Jeremy Cormier, an Instagram “influencer,” was blasted by followers on Saturday after posting a photo with his “beach bro,” disgraced former GOP Congressman Aaron Schock.
Cormier was quickly slammed by followers.
Activist James Duke Mason, who was the first to call out gay men posing with Schock at Coachella earlier this year, wrote: “Jeremy, you know I love you, and you're entitled of course to associate with whomever you choose to associate with- but this is disappointing. I don't know who @aaronschock is in his heart, but this is a man who spent a decade actively fighting our rights and has STILL not apologized for it publicly. Think about the LGBT youth who have literally taken their lives because of anti-gay politicians like Aaron. This post really breaks my heart.”
Wrote activist and drag queen Marti Gould Cummings: “Tell him he is a horrible person who put lives in danger and set lgbtq equality back. Tell him 28 states still discriminate in employment, housing, adoptions. Tell him 14 trans women of color have been murdered this year. Tell him he can't have his cake and eat it too. He needs to apologize for his actions in congress and spend everyday of his life working to right the wrongs of the votes he made agains lgbtq people. This is despicable.”
Wrote travel blogger Ben Schlappig: “Nothing to see here, just a disgraced anti-gay politician who refuses to acknowledge his hypocrisy and the harm he has done to our community…”
Added the Instagram sit ‘sexyfamousmen': “When abs are more important than principles. Hope you continue to enjoy the freedoms Aaron fought so hard to deny you in the first place.”
Wrote Ryan Hensler: “This is so f**king corny and so typical of the instagay community. How do you not care he voted against our communities interest while in congress?”
Schock's hypocrisy has been talked about much in recent months, after photographs were taken of him with a group of gay men at the Coachella Music festival, he was spotted talking up various men at a West Hollywood pool, he was photographed putting money in a go-go boy's briefs, and after a nude, sexual video turned up on Twitter.
You may recall that Schock recently slid out of corruption charges including filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, submitting false reports to the FEC, false statements, and theft of government funds, defrauding the government of more than $100,000.
Aside from the dropped corruption charges, Schock is known for his support of a federal amendment to ban same-sex marriage and his support of the military's “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy. As well as that Downton Abbey office, and his unforgettable turquoise belt.
Mason, who took the photo of Schock at Coachella, said at the time: “Normally I wouldn't comment on something like this, but I am just infuriated by these images of former Republican (and anti-gay) Congressman Aaron Schock partying with a group of gay men at Coachella. The fact that he would think he could show his face in public, particularly when he has NEVER renounced or apologized for his votes against gay marriage, gays in the military and against anti-discrimination laws is astounding. My intention isn't to out him or target him personally, but simply to point out the hypocrisy. I saw him at a recent gay social event in West Hollywood and shook his hand before I even knew who he was; he should really be ashamed of himself. And the gays who associate with him without calling him out should know better. It really is a disgrace.”
An FEC filing from Schock in early June raised speculation that he was planning another run for office, but Schock has denied that is happening.
