Outside the Beltway

U.S. Rep. Ed Schrock Announces Retirement (AP)

Republican U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock abruptly announced Monday that he will not seek a third term, citing unspecified allegations that have “called into question” his ability to serve. Schrock said in a five-paragraph statement that he has “come to the realization that these allegations will not allow my campaign to focus on the real issues facing our nation.” The release said he would not comment further on his decision, nor did he comment specifically on the allegations.

Schrock’s decision leaves the Republicans scrambling to field another candidate to oppose Democrat David B. Ashe in the conservative district, which includes Norfolk and the resort city of Virginia Beach. “Wow. I had not heard that. That’s really something,” said Ashe, a lawyer, in a telephone interview. Schrock, 63, a retired Navy officer and Vietnam veteran, was elected to the seat in a 2000 Republican sweep of Virginia in an area that is home to the world’s largest U.S. naval base.

In January 2001, Schrock was elected president of the Republican House freshman class and landed a seat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Hat tip: Jeff Quinton

Daily Kos reports:

According to BlogActive, Rep. Ed Schrock, R-VA-2, co-sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, uses the MegaMates telephone dating service to hook up with gay men for sex.

There is also a rather disturbing audio version of what purports to be Schrock’s come-on ad on said service. Kos has a transcript of it as well. It is, shall we say, rather explicit.

I find the idea of “outing” people for political purposes repugnant. Still, when the “outie” is running on a family values ticket and supporting a ban on gay marriage, it’s hard to find much sympathy for him if the charges are in fact true. It has to be devastating for the wife and kids, however.

US Politics

Daily Kos, Jeff Quinton, same-sex marriage, US Navy, Vietnam, Virginia

14 responses to “Gay Republican Outed, Resigns”

Director Mitch

August 30, 2004 at 8:56 pm

> supporting a ban on gay marriage, it’s hard to find much sympathy for him if the charges are in fact true.

So your point is that by default every homosexual must support gay marriage? By that logic all heterosexuals must, by default, oppose it.

I with you on the rest of it, though.
Jeff Harrell

August 30, 2004 at 9:08 pm

I wonder how long it’s going to take folks like Markos to wrap their heads around the idea that people can enjoy having sex with other people of the same gender and still be opposed to the changing the definition of marriage.

These folks will probably use the term “hypocrite.” Which just shows that they don’t get it.
James Joyner

August 30, 2004 at 9:19 pm

Just that, if you’re an active but closeted homosexual and working against a cause that a lot of homosexuals find self-defining, it’s not surprising if they “out” you.

It is rather hypocritical to run as a family values Republican while leading a sleazy secondary existence, however.
Bithead

August 30, 2004 at 9:26 pm

Does seem a bit strange, though…
IN the case of Bubba Clinton, Democrats were complaining that his personal life was exactly that, and shouldn’t enter into any discussion on fitness for office. Yet yet in a case like this, those judhgements are given the heave ho.

As I say… strange how that works
Jeff

August 30, 2004 at 9:29 pm

The Virginian-Pilot story linked by Drudge (and on my blog) has more details of how the whole situation evolved over the past 2 weeks.
Attila Girl

August 31, 2004 at 1:11 am

On the surface, you are correct. However, it’s not necessarily hypocrisy unless he was secretly asking men to marry him.

We should all have the freedom to espouse the values we believe in–even when we may not be able to live up to them perfectly.

Of course, the libertarian in me is delighted that we may finally have to recognize how widespread homosexuality is–and make some sort of allowance for it, whether that means marriage or something else. Neither Democrats nor Republicans should have to lead double lives.
Kathy K

August 31, 2004 at 9:36 am

I have to agree with Attila Girl on that one.

But if he’s running on family values and committing adultery, that is hypocritical (no matter who he commits adultery with).
carpeicthus

August 31, 2004 at 9:55 am

D.M.:

Your logic does not come close to my Earth-logic. Even if that’s what James had been saying, the extension is that heterosexuals must support heterosexual marriage, which is not mutually exclusive.
dc

August 31, 2004 at 12:12 pm

The exposure of Ed Shrock as a secret homosexual must be tough for his wife and chldren. Keeping this kind of secret was the wrong choice to make. His choice to quit the race and give up his office is another wrong choice. His personal life does not necesarrily have to impact his public life. This is something he should have let the people of Virginia decide. Clinton proved that personal weaknesses can be forgiven by the public. It helped, of course, that Clinton besides being a weak man was a strong president.
James Joyner

August 31, 2004 at 12:17 pm

dc,

If that is indeed him on the tape, he has zero chance of re-election in Virginia. Maybe in Barney Frank’s district but not in the South.
dean

September 1, 2004 at 5:01 am

I don’t live in VA, but it seems to me that Schrock is a political figure who chose to make anti-gay positions a political policy with impacts on people throughout the country. Outing him is political news and important because it directly calls into question his motivations on public policy.. just like taking a bribe or ownership in a company would. Are you saying if Mrs. Bush had a secret abortion and W wants to make it illegal in all cases it wouldn’t be news worthy? This is different than Clinton’s private life. He wasn’t trying to change the Constitution to ban cigars.
D Cyanide

September 1, 2004 at 11:17 am

This is the second time I had to post. Guess freedom of speech doesn’t exist here. Guess it is the Republican way “Freedom of speech, as long as we agree”