Was Senator at Gay Bar Before DUI

Some media outlets are questioning initial reports that California state senator Roy Ashburn was at a gay bar in Sacramento before he was arrested on drunk driving charges early Wednesday morning.

On Thursday, CBS 13 reported that Ashburn, who has an antigay voting record, had been pulled over by the state highway patrol and charged with two misdemeanors: driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level higher than .08% or higher. The station said that he left a popular gay bar, Faces, with another man before his arrest.

However, the Visalia Times-Delta questions the claim about the bar visit.

"Despite the frenzy, the Sacramento station's reports have been unsubstantiated, and the manager of Faces, the gay nightclub Ashburn was said to have visited, told the Talking Points Memo blog that she did not see the senator there Tuesday night," reported the Times-Delta.

In addition, NBC station KGET 17 quotes the gay bar's chief financial officer, who cannot confirm whether Ashburn visited the large venue, which has five rooms and three dance floors.

"Mike Johnston, the chief financial officer of Faces Nightclub would not confirm if the senator was spotted there," reported KGET 17. "'We had a management meeting with the management staff and none of the managers saw him and none of the staff we spoke with saw him. We can't confirm he was here, we can't confirm it,' Johnston said."

Ashburn was pulled over with an unidentified man in his state-owned black Chevy Tahoe. The man's identity has not been disclosed because he was not charged.

Ashburn, a divorced father of four, has not spoken publicly about the incident except to issue an apology. He did not report to work at the legislature on Thursday.