Back in 1998, several angry liberals starting threatening GOP lawmakers who insisted on pushing the Clinton impeachment ordeal: If you go after Clinton for his affair, we’ll expose your affairs as well.
It was hardly a sweeping success. Republicans continued their witch hunt unabated while we learned more than we wanted to know about some conservative lawmakers — Gingrich, Barr, Hyde, Chenoweth, Burton, Livingston — with less-than-pure personal lives.
Nevertheless, with a vote coming right up on the offensive Federal Marriage Amendment, some on the left are brining the ’98 tactic back, this time, with a twist.
With action on the Federal Marriage Amendment slated for next month, gay activists are renewing calls to “out” closeted members of Congress, as well as gay staffers who work for members who support the amendment.
The Washington Blade reports that activist John Aravosis has called for the names of members and staff so that they may be publicly identified. “If you’re gay and you support making sexual orientation a political weapon, then your sexual orientation is fair game, and you will be outed to the rafters,” he told the Blade.
This comes after a flier was circulated at the gay pride festival earlier this month urging “attendees to email an anonymous Hotmail account with the names” of gay people on the Hill.
The Blade also reports another activist, Mike Rogers, has called gay aides at six offices of members who support the amendment, urging them to come out. He was so persistent, apparently, that Rep. Charlie Stenholm’s (D-Texas) office filed a harassment complaint with the Capitol Police.
This could backfire and hurt a lot of people, particularly if the plan is to go after staffers. We can only hope that the activists exercise a lot of restraint and discretion.
That said, if there’s a GOP lawmaker who’s railing against an alleged “homosexual agenda” and voting for the FMA despite being secretly gay, he or she is practically inviting this kind of attack. Stay tuned.