http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/081...evnor12-ON.html

N.J. governor admits to gay affair, announces resignation

Associated Press
Aug. 12, 2004 01:35 PM

TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning announcement, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said.

The married father of two said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15.

A longtime friend and political adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was one of several advisers and staff members who met with McGreevey throughout the afternoon to discuss his political future.

"He's made up his mind," the source said, just before the governor was to attend an afternoon news conference.

McGreevey, a Democrat and former suburban mayor, took office 2½ years ago, and despite inheriting a $5 billion budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans, instead raising taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes.

Among those caught up in recent scandals were his first chief of staff and former counsel; a top Democratic fund-raiser and former high school classmate; and real estate developer Charles Kushner, McGreevey's biggest campaign contributor, who was charged with trying to thwart a federal campaign-finance investigation.

He would be the second governor to resign in weeks, following the resignation in June of Connecticut GOP Gov. John Rowland amid corruption investigations and threats of impeachment.

McGreevey rose from suburban mayor to state chief executive by his tenacious pursuit of party politics, maintaining a power base days after he narrowly lost to Republican Christie Whitman in 1997.

McGreevey never truly stopped that campaign until he won in November 2001, beating Republican Bret Schundler by 15 percentage points.

Born in Jersey City, McGreevey graduated from Columbia University in 1978. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University a year later.

After briefly serving as a county prosecutor, McGreevey became a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company, then a state government official. While in the Legislature, McGreevey voted for Gov. Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax hike that prompted a voter rebellion against Democrats.

If he is gay, why would he resign? Shouldn't you (democrats) be welcoming him out of the closet?

Doesn't his resigning send a signal that gays are not welcome in public service?

Uh no. He is resigning due to numerous scandals which involve fundraising, a sexual assault charge, and corruption. Have you not watched the news or read the report?

I think the problem here is the way he gave his speech, which made it sound as if the reason he was resigning was because he'd had this homosexual affair. Of course, an affair by any married man, whether homosexual or hetereosexual, is extramarital, and therefore wrong. But somehow, for a married man who is a known homosexual (and most of us have known about this for quite some time), doesn't seem like such a big deal. I'm sure McGreevey's wife has known about this all along. I think the problem is that word got out and someone was going to use the information against him. And then there are the other scandals. I'm not real sorry to see him go. I'm just concerned about what it will do to the cause for gay rights. Even though this case is more complicated than that, a person should not have to resign just because he or she is gay.

I was watching this speech and was dumbfounded by what he said. I just thought he was resigning due to other issues, but when he said I am a gay America, I about fell out.

Wow! It is a shame that he felt he must resign. We need every dem governor working for the people that we can get and the Republicans will only use this to further their cause against gay rights. sigh..

Give's new meaning to the slogan "The Garden State". :o

LOL!

One of the best political quotes of all time -- Louisiana's Edwin Edwards telling the media that the only way he could lose an election was to be found in bed with a dead girl or a live boy.

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At first, I wanted Governor McGreevey to stay on, primarily because I know what the Republicans would do to gain control if there were to be an election here so close to the Presidential election... But after reading this, with the prospect of possibly having Senator Jon Corzine as my Governor, I was all for Mc Greevey leaving now. I like Jon Corzine. He votes for the people, he voted againt this war in Iraq, and I believe he could do good things for NJ as our Governor, as he already has done so as our Senator. Then, I got to thinking, if he does this he will have to leave the Senate, and we can't afford by any means to lose him there. What a situation. I feel the most sorry for McGreevey's children who will have to live with this. (and BTW, not to quibble over semantics, but isn't Mc Greevey really bi-sexual?) While I don't believe any public official should resign or have to resign because they are gay or lesbian or even because they have an extra-marital affair ( face it, if that were mandatory, we'd have NO govt), in this case it is said he hired the man he had the affair with for a salary of $110,000, that he was not even a citizen, nor did he have qualifications for the job. I think that is why he really resigned and in that case he was right to do so. That was taxpayer money. It is all very disappointing for me as I voted for Mc Greevey and do believe he was doing good things for this state. I love this state. I was born here, lived here all my life, and am proud that we have spoken out against many of the destructive measures undertaken by Resident Bush. I don't want us to lose another good Senator in Jon Corzine, but then again, I don't want this state falling into the hands of the Bushies. I can't afford to move. :( I suppose we will just have to wait and see what develops.
Jan
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/16/...s.ap/index.html

McGreevey's ability to govern questioned
GOP pushes for immediate resignation

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- America's first openly gay governor plans to return to work later this week, but James E. McGreevey faces a political landscape upended by the admission he had engaged in an extramarital affair with a man and would resign.

"Under the circumstance of this enormous embarrassment, will Jim really have the energy and emotion to do this?" asked David Rebovich, a Rider University political scientist. "I actually think it's really unfair to expect him to."

A spokeswoman said Sunday that McGreevey was taking a few days to spend with his wife while staff members prepared his work schedule for the coming days. The governor has made no public statement since his disclosure on Thursday.

McGreevey's days as a lame duck governor could prove difficult. GOP leaders are pushing for his immediate removal, former aide Golan Cipel is threatening to file a sexual harassment lawsuit, and many questions about his personal and professional relationships remain unanswered.

Even some top Democratic officials want McGreevey to leave office so that U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine can seek the governor's office in a special election that would be held in November.

More at the link above...