Fierce Anti-Gay California Republican State Senator Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield (and apparent deep closet case) has taken leave from his elected position after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving after leaving a gay bar in Sacramento with a "male companion."
Meanwhile local media quoting multiple source say Ashburn, a single father of four, has become a regular at local gay bars despite having been one of the staunchest opponents of gay rights in the State Legislature.
One of his favorite hangouts is apparently "Badlands," a large gay complex in what is known locally as Lavender Hill.
Ashburn, 55, has served in the Legislature since 1996 and consistently has voted against bills that would expand legal protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Californians.
Ashburn was arrested and booked into Sacramento County jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol just after 2 a.m. Wednesday.
A Sacramento television station cited unnamed sources in reporting that Ashburn had spent the evening at Faces, a large gay dance club a few blocks from where police stopped him. (The bar was holding "Miss Gay Latina Night" )
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Ashburn is seen regularly at gay clubs and bars near Faces.
Capitol staffers say it is an open secret that Ashburn frequently visits Sacramento's gay establishments.
One person who said he has seen Ashburn out on several occasions is Christopher Cabaldon, the mayor of West Sacramento, who came out as gay while in office in 2006.
Cabaldon said he has seen Ashburn at Badlands and the Depot, two gay establishments across the street from Faces, on multiple occasions and as recently as in the past few months.
"From my own experience I totally understand the fear and issues of being out in politics," said Cabaldon, adding that he did not know Ashburn's sexual orientation.
But, he said, "The hypocrisy - that's what's problematic.
The notion that you think it's OK to live in the community and expect that you're going to be safe and protected when you are, during the daytime, doing everything to deny those protections."
Ashburn could not be reached for comment.
His staff said they have not had contact with him since the day before the arrest, although the office did release a statement from the senator regarding his arrest that read: "I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did."
Ashburn has voted against bills establishing same-sex marriage, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in businesses, and strengthening anti-bullying and harassment protections for gay youth in public schools.
Equality California, the state's leading gay rights lobbying organization, has consistently given Ashburn a zero-percent rating in its annual scorecard of lawmakers' votes on gay rights.
Geoff Kors, the executive director of Equality California, said Ashburn has "one of the worst records of anyone in the Legislature" on expanding rights for LGBT people.
