http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/la-na-gaygop6oct06,0,7765808.story?coll=sfla-home-headlinesGays hold many prominent positions in government and business in Washington. But in the GOP ranks, homosexuality is still politically risky. In fact, with the exception of the military, perhaps no institution in America has as strong a "don't ask, don't tell" approach as the Republican Party. ..
Staffers from both parties say they think that several other Republican members of Congress are gay but, at least officially, in the closet. "It's kind of like a secret society," said a gay former congressional staffer who, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
One reason for the secrecy, gay Republicans say, is that their party has grown more hostile to gays in recent years. The trend began with the 2002 congressional election, when GOP leaders made the strategic decision to use religious conservative groups' opposition to gay marriage to turn out voters. For those groups, which consider homosexuality a deviant "lifestyle," few issues rile their membership more. ...
For gay Republicans, staffers say, discretion is the key. And Foley, it seems, had trouble being discreet. In Washington, he was known as someone who liked to stay out late. And at parties, he did not hide his interest in young men. Friends and colleagues urged Foley to take steps to avoid scrutiny. He resigned his membership at a popular gay gym on the advice of his former longtime political advisor and chief of staff Kirk Fordham, according to one former Capitol Hill staffer. Fordham also was known to follow Foley to parties, in some cases intervening to stop the congressman from inviting partygoers back to his apartment.
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