(UPDATE: The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center released a statement on the resignation. It’s great — and below the fold.)
Well that didn't take long, did it? The hot mic did in the Prop 8-supporting Republican Sexual Hypocrite.
Statement from Assemblyman Mike Duvall regarding his resignation from office today:
September 9, 2009
"I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working hard on the very serious problems facing our state. I have come to the conclusion that it would not be fair to my family, my constituents or to my friends on both sides of the aisle to remain in office. Therefore, I have decided to resign my office, effective immediately, so that the Assembly can get back to work."
Heh. From the LA Times:
Capitol Blackberries are buzzing after KCAL-TV Los Angeles late Tuesday night aired a videotape of the Orange County GOP lawmaker talking to a colleague at a committee hearing in explicit detail about recent trysts.
In the KCAL report, Duvall (R-Yorba Linda), the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee vice chairman, appears not to realize that his microphone is on during a lull in a July committee hearing and talks about his conquest of two women.
Reporter Dave Lopez then reports that Duvall says on the tape that the women with whom he has been having sex are lobbyists.
Gee, why did the LA Times avoid the details of the hot mic sex session?
"She wears little eye-patch underwear…So, the other day she came here with her underwear, Thursday. And? so, we had made love Wednesday-a lot! And so she'll, she's all, 'I am going up and down the stairs, and you're dripping out of me!' So messy!"
The game was up when his pals at the anti-gay Capitol Resource Institute tossed him overboard in this statement:
Assemblyman Michael Duvall (R-Orange County), a second term member of the legislature, has been the focus of much media attention in the last 24 hours based on revelations of apparent extramarital affairs. In many of these stories, Capitol Resource Institute was cited as giving Assemblyman Duvall high marks for his pro-family voting record.
“It is always disappointing when a champion of traditional values does not practice the same in his private life. And this appears to be the case with Assemblyman Duvall,” said Karen England, Executive Director of CRI. “Assemblyman Duvall was one of just a few California legislators to receive a 100% on CRI’s annual scorecard. But CRI only tabulates votes. It was left to Mr. Duvall to reveal if those values are part of his own life.”
Much of what has been reported about Assemblyman Duvall comes from his own statements picked up on a microphone that he apparently did not know was live.
“At CRI we applaud good votes, but we also desire consistency. If these allegations are true, then Assemblyman Duvall’s private actions contradict and undermine his public votes” said England.
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer Lorri L. Jean issued the following statement, in regard to reports of California Assemblymember Michael Duvall’s extra-marital affairs and his resignation statement:
“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. He joins a long line of equally discredited, anti-gay “family values” conservatives like evangelical U.S. Senators David Vitter and John Ensign, and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. At least Duvall had a modicum of decency and resigned, while those of the Vitter/Ensign/Sanford ilk brazenly continue on, still embraced by their “family values” colleagues.
“‘Family values’ has become a code word for more than abject anti-gay bigotry, it’s now a sham to divert attention from the real behavior of those protesting to be such devoted family men. Duvall and his brethren should focus on their own ranks, rather than attacking LGBT people and trying to prevent loving same-sex couples from marrying.”




28 Comments


Wait a sec…Wait a sec…isn’t he supposed to appear in front of the cameras with his stoic wife and family beside him, saying how they’re all going to rally together and work through this?
And two days later the wife files for divorce?
Is it wrong for me to be hearingThe bullie’s laugh from the Simpsons? You know “Ha, Ha.”
On second thought – it’s not wrong at all.
Another John Edwards Type Hypocrite and LiarUnfortunately, people like this can be found in the party we like and the party he’s from. The common thread is taking a public stand (to set an example and implement legislation for others) that is opposite to a politician’s private behavior.
John Edwards took his children out of school and trotted them around the country, along with his cancerous wife, pretending to be a family man.
Regardless of party, “don’t believe the hype.”
Good riddance.It always pleases me so much to see a “family values” hypocrite fall from grace. Just desserts, and all that jazz. I only hope that the probes into his ethics violations continue despite his resignation.
I’m just glad that he decided (or was forced, which I think is more likely) to step down from his office. It’s too bad that Vitter, Sanford, Ensign, Craig, and many others far too numerous to list didn’t have the decency to do the same.
“I am deeply saddened”I got caught.
End of story.
Dena
Now that I saw a picture of himI’m gonna need more brain-bleach….stat
Crappy apology“I’m sorry for my comments, which were supposed to be private”
WTF?
How about you’re sorry for being a lying, hypocritical, cheating, unethical–quite LITERALLY in bed with lobbyists–crooked politician?
Are you not sorry about that?!
NopeAnd everyone’s personal business is supposed to be private, but he doesn’t mind butting into that.
Gotta love it when these pervs get served what they’ve been dishing out for years.
Do it taste good?
apology was dripping with insincerity….that was insincerity right?
He is angry and running scaredthese where not just women in the capitol. These where lobbyist who happen to be from the same companies as the committee he chairs. If you think bribery is bad try in kind sexual favors for inappropriate votes. Not to mention the prospect of a Heidi Fliess little black book scenario that would taint the reputation of other leaders. He is running to avoid investigation and prosecution and I hope he doesn’t get away with. Can’t believe the national media still hasn’t picked up the story though.
He can kiss all that tail goodbye nowHe’s just another old, fat insurance salesman now.
What bothers meApparently he’s been yucking it up (of his sexual exploits) with his Republican buddies for quite some time. You’d think they would tell this jerk to cool his jets and quit cheating on his wife but I’m sure plenty love to hear these juicy details since they can’t get any themselves. Living garrulously though others I suppose.
Dena
I’m sure Keith &/or Rachel will have a good timewith this story. Maybe not tonight as they’ll be dissecting Obama’s Health care speech (if they’re not pre-empted altogether). But soon.
But they don’t really count as national media, but they are the foot in the door.
HmmWith my little eye, I spy
that he patched this together…
oh PLEASE have Rrachel with Anna Marie Cox on this story…PLEASE!!!
oh honey, even Vitter in his diaper is laughing
Mike’s Apology, Draft 1“I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major dripping mess for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working with hard-ons on the very serious lobbyist problems facing our state. I have come-a lot! and in conclusion it would not be fair to my family, my constituents or to my little eye-patch underwear sales girl who straddles both sides of “the aisle” to get permission to remain in my office. Therefore, I have decided to resign my office, effective immediately, so that the Assembly can get back to work.”
Hm…is there some legal liabilityassociated with actually having sex with lobbyists when one is a legislator and/or regulator? And if there is, might there also be for knowing about the situation and doing nothing?
Have mercy on me Lurleen!I’m out of brain bleach!
Dena
MENbeat polly to the punch
One of my favorite sayings,
“Not all men are pigs…some are dead”
thought that one about many-a-date.
Not illegalTo sleep with lobbyist, just very, very unehtical.
If could be proven their was a quid pro quo agreement, it might qualify as illegal.
But that’s impossible to prove probably. Unless the lobbyist testifies to such (very, very unlikely IMO).
Interesting timing on this story. Apparently it’s been known for a while.Duvall brags a lot. Somebody went through old tapes of meetings until they found this one. I wonder why it was released today?
Obama’s speech? Or some other reason? Maybe just a coincidence, but I doubt it…
Unless…
Unless something ‘of value’ changed hands in return for an official act of the now-ex-legislator – and, when last I checked, the something ‘of value’ can be something illegal (read: sex for money/vote/influence/etc.)
I am so sorry John Edwards had an affair……because he is the one and only Democrat brought up every single time yet another Republican is exposed doing something that makes a simple affair look almost wholesome in order to prove that Democrats and Republicans are exactly the same.
No, they aren’t.
You could spend an hour compiling a list of all the sleazy public sex antics, fetish-indulging, adultery-committing, child-corrupting, Appalachian-trailing insane sexual depravity of Republicans in just the past few years alone. On the Democratic side? John Edwards had an affair — while not in office.
I’m no big fan of the Democrats. Just a big fan of the truth.
New RuleAll persons vociferously opposing same-sex marriage are automatically assumed to be cheating on their spouses.
Lobbyist sex partners representing things that he legislates onwould seem to approach the level of brobery.
I feel sorry for all of the partners of the people involved, his wife and the two husbands.
hahahaha *snort* hahahaNext up: “There once was a state legislator/Who …”
Thank you Heidi Dejong Barsuglia Married lobbyist who, due to questionable feminine hygiene habits and eye patch lingerie, brought down Mr Duvall….