Assemblyman Michael Duvall, who resigned on Wednesday after he was caught describing the sordid details of an affair with a lobbyist on a microphone he didn't realize was on, is refusing to admit he had an affair(s):
"Mike Duvall stepped down Wednesday after a videotape surfaced in
which was overheard telling a lawmaker about having sex with a lobbyist
and another woman, including salacious details about how one mistress
wears skimpy underwear and likes to be spanked. The 54-year-old
Republican is married with two adult children. But Duvall said Thursday that his "decision to resign is in no way an admission that I had an affair or affairs." 'My
offense was engaging in inappropriate storytelling and I regret my
language and choice of words. The resulting media coverage was proving
to be an unneeded distraction to my colleagues and I resigned in the
hope that my decision would allow them to return to the business of the
state,' he said in a statement posted on his Web site."
Leaders in California's LGBT community were speaking out about Duvall's record. Said Lorri Jean (below, left) of L.A.'s Gay & Lesbian Center:
"Even as he resigns in shame, former California Assemblymember Michael Duvall
is wallowing in hypocrisy. While engaging in extra-marital affairs, he used
'family values' as a justification to vote against every bill that would have
provided any measure of equal treatment or fairness to LGBT people. He used
the same justification to support taking away the lawful right of same-sex
couples to marry.
"Now he has the temerity to protest that his adultery (with lobbyists) 'is a
private matter' and asks that 'everyone respect the privacy of all involved?!'
"People should respect his privacy when he never respected the privacy of
loving same-sex couples? We should respect his privacy even though HE is
reported to have bragged to colleagues about his sexual exploits? And by the
way, where was their outrage? How many 'family values' conservatives knew what
their brother was up to, voyeuristically listening to his stories but never
speaking out against him or his behavior? How deep is the bench of 'family
values' conservatives who are similarly engaged?
"It's Duvall's hypocrisy regarding his infidelity that makes him so especially
despicable."
The Courage Campaign has called on California's Attorney General Jerry Brown to investigate. Said Chair Rick Jacobs: "While Assemblyman Duvall has been fighting to make marriage a privilege
for heterosexual couples only, he's been making a mockery of the
institution in the California State Assembly, bragging to other elected
officials about raunchy details of his affairs."
