is besides the point. Jim already linked to the documents and text/site profile exchanges, which Babeau admitted to.
Babeau cheated, and vengeful ex played dirty. Can’t say I will shed tears for the man pushing for Romney and “states should decide whether not trampling on the dignity and humanity of gay people is allowed.”
This was a man who pushed for Romney, the guy that has repeatedly sold Babeau’s community out for the likes of NOM. The guy who promoted John “Vehemently stonewall DADT repeal” McCain and Sarah “no domestic partner benefits and ex-gay church services” Palin.
David Roberts
February 20th, 2012
The thing that makes me skeptical of Babeu is his bizarre disconnect from the world in which he has immersed himself. On what planet does he think that it’s just hunky dory to be a GOP operative, spokesman and elected official AND gay?
There is something off about him, and without putting Jose on a pedestal, I would say its power. Only someone who is either incredibly stupid or incredibly arrogant would be using the “it’s my private life” line while thinking he has any chance of a future within that ideological sphere.
Who knows what really happened, but I see little doubt over who had the control in that relationship. I also find it very odd that a professional media company would not have changed the passwords after receiving those accounts from another individual — that’s SOP. Again, maybe they are just sloppy.
mike
February 21st, 2012
here are the facts Babeu: 1: Yes the government needs to be involved in the protection of property of loved ones because who’s going to do it the kkk? 2: the federal government has in place a law preventing my husband and I from marrying anywhere despite what the states laws are individually, it’s called DOMA, repeal that and we’ll talk about how the government shouldn’t get involved. and finally 3: Saying the government shouldn’t be involved in people’s lives while str8 people are allowed to marry and divorce on a whim is a cop-out excuse the pun. The government is supposed to protect the tax paying citizen, last time i checked that’s me the middle class and the unemployed.
Paul K
February 21st, 2012
Babeu “cheated”? At what,Scrabble? Checkers? What kind of insider information do you shrill voices have about the kind of relationship these two had? Probably none, but that is not going to stop many people from reacting emotionally with very little information, grabbing their pitchforks and torches and screaming for blood.Basically this is still just a “he said/he said” story with a LOT of reporters adding their own dramatic spin. Right wing, conservative republicans are not the only sheeple out there folks.
jpeckjr
February 21st, 2012
Has Jose filed a civil lawsuit asking for some kind of damages against Sheriff Paul? If not (and I have heard nothing about such a lawsuit), then the only two reasons this private matter has become public are (1) mean-spirited personal vengence from a jilted lover or (2) mean-spirited politics from a political opponent.
Speculation: has someone paid Jose to make these allegations with the primary goal of exposing Babeu’s sexual orientation, thus making it much, much more difficult for him to continue his political career?
Of course, Babeu’s career as a “celebrity gay” is just beginning. Is that a book deal I see on the horizon?
Charles
February 21st, 2012
“Of course, Babeu’s career as a “celebrity gay†is just beginning. Is that a book deal I see on the horizon?” jpeckjr
I don’t know about any kind of book deal, but my guess that his political career is certainly in jeopardy.
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