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Mike Rogers: Anti-Gay SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is Closeted and Gay

The South Carolina Lieutenant Governor with a lengthy anti-gay voting record and who has previously denied that he is gay is lying, according to Mike Rogers. The über-blogger and gay political gadfly, whose work outing closeted anti-gay politicians such as Larry Craig is prominently featured in the documentary Outrage, reports that South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is closeted, has hit on several men, and, at least one man reports having sex with him.

The source and two former employees of Bauer served on his staff between 2004 and 2007. They reported to me that on a total of three occasions Bauer spent hours alone with men in hotel rooms. Each of them explained that the visits were with younger men who were not on the staff of the Lt. Governor nor had any official reason to be with him. The two men each confirmed that they had not known each other and each described similar circumstances under which these interactions occurred. One of them confirmed that he was told by the Lt. Governor's visitor he had a sexual encounter with Bauer.

The right wing Christian conservative bachelor has long been the subject of rumors. Openly gay South Carolina state legislator Linda Ketner outed him last May along with Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Bauer's outing leaves the South Carolina Republican Party with a vexing moral imperative. Bauer called for the resignation of the disgraced, anti-gay and serial philandering Gov. Mark Sanford—who flew down to Argentina for a tryst with his girlfriend.

Mike Rogers boasts a 100% track record in outing closeted anti-gay politicians. Rogers outed Sen. Larry Craig almost one year before his well-publicized arrest in the Minneapolis Airport men's room.

HOT: Nelson Nieves Strips Down and Goes Nude for "PREF"

The new issue of French homostyle glossy PREF is devoted to diversity and boasts a multicultural roster of hotness. Red Models' red hot Nelson Nieves covers the issue. The Yonkers, NewYork native was last seen as the face and bare chest of K-Swiss and walked in that fabulous Sean John runway show.  

Brooklyn-based photographer Justin-Julius Santos lensed the cover editorial. The issue debuts September 4 in France.

WHEN YOU JUMP, two more photos including an attractive view of the front.

Patrick Calls For January 19 Special Election for Kennedy's Seat

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has announced Tuesday, January 19 2010 as the date for a special election to select a replacement for the remainder of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s term. The governor says he will continue to push for legislation that will allow him to appoint a temporary successor. Legislators will hold a September 9 hearing on that bill.

The press conference, WHEN YOU JUMP.

John Kerry Latest Democrat to Capitulate on Public Option

Just like his vote to authorize the Iraq War, Sen. John Kerry was "for" the public health insurance option before he was "against" it. In an interview with the Associated Press, the former Democratic presidential nominee becomes the latest capitulating Democrat to invoke WWTD: What Would Ted Kennedy Do?

Kerry said Kennedy would fight for the public option and "do everything in his power to get it," but "if he didn't see the ability ... to get it done, he would not throw the baby out with the bathwater."

There's also this interview with TIME where Kerry discusses dropping the public option in the name of "bipartisanship" to—wait for it—"preserve" Kennedy's legacy: "Kerry has been watching the coverage following Kennedy's death, and he worries about progressives using Kennedy's passing as an excuse to dig in their heels on the inclusion of a public option, a key point of contention. Senate Republicans have said they will not vote for a bill with one in it."

Not exactly. House and Senate Republicans say they won't vote for ANY bill.

But that is news that Kerry believes Senate Democrats and the White House are "fighting" for something. There are quite a few Democrats fighting for several things right now. Unfortunately none of them are in the White House.

Mary Cheney Donates Cash to Anti-Gay Ohio Senate Candidate

Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has dipped into her ample checking account and donated $1,000 to Rep. Rob Portman, the anti-gay Ohio congressman running for Senate. Portman believes couples such as Cheney and longtime partner Heather Poe should not be able to marry or adopt children. Both of  the Democratic opponents support marriage equality.

Raw Story: "The donation to former Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH) was made in May. Portman is seeking the Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) when he retires in 2011....As an Ohio congressman, Portman voted yes on banning gay adoptions in the District of Columbia in 1999. He also voted in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in 2004. Portman’s opposition to same-sex marriage is particularly salient, because both of his potential Democratic challengers favor its legalization. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner reaffirmed her backing for gay marriage in a posting at The Huffington Post in June, and a spokesman for Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher announced that he’d reversed his opposition the same month. Robert Paduchik, Portman’s campaign manager, told the Columbus Dispatch in June that the erstwhile congressman still opposes same-sex marriage. 'Rob Portman has always believed that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman,' Paduchik said."

Keep making mom and dad proud, Mary.

LeToya Luckett on Same-Sex Marriage: "It's Going to Happen. Everybody Deserves Love"

David Michael Conner at The Advocate publishes an amazing interview with former "Destiny's Child" LeToya Luckett who cast super-sexy footballer Will Demps in her "Torn" music video. The Houston native chats up her new album Lady Love and the hot track "She Ain't"—which she says she "knew the kids would love"—and says attitudes toward gays are changing in the South.

Absolutely. Ab-so-lutely. It’s one of those things that’s like, you know what, you’ve got to let people be who they are. Whether you agree with a lifestyle or not, you have to let that person be who they are. You have to love them for who they are.

I just went to the Latex Ball in New York. Oh, my God! I have never seen so much creativity in one room. So much freedom. That’s what I appreciate about the gay community. You know: Do you and don’t worry about other people and their opinions. It’s so colorful and lively, and everybody’s not sitting around and -- you know when you go to a club and everybody’s sitting around and standing along the walls and people watch? It’s not about that. Everybody [at gay clubs] is ready to let their hair down and have fun and get into it, and that’s about love.

I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. A lo-o-ong time. I mean, they were givin’ it, Honey! Gi-ving. And I love that. I love it. I can’t stand hateful people. I can’t stand hard-hearted people, and unfortunately there’s a lot of people like that in this world, and it’s got to die. Let it die, let it die, let it die. Let love live.

Luckett says that she believes same-sex marriage will "eventually happen" in her native Texas. "Or people are going to move and go to places where it’s accepted. I don’t know if it’ll happen tomorrow, but whatever is in God’s will, it will be. Hey, everybody deserves love. Everybody deserves commitment. And why shouldn’t the gay community have that?"

She might be onto something about attitudes slowly changing in Texas. A brand new poll released this morning by 11 News/KUHF Houston Public Radio shows openly lesbian Houston City Controller Annise Parker "leads her main opponents in the race to become the city’s next mayor."

Male South African Student Expelled After Wearing Dress to School

An 18-year South African who calls himself "a gay" has been expelled from school since March because he wore a dress to Kwena Molapo Comprehensive Farm School near Bultfontein, Free State, reports Behind the Mask.

"Given Seoketsi said the principal asked if he was a boy or a girl. He replied that he was 'a gay' and the principal told him to bring his mother with him when school reopened to discuss his sexual orientation. His mother Neisi Seoketsi said the principal said her child had to choose to be either a boy or a girl because the school only had classes for boys and girls. Neisi said she told the principal that her son was born like that. 'My son did not like playing with boys and preferred girls . He wanted dresses though we tried to force him to wear trousers.' "

A Department of Education spokesperson says authorities hope the student can return to school "immediately."

South Africa has one of the most liberal constitutions in the world and is the only African nation where same-sex marriage is legal. The reality is often much different for black gay men and lesbians in the townships. Three men are currently on trial for the brutal rape and murder of Eudy Simelane, the lesbian international South African soccer star. 

Thanks PIETER and CC

Grade 11 Student Expelled [BTM]

WATCH: Shirtless and Sweaty Larry Fitzgerald Wants His Face on ...

... Your VISA card. What did you think we were going to say?

The opening montage of the television spot for the Desert Schools VISA affinity card, only seen in Arizona, features a shirtless Larry Fitzgerald. The star wide receiver of the Cardinals is also seen with this biceps glistening and working up a sweat in the gym. Not sure what this has to do with low APR rates but as long as we're pre-approved ...

Next month's issue of Men's Fitness also features a shirtless, 6'3 and 220lb Fitzgerald. Rod 2.0 reader Brittany in Arizona notes: "For a guy who had previously gone his entire career without a single shirtless photo, he's certainly been busy of late!"

Larry works up a sweat, WHEN YOU JUMP. Thanks Brittany.

Poll: Re-Election Difficulties for LGBT Allies Conyers and Kilpatrick?

Two of the biggest names in Detroit politics and two of the LGBT community's biggest supporters on Capitol Hill face serious re-election difficulties in 2010, according to a new poll published by the Detroit Free Press. Reps. John Conyers Jr. and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, both of whom have been tainted by federal corruption convictions involving family members, each lose to hypothetical opponents if the election were held today.

A poll of 300 voters each in Kilpatrick's and Conyers' congressional districts shows that only 27% of the people polled would vote for Kilpatrick. Conyers' numbers are stronger with 40% of the people polled saying they would vote for him. But only 34% of voters in Kilpatrick's district and just 22% in Conyers' district say the problems of their son and wife, respectively, affect their opinions of the two Congress members.

Kilpatrick is the mother of the disgraced and anti-gay former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Conyers, the veteran congressman who chairs the powerful House Judiciary Committee, is the husband of former Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers who recently pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. Cheeks Kilpatrick is considered "the weakest of the two," reports the Free Press.

At 80-years-old, Conyers is the second-longest serving member in the House. Conyers is the lead sponsor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act. Conyers and Kilpatrick both signed the recent letters to the Obama Administration demanding an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" investigations and declaring they would not vote for health care reform without a public option. Conyers has a 100% HRC Rating. Cheeks Kilpatrick is rated at 85%. 

Conyers and Kilpatrick Could Have it Tough [Det FreeP]

Lawrence King's Alleged Killer Pleads "Not Guilty"

Not guilty. That is the plea of Brandon McInerey, the 15-year-old who will stand trial for the fatal shooting of 15-year-old openly gay classmate Lawrence King. McInerey is accused of shooting King twice in the head at point-blank range during class and prosecutors say that is grounds for a lying-in-wait charge, reports the Ventura County Star.

"McInerney’s lawyers, Scott Wippert and Robyn Bramson, filed a legal motion to dismiss the special circumstance of lying in wait that was tacked onto the felony criminal charges by prosecutors after a three-day preliminary hearing. Attaching a lying in wait special circumstance to a murder charge in a juvenile case, by law, automatically transfers the case to adult court. Wippert and Bramson allege that the district attorney is engaging in prosecutorial vindictiveness by filing the special circumstance.[Deputy District Attorney Maeve] Fox Fox argued Thursday that the defense lawyers’ legal maneuvering is moot because state courts have already decided the issue."

McInerney is being tried as an adult with first degree murder and a hate crime for the February 2008 murder of his classmate, who was biracial, openly gay and sometimes wore makeup and dresses to school. A three-day preliminary hearing last month decided McInerney would stand trial. McInerey has faces 53 years behind bars. The state also alleges McInerey, who was 14-years-old at the time, had close ties to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

The trial is set for Dec. 1.