Outing the GOP hypocrites

From U.S.Newswire:

Mike Rogers, the nation's top gay activist blogger, says he will out more Republicans on Capitol Hill each day for hypocritically opposing gay rights for political reasons when they themselves are gay -- starting with staff members, then turning to members of Congress and finally the leadership of the Republican Party.

Last night, Rogers posted the first two names of GOP staffers on what he says is his list of closeted hypocrites -- including one high in the office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) -- on his blog at blogactive.com. Rogers also wrote to the House Ethics Committee asking them to investigate the two men because as highly compensated staffers, they had "a vested interest in protecting closeted men like Mark Foley so the majority can remain in power."

A year and a half ago, Rogers blogged on Rep. Mark Foley's conflicted position as a secretly gay man who was voting and working against the gay community's interests.

Appearing on Fox News Channel's "O'Reilly Factor" earlier last night and last Thursday on MSNBC's "Tucker," Rogers said that he believes the stresses of being a closeted gay Republican contributed to Foley's predatory behavior toward House pages.

Also last Thursday, Rogers wrote to leaders of the Christian right in Western New York, asking them to join him in calling on Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) to come clean with constituents on why he did no more than pass the buck to Hastert after he learned of the Foley affair.

Anne F. Downey of North Boston, N.Y., the New York State director of Concerned Women for America, called Rogers back to say that her organization focuses on prayer -- specifically prayer for elected officials -- and that they would be praying for those involved in the scandal. She did not mention praying for the underage victims. The voice mail she left may be heard at http://www.blogactive.com/cwfa.mp3.

Rogers said he would continue outing closeted Capitol Hill Republicans who work against the gay community, despite their own sexual orientation.

"Those who equate being gay with immorality will be surprised just how diverse the House Republican caucus is when it comes to sexual orientation," Rogers said.