New Jersey Governor Resigns--he's gay!

[River Spirit]

CNN reports that the Democratic governor for the state of New Jersey, who is married with two kids, resigned today admitting to an affair with a man stating that he was gay.

What's wrong with this picture?

A married, Christian PResident of the United States can let a girl crawl under his desk for blow jobs, use cigars on her, and stay in office while a governor is forced out of the office because of a homosexual affair?

I consider the governors homosexuality an issue between him and his wife--particularly the affair part. End of story. But the President?

This country has the strangest values.

[bahnisiain]

this was a governor i liked. too bad. i know there were other things going on with him, but.....

[Thumper]

them poor kids.........

[WocusWoman]

He only came out, because he felt he was forced to, at least he didn't pull a Clinton and lie. Don't get me wrong; I'm a Clinton fan, but he blew it, while this man readily avoided alot of trouble by coming right out and telling what's what. His wife must have known something; it was probably just a marriage on paper, to advance his political career. His big mistake was making children with this woman; now they have the mis-fortune of growing up being known as the kids of the gay governor who quit.

[Smokin' Ace]

I think it is sad, but I do applaud him for coming out now - apparently his "collegue" had threatened to tell all in the next few days - and he decided it was time to tell it himself. His wife knew this and I am sure loves him regardless - but this was something he needed to do. And his kids will be fine too - it is better for him to come out now that have a scandal hanging over all of their heads for months and years. Now - it is out - in every sense of the word - let the healing begin...

[crazydazy]

While he was not forced to resign I am sure there ws enough pressure applied. Perhaps however he resigned in an attempt to minimize the affect this will have on his family. Maybe his reasoning is that if he resigns he will be less in the puiblic eye and as such there will be fewer attempts to air all of his dirty laundry in public.

[wannabeUrNo1Snag]

i wuz completely shocked when i heard this..not cuz hes gay but that he actually admitted it in public..even if he had to cuz of the other guy...but its like..enough already...hes gay...lets get over it...apparently he made mistakes as far as his affair and appointin his lover as wut wuz it??..new jerseys homeland security person...i think that should be of more concern...givin someone such a job that had nooooo experience nor the proper background checks...i wish the media would stop pressing the "gay" issue...

[Smokin' Ace]

more info that prompted the timing, and the reasoning...

The Other Man
TRENTON, N.J., Aug. 13, 2004


The man who drove New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey out of the closet and out of office was quietly named to a $110,000-a-year state post shortly after McGreevey took office.

McGreevey aides say it was Golan Cipel's demand for "millions of dollars" that prompted the governor to go public. The aides said Cipel, 35, an Israeli, had threatened to file a sexual harassment suit against the governor unless the money was forthcoming.

In a stunning declaration, McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said.

The Newark Star Ledger reported that McGreevey met Cipel on a trip to Israel four years ago, when the 47-year-old politician was the mayor of Woodbridge, N.J.

Six months later, McGreevey brought Cipel, a former Israeli naval officer, to New Jersey. McGreevey campaign staffers found Cipel an apartment close to McGreevey's home in Woodbridge. Subsequently, Cipel got a $30,000-a-year post as the Jewish outreach director of the state Democratic Party, the Star Ledger said.

Cipel began to come under public scrutiny after the governor named him to the newly created post of Homeland Security adviser shortly after McGreevey took office. There was no background check on Cipel or any public announcement that he was holding the new $110,000-a-year post.

Cipel lasted eight month in state government. Since he was an Israeli citizen, Cipel was barred access to the kind of classified information he would have needed to do the job.

Republicans in the New Jersey legislature, meanwhile, began pressing McGreevey to let them question Cipel. As a result, Cipel resigned from the homeland post but remained on the state payroll at the same salary.

Cipel left state government in 2002. The Star Ledger said McGreevey used his influence to help land his lover two well-paid public relations jobs.

Apparently, it wasn't enough. McGreevey aides said Cipel had threatened to file a lawsuit against the governor unless he came up with money. Cipel has yet to comment on the matter.

According to a law enforcement official quoted by the New York Times, McGreevey's office contacted the FBI Thursday and lodged a complaint alleging that Cipel asked for $5 million to drop the lawsuit - a demand the governor's aides viewed as extortion.

On the same day, McGreevey announced that he was gay and was leaving office at a news conference with his wife by his side. He described decades of sexual confusion that dogged him through two marriages and ultimately led him to an act he called "wrong, foolish and inexcusable."

"Given the circumstances surrounding the affair and its likely impact upon my family and my ability to govern, I have decided the right course of action is to resign," he said, without elaborating on what the circumstances were.

McGreevey refused to answer questions. He said "it makes little difference that as governor I am gay," but added that staying in office and keeping the affair and his sexual orientation secret will leave the governor's office "vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure."

Across New Jersey, people listened to their radios or gathered around TV sets to listen to McGreevey's live news conference, and many were left in shock.

"It's a shame," said Jim Nerney, 48, of Middletown. "He brought a lot of passion to the governor's office, but the fact is that it's not accepted in today's society and he's paying the consequences."

"His sexual orientation doesn't matter to me. I feel he's done a good job, holding the line on taxes," said Donald Bowman, 52, of Kearny, a school district worker in Newark.

Gay rights groups expressed support and compassion for McGreevey, but their reactions were tinged with sorrow because McGreevey announced his resignation just as he became the nation's first openly gay governor.

"It is a very sad to thing to watch. It is kind of stunning, sad to me that in 2004 people are still having to struggle because of homophobia in society to come to terms with who they are," said Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal.

McGreevey rose from mayor of suburban Woodbridge to state chief executive by his tenacious pursuit of party politics, winning the Statehouse in November 2001 by beating Republican Bret Schundler by 15 percentage points.

Despite inheriting a $5 billion budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans. He instead raised taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes and provided millions of dollars worth of property tax rebates that have been showing up in residents' mailboxes in recent weeks.

A former altar boy, he proudly discussed his Roman Catholic faith but publicly disagreed with church leaders over his support for abortion rights and same-sex partnerships. He pushed for the state's domestic-partnership law, which went into effect this year.

Scandal marred McGreevey's tenure following questions over a series of questionable appointments, including the naming of Cipel to the newly created post of homeland security adviser without any background check or official announcement.

McGreevey also came under fire in 2002 for hiring a state police superintendent who had a criminal record. Last year, two former aides were targeted in a federal probe investigating whether they used their political ties to secure business for their billboard company.

This year, a Democratic fund-raiser and former high school classmate of McGreevey's was charged with trying to extort campaign donations from a farmer in exchange for help in selling his land.

Last month, the governor's commerce secretary quit amid reports he funneled money to businesses he owned with family members, and McGreevey's top campaign donor was charged with conspiracy, obstructing a federal investigation and promoting prostitution.