Gay McCain Chief of Staff Mark Buse Was Lobbyist for Freddie Mac

McCain's chief of staff Mark Buse, whose sexuality was recently put under the spotlight by activists Michelangelo Signorile and Mike Rogers, was hired by mortgage giant Freddie Mac a few years ago to work with McCain because they feared the Arizona Senator "was too outspoken" on the issue of executive pay, the Washington Post reports:

"Mark Buse, a longtime McCain adviser who had been staff director of the Senate commerce committee, signed on as a Freddie Mac lobbyist, and his firm, ML Strategies, earned $460,000 in lobbying fees in late 2003 and 2004, according to lobbying disclosures. Buse is now chief of staff at McCain's Senate office. Buse was one of many strategic hires made by Freddie Mac in its efforts to sew up support and manage opponents on Capitol Hill, a push that peaked in 2004 with the retention of 34 outside lobbying firms. Over the past decade, Freddie spent more than $95 million on lobbying, while its sister company, Fannie Mae, spent more than $79 million. ...The story of how Buse came to get involved is emblematic of the interconnections among Fannie, Freddie and the lawmakers whose support was critical for their business."

They add: "McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers said the hiring of Buse did not influence McCain. 'I think the reality is that John McCain takes positions, you know, based on what he believes is in the public interest, period,' Rogers said. 'If these folks thought they were getting something out of John McCain . . . it's not based in fact.' Buse was providing Freddie Mac 'with advice on how to deal with issues of concern to them, you know, both in the commerce committee and in the Senate at large,' Rogers said. Through the McCain spokesman, Buse declined to comment."

And this nugget: "Buse was nicknamed 'The Ferret' because he helped his boss, McCain, find pork-barrel provisions buried in legislation. McCain has said he considered Buse to be like a son."

Who knew? McCain has a gay son.

Lobbyist Hired by Freddie Mac to Work on McCain Is Now Senator's Aide [washington post]

(via joe.my.god)

Previously
Signorile, Rogers: John McCain Chief-of-Staff Mark Buse is Gay [tr]
Jon McCain's Gay Chief of Staff Mark Buse [tr]
Former boyfriend of McCain Chief of Staff Mark Buse calls Buse a "raging queen." [tr]

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #363

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY: New Obama ad warns of a scary future.

JOHN KERRY: On John McCain. "He said he was going to interrupt his campaign to save the negotiations. Most people believe that what he did was interrupt the negotiations to save his campaign."

DENNIS KUCINICH: Kucinich blew his lid on the bailout deal on the House floor on Sunday afternoon.

HYPOCRISY ALERT: A video sent to blogger Mike Rogers on the hypocrisy of McCain and his gay chief of staff Mark Buse.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #361

WANDA SYKES: Talks to Jay Leno about the bailout and Sarah Palin.

BRAZIL GAY UNION: First in the northern state of Paraíba took place last weekend.

JEFF ARNDT: Former boyfriend of McCain Chief of Staff Mark Buse calls Buse a "raging queen."

BROTHERS and SISTERS: Sneak peek at a Kevin and Scotty scene from the upcoming season premiere.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

Jon McCain's Gay Chief of Staff Mark Buse

Here's a better photo of Mark Buse (via Joe.My.God), John McCain's gay chief of staff who Buse describes his jobs over the 17 years he's worked for McCain:

"Started as an intern, worked in the mailroom, answered the phones, legislative correspondent, legislative assistant -- anything that he wanted you to do, I did. You know, sort of just plugged away in the trenches for year after year. And that's sort of the way that he runs things. You know, just, if you are willing to work for him and stick around, he believe in that sort Navy mentality of you work your way up in the ranks."

DailyKos has a thread going on Buse, with 620 comments. They write:

"If John McCain keeps this guy on as his chief of staff, does Sarah Palin still get to be raptured? Honestly. Who is the bigger hypocrite here? Mark Buse, an openly gay man who is spending his life helping John McCain block important gay civil rights issues like marriage and adoption? Or John McCain, who obviously has no problem with gay folks, but has adopted an anti-gay platform out of political expediency and a desire to court people like Sarah Palin, who think that if they just hate enough, they'll be Raptured into the love of Jesus when the End Times come. Ridiculous. Mark Buse is obviously a man of some ability. It ain't nothing to get yourself a position as chief of staff to a powerful senator and presidential candidate. A pity that he is wasting his talents fighting against his gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters. And against everyone else who stands in solidarity for civil rights for all. It's also a pity for us. Because his efforts have contributed to the endless delays, damages and humiliations caused to gay and Lesbian Americans as we wait to achieve a full and equal status as citizens of the U.S."

Signorile, Rogers: John McCain Chief-of-Staff Mark Buse is Gay

Bloggers Mike Rogers and Michelangelo Signorile have been working simultaneously on the same story, which they broke today on their respective blogs as well as Signorile's Sirius radio show. Both Signorile and Rogers, you may know, have become known for outing high-ranking political figures, and today they're reporting that former lobbyist and John McCain's chief-of-staff Mark Buse is gay.

Rogers and Signorile decided to go public because of John McCain's anti-gay platform as well as Sarah Palin's Evangelical Christian background.

As you may know, John McCain doesn't even know what the acronym LGBT stands for. He also doesn't really believe in gay adoption, supports a ban on gays in the military, is worried if his clothing looks too gay, isn't sure if condoms stop the spread of HIV, thinks same-sex marriage ceremonies are okay as long as they're just pretend, and has promised right-wing religious groups that he'll start speaking out more vocally against LGBT causes.

Writes Signorile: "Over the past month I’ve been contacted by three different individuals (two of them members of the Log Cabin Republicans) claiming that McCain’s Senate chief of state, Mark Buse, is gay. None of these individuals would be quoted by name, though each described Buse as being rather 'open' to those around him and to his family – in a 'glass closet' rather than deeply undercover or trying to appear heterosexual. Then I was contacted in recent weeks by 46-year-old Brian Davis, an Arizona resident, who told me about his intimate relationship with Mark Buse (confirmed by his mother, as well as by a long-time friend), and who decided he needed to tell the truth about Buse, on the record, in light of John McCain’s dramatic shift to the ideological religious right in this election and his choice of Sarah Palin, starlet of the evangelical movement, as a running mate."

Rogers went to McCain's office on Friday to present him with his "Roy Cohn Award" but Buse apparently hid in his office and wouldn't come out. Rogers has a video up on his site.

Signorile posted a very brief video clip given to him by Buse's ex-boyfriend when they were dating. You can watch it AFTER THE JUMP and read the details on Signorile's site.

Hypocrisy Bombshell: Antigay John McCain has a Gay Chief of Staff [the gist]
John McCain's Chief of Staff wins Roy Cohn Award [blogactive]