Golden Duke Nomination from TPM Reader CB …
Forget Larry Craig, the scandal involving former Washington state Rep. Richard Curtis, R-Vancouver, is my nominee for Best Sex Scandal for 2007.
Curtis, a representative who voted against gay marriage and domestic partnership legislation, was found to be the alleged victim of an extortion attempt by gay escort/porn model/casino thief Cody Castagna while out of town attending a Republican caucus meeting in Spokane, Washington. As we learned in the detailed police reports, there’s a little bit of everything, from toy stethoscopes to collecting DNA evidence, to an alleged failure to pay for an unprotected sex act.
Even further, there’s the initial denial of any wrongdoing to Curtis’ local paper that he isn’t gay nor did anything illegal, followed by the release of the police reports which led to the resignation. A damaged legislator, combined with a damaged GOP brand pedaling furiously to shore up the flood gates. Later reports showed that Curtis paid for the hotel room of the alleged acts using state reimbursement. What is still uncovered is why an ex-oficio member of the state gaming commission (those designated to vote on tribal casino matters only) was gambling in a tribal casino property the night of the encounter with Mr. Castagna.
Some will probably nominate Larry Craig for this esteemed award, but some foot tapping in a bathroom stall pales in comparison to what is documented by the Spokane police department in reference to Richard Curtis.
Thank you to the Academy for your consideration of this nomination.
I have to admit that Curtis does give Craig a run for his money, though obviously the not-gay, though still apparently rather promiscuous, Idaho senator has the inside track for award category # 5 — Best Scandal — Sex and Generalized Carnality. Here’s our first report on Curtis. For my money, the kicker with Curtis was the bright idea of going to the cops when he got in a dispute with the hooker over payment. Not a good idea. Remember too, for a lot of categories we’re going to get multiple nominations for the same person. So we’ll pick the nomination — with explanation — that best captures the miscreant/crook’ claim on the prize.
Curtis may be the sleeper candidate in category #5. TPM Reader JDV also nominated him …
I respectfully nominate the scandal surrounding former Washington state Rep. Richard Curtis, R-Vancouver, for Category 5, “Best Sex Scandal.”
This scandal had a bit of everything: a hypocritical GOP legislator who had voted against gay marriage and civil rights, a low-life porn actor/hustler by the name of Cody Castagna, claims of extortion and a real life police sting, bizarre props (stethoscope?) and a flat out denial by Curtis to his local newspaper that was obliterated overnight by graphically detailed police reports.
Thank you to the Academy for your consideration of this nomination.
