An openly gay freeholder from Hudson County

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An openly gay freeholder from Hudson County

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Posted by cold night on August 22, 2004 at 23:00:50:

Openly gay politician demands McGreevey step down
8/20/2004, 8:46 p.m. ET
By STEVE STRUSNKY
The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — An openly gay freeholder from Hudson County became the latest official to call on Gov. James E. McGreevey to leave office immediately, saying McGreevey appointed an unqualified person to serve as his homeland security adviser, a man who now alleges the governor sexually harassed him.

"Initially, I was quite surprised and I thought it took a lot of courage," Freeholder Ray Velazquez, a fellow Democrat, said Friday. "But after a few days, I realized it was just the governor using his sexuality as a shield to protect himself from his own misdeeds in office."

McGreevey stunned the nation Aug. 12 when he disclosing he is gay and said he had engaged in an extramarital affair with another man. McGreevey also announced he would resign, effective Nov. 15.

Sources in the McGreevey administration identified the man in the affair as Golan Cipel, whom McGreevey appointed as his homeland security adviser at an annual salary of $110,000. Cipel, an Israeli, was unable to get security clearance for the job because he is not a U.S. citizen.

Cipel has insisted that he is heterosexual and was the victim of unwanted advances by McGreevey. McGreevey's office disputes Cipel's allegations.

Following McGreevey's announcement last week, Republicans — and some factions within his own party — called on McGreevey to leave office immediately.

Velazquez, 40, a lawyer who lives with his male partner and an adopted son, said McGreevey's actions perpetuate stereotypes "that gays are devious and cannot be trusted." He said McGreevey "mishandled his office."

"This is not someone who fought his fears about coming out of the closet and decided the time was right," Velazquez said. "This is someone who found himself in a corner, and he sat down and strategized."

McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen called Velazquez's assertions "nonsense."

"The governor made it quite clear in his remarks that his sexual identity was not the issue," Rasmussen said. "He took full responsibility for his actions. That doesn't mean blaming anything. He simply offered an explanation, not an excuse."

Rasmussen said McGreevey's decision to resign is clear proof the governor was acting responsibility. McGreevey chose Nov. 15 as his departure date to ensure a smooth handoff of power to state Senate President Richard Codey, D-Essex, who will become acting governor, Rasmussen said.

Velazquez disagrees.

"I think enough is enough. If he truly is proud to be a gay American, if he truly cares about the gay community, he should resign and take this off the front pages," Velazquez said. "His actions seemed to be very questionable, hiring someone at $110,000 as homeland security adviser. And now there's allegations of sexual harassment. It's ugly."

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: Openly gay politician demands McGreevey step down
: 8/20/2004, 8:46 p.m. ET
: By STEVE STRUSNKY
: The Associated Press

: NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — An openly gay freeholder from Hudson County became the latest official to call on Gov. James E. McGreevey to leave office immediately, saying McGreevey appointed an unqualified person to serve as his homeland security adviser, a man who now alleges the governor sexually harassed him.
:
: "Initially, I was quite surprised and I thought it took a lot of courage," Freeholder Ray Velazquez, a fellow Democrat, said Friday. "But after a few days, I realized it was just the governor using his sexuality as a shield to protect himself from his own misdeeds in office."

: McGreevey stunned the nation Aug. 12 when he disclosing he is gay and said he had engaged in an extramarital affair with another man. McGreevey also announced he would resign, effective Nov. 15.

: Sources in the McGreevey administration identified the man in the affair as Golan Cipel, whom McGreevey appointed as his homeland security adviser at an annual salary of $110,000. Cipel, an Israeli, was unable to get security clearance for the job because he is not a U.S. citizen.

: Cipel has insisted that he is heterosexual and was the victim of unwanted advances by McGreevey. McGreevey's office disputes Cipel's allegations.

: Following McGreevey's announcement last week, Republicans — and some factions within his own party — called on McGreevey to leave office immediately.

: Velazquez, 40, a lawyer who lives with his male partner and an adopted son, said McGreevey's actions perpetuate stereotypes "that gays are devious and cannot be trusted." He said McGreevey "mishandled his office."

: "This is not someone who fought his fears about coming out of the closet and decided the time was right," Velazquez said. "This is someone who found himself in a corner, and he sat down and strategized."

: McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen called Velazquez's assertions "nonsense."

: "The governor made it quite clear in his remarks that his sexual identity was not the issue," Rasmussen said. "He took full responsibility for his actions. That doesn't mean blaming anything. He simply offered an explanation, not an excuse."

: Rasmussen said McGreevey's decision to resign is clear proof the governor was acting responsibility. McGreevey chose Nov. 15 as his departure date to ensure a smooth handoff of power to state Senate President Richard Codey, D-Essex, who will become acting governor, Rasmussen said.

: Velazquez disagrees.

: "I think enough is enough. If he truly is proud to be a gay American, if he truly cares about the gay community, he should resign and take this off the front pages," Velazquez said. "His actions seemed to be very questionable, hiring someone at $110,000 as homeland security adviser. And now there's allegations of sexual harassment. It's ugly."

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