Gay Mayor Bails to Pursue Relationship

J.W. Lown, who 10 days ago was overwhelmingly reelected to his fourth term as mayor of San Angelo, Texas, abruptly resigned on Wednesday in order to pursue a relationship with a man who is not an American citizen, reports the San Angelo Standard-Times.

Lown, 32, spoke to the newspaper by telephone from an undisclosed location in Mexico, where he and his partner are awaiting a visa to return legally to the United States. He said that he skipped his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday because he did not want to take the oath of office knowing he was "aiding and assisting" someone who was not a citizen.

"I made the final decision when I knew it was the right decision to make for me and my partner and our future -- and for the community," he said.

Lown declined to identify his partner, but said the man came to the United States five years ago to attend Angelo State University in West-Central Texas. Their relationship began in the last two months.

Mayor Lown officially tendered his resignation via a letter delivered to city manager Harold Dominguez on Wednesday morning.

"While I know that the timing of this announcement is less than ideal, I have my own compelling reasons for making this decision," he wrote. "I have made thousands of decisions on behalf of our community, and I weighed this decision in the same manner that I approached other decisions."

The San Angelo City Council must decide whether to appoint a new mayor or allow the position to remain vacant for six months until a new mayor can be elected in a special election in November.