Laura was on with conservative dinosuar Pat Buchanan who was trying to defend the closeted gay Republics by saying they were not hypocrites.
ABRAMS: Another Conservative Republican lawmaker announcing his resignation today after being exposed as both the homosexual and the hypocrite. On October 26, Washington State representative, Richard Curtis apparently dressed in red stockings and a black sequin lingerie top and let‘s just say he wasn‘t on his way to a Halloween party. According to police reports, Curtis who has voted against gay rights legislation visited an erotic video store where he was seen receiving oral sex from an unidentified man inside a viewing booth. The report says he then invited another young man from the store back to his Spokane hotel promising $1,000 for sex. What followed we really can’t repeat on TV. Let’s just say involved lingerie, rope and stethoscopes. They all made appearance. All of these came to light after the conservative lawmaker apparently contacted police claiming he was the victim of extortion by this man.
Joining us now is Cody Castagna, the man who Representative Curtis allegedly paid to have sex with him and his lawyer. Thanks very much for coming on the program to both of you. We appreciate it. Alright, Cody, let me start with you, how did you realize that this guy that you had had sex with was actually a lawmaker?
CODY CASTAGNA, CLAIM HE HAD SEX WITH LAWMAKER FOR MONEY: That would be after he gave me his wallet.
ABRAMS: Why did he give you his wallet?
CASTAGNA: Because he didn‘t have enough money to give me at that time and so he gave me his wallet as collateral.
ABRAMS: And then you say he definitely wasn‘t paying up the money he owed so you started going through his wallet?
CASTAGNA: No. no. He gave me—well, he was tired. He didn‘t want to go down and—plus he didn‘t think he could get that much money at that time of the morning. So, he told me to hold on to his wallet until in the morning when he would be able to go and get the remainder of the money that he promised me.
ABRAMS: And so, it sounds like what he did is he ended up calling the police and claiming that you were trying to extort money from him, right?
CASTAGNA: Yes.
ABRAMS: Mr. Partovi, let me ask you a quick question on that, I mean, it sounds like the reason that this was all sort of came out into the open is because he called the authorities saying—someone is trying to extort money from me and, as a result, this whole investigation ensued, right?
DAVID PARTOVI, CASTAGNA’S LAWYER: I think that‘s absolutely correct. You know, his smart move would have been just to keep his promise and I don‘t think the young man, to my left or to my right, I guess, wouldn‘t have made a big deal about it at all. He chose to take what is essentially consensual simple misdemeanor level conduct between two men and turn it into a violent class B felony that carries an instantaneous six-month sentence for my client with no prior felonies.
ABRAMS: Has anyone been charged yet?
PARTOVI: Nobody’s been charged. I think that it‘s an unreasonable escalation but, you know, in this town, the only reason that I’m really here, Dan, is because this young man hasn‘t been through anything like this before. I have. And, unfortunately, I do expect a charge, even though the evidence, I don‘t think, supports one.
ABRAMS: Against your client, yes. Cody, are you surprised that this is an official – a politician who’s voted against gay rights legislation?
CASTAGNA: That blew my mind when I found that out it didn‘t surprise me though, I mean. But -
ABRAMS: Alright, Cody Castagna and David Partovi, thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
The question is so what is going on with Republicans getting up, wrapped up in these sex scandals? You know, this is the latest incident comes after Senator Larry Craig and the infamous arrest during the sting in the bathroom. Back with us again, Air America’s Laura Flanders and MSNBC’s Pat Buchanan.. Pat, what do you make of this? Are we being unfair by picking a local you know, state official but it does seem to me that this reflects a problem with Republican hypocrisy.
BUCHANAN: I don‘t think so. I mean, look. Obviously—I don‘t think hypocrisy is involved. I don‘t know all the details other than what we heard. But, quite clearly, if this state legislature resigned out of shame and gave up his office, what he is saying is I have engaged in shameful misconduct and that‘s consistent with the way he’s voted. So, I don‘t see the hypocrisy. I think he did do the right thing in resigning. But look, there must be 10 to 20,000 state legislators and 2 to 3 percent of society is homosexual, it is higher in politics and journalism, I will say that so you have got 600 or so of these guys.
FLANDERS: Pat is really trying here. You are really trying here.
ABRAMS: Here’s the difference. And Laura, I will let you get a crack at this one. So, this is his voting record, alright. In 2005 and 2006, he voted against bill granting civil rights protections to gays and lesbians. In 2007, voted against bill creating domestic partnerships for same-sex couples.
FLANDERS: That is what he should have resigned for right there.
ABRAMS: That‘s my problem with it.
FLANDERS: I think the evidence is in, Dan. There is no question. I want every Conservative Republican out there to think about it the next time that you feel inclined to cast a vote against fairness, against equality, we will all know that you like sex with men and you’re chicken and it‘s the being chicken part that disqualifies you for office and should. BUCHANAN: There is no hypocrisy if a guy believes there’s shameful – I mean, if a guy believes adultery is shameful and engages in it, he’s a sinner.
FLANDERS: He is chicken.
BUCHANAN: He resigns and does an honorable thing.
ABRAMS: Is he a hypocrite too?
(CROSSTALK)
ABRAMS: If we find out Pat, that you’ve got illegal nanny, all right, Pat? There are going a lot of people are going to say Pat Buchanan, is a guy has been speaking out against all this immigration-related issues and he’s got an illegal nanny, right?
BUCHANAN: You are right that would be hypothetical because I would have one there for a long time. Dan, you’ve got to realize that not all the homosexuals are in the Democratic Party. There are some in our party.
FLANDERS: Give it up. Not your job. Relax.
ABRAMS: Not about the party. Look, when you’re preaching about how other people should live, you better be living on the straight and narrow.
FLANDERS: We know exactly what those votes mean. We sure do.
ABRAMS: Laura Flanders and Pat Buchanan, thanks a lot, appreciate it.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21577997/