Richard Curtis,
the latest Republican to become embroiled in a gay sex
scandal, will resign his post in the Washington State house
of representatives.
Richard Curtis,
the latest Republican to become embroiled in a gay sex
scandal, will resign his post in the Washington State house
of representatives, according to a statement released
by the legislator's office. The announcement came
Wednesday after he admitted to police that he had
engaged in sex with Cody Castagna, contradicting his initial
statement that they did not have sex.
“Today I
submitted my letter of resignation to Governor Gregoire
effective immediately," Curtis said in the statement. "While
I believe we've done some good and helped a lot of
people during the time I served in the legislature,
events that have recently come to light have hurt a
lot of people. I sincerely apologize for any pain my actions
may have caused.
“This has
been damaging to my family, and I don't want to subject them
to any additional pain that might result from carrying
out this matter under the scrutiny that comes with
holding public office.”
Castagna
allegedly tried to blackmail Curtis for $1,000, threatening
to reveal to the lawmaker's wife that the two had had
sex if he did not pay, The Columbian newspaper,
based in Vancouver, Wash., reported. According to
Castagna's statement to police, Curtis said
his wife knew he was attracted to men and didn't
approve, so Curtis only met with men when
traveling out of town.
In 2001, Castagna
pleaded guilty to a forgery case. He served two months
in jail and a year in community custody, The
Columbian reports.
Curtis is a
two-term Republican senator and retired fire department
captain. He was visiting Spokane for a GOP strategy session
gearing up for the 2008 legislative race.
"I feel that,
honestly, I'm being wrongly accused and that [Curtis]
is using his power to take it off of him and put it on me,"
Castagna, 26, said Tuesday at a press conference. "He
has completely changed what actually happened and
turned it around for his favor." Castagna's attorney,
David Partovi, added that his client did not make the
alleged threats and that this is a "low-level situation
that's being blown out of proportion by somebody who
is trying to save themselves."
Curtis contacted
Washington State patrol sergeant Roy Rhine, a friend and
Republican who has run for the state legislature. According
to a Spokane police report, Curtis went to Rhine
because he was concerned that local police would
leak the story to the press. The state patrol reported
the case to Spokane authorities.
Spokane police
have video footage from the hotel and the sex shop,
digital records of when Curtis's hotel room door was opened
and closed, and hotel records purportedly showing the
rental of gay porn movies by someone in Curtis's room,
The Columbian reports. (The
Advocate)
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