CNN: 'Pressured' resignation in another GOP gay scandal

David Edwards
Published: Wednesday October 31, 2007

Washington State lawmaker Richard Curtis resigned his office tonight after a man he allegedly paid for sex spoke to the media about the encounter. Curtis is the third conservative lawmaker in just as many months to resign amid allegations of soliciting gay sex. CNN noted similarities between the seemingly 'pressured' resignations in this and other Republican scandals involving homosexuality.

"I sincerely apologize for any pain my actions may have caused," Curtis wrote in a statement. "This has been damaging to my family, and I don't want to subject them to any additional pain that might result from carrying out this matter under the scrutiny that comes with holding public office."

The Associated Press reports, "Three days earlier, Curtis had insisted to his local newspaper that he was not gay and that sex was not involved in what he said was an extortion attempt by a man last week. But in police reports, Curtis said he was being extorted by a man he had sex with in a Spokane hotel room. The other man contends Curtis reneged on a promise to pay $1,000 for sex."

Read more about the case at this link.

The following video is from CNN's Situation Room, broadcast on October 31, 2007.

Original article posted here.