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Florida Circuit Court Rejects Appeal for Bob "Blowjob" Allen

Bob "Blowjob" Allen’s appeal in his sexual solicitation case is denied by the Brevard County Circuit Court

The disgraced and closeted anti-gay Florida Republican state legislator was sentenced to six months of probation and resigned from the state legislature after he was convicted of offering an undercover male police officer twenty bucks to perform oral sex.& ; The former co-chairman of the John McCain continues to maintains his innocence and his heterosexuality.

His attorney, Greg Eisenmenger, argued in the appeals hearing in May that Allen wasn’t charged under the right statute, saying that in order for Allen to be guilty of solicitation, he would have had to request money and sex from the officer. Eisenmenger said it was the officer who suggested “sex for money.”

Prosecutor Pat Whitaker countered that the statute under which Allen was charged also prohibits inducing people into prostitution. He said Allen’s actions show he induced the officer into having “sex for hire” by agreeing to pay.

Bob Allen was voted the Tampa Police Union's 2007 Lawmaker of the Year and sponsored numerous bills related to internet and public sex crimes. Allen, who is married with children, always voted against gay rights legislation ... just like fellow closeted, anti-gay latrine queen Larry Craig.

Allen now has the option to appeal to the 5th District Court of Appeals, and, he probably should. The oral arguments should be very colorful. Gotta love those family values. Closeted, anti-gay racist Republicans are really the gift that keeps on giving.

Circuit Court Denies Bob Allen's appeal [FT]

More BOB ALLEN.
More POLITICS.

Some Background ...
GOP Rep. Bob Allen Resigns After Bathroom Solicitation CONVICTION [R20]
Florida REPUBLICAN Bob Allen CONVICTED of Oral Sex, Solicitation [R20]
Florida GOP Rep. Bob Allen Apologizes to NAACP [R20]
FL Rep. Caught Soliciting: "Blacks Made Me Do It" [R20]
FL GOP Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral [R20]
(Another) Conservative Caught in Sex Scandal [R20]
Yet ANOTHER Republican Caught Cruising Restrooms [R20]
A Tale of Two Cities [Advocate]

GOP Rep. Bob Allen Resigns After Bathroom Solicitation CONVICTION

Within hours after he was sentenced to six months of probation and fines for offering an undercover male police officer cash to perform oral sex, closeted anti-gay Republican Florida State Rep. Bob Allen resigned from the state legislature.

Last week, the former state representative and co-chairman of the John McCain presidential campaign was convicted for his arrest in that July men's room sting in a public park. A black undercover police officer says Allen approached him and offered $20 to perform oral sex, which Allen later claimed was offered under duress.

"Due to the requirements of my family and private life, and in order to seek justice in the upcoming appeal process, I regretfully would like to inform you that I will need to resign my elected position as the Legislator for House District 32, effective Feb. 15, 2008, or when the Secretary of State can certify a replacement through a General Election," Allen wrote in a letter to House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Allen, who was sponsored numerous bills related to internet and public sex crimes, "was ordered to undergo testing for HIV and other STDs, complete a class in HIV awareness class and to stay away from the park where he was arrested."

Closeted, anti-gay racist Republicans: For this election season, it's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

More BOB ALLEN.
More POLITICS.

Some Background ...
Florida REPUBLICAN Bob Allen CONVICTED of Oral Sex, Solicitation [R20]
Florida GOP Rep. Bob Allen Apologizes to NAACP [R20]
FL Rep. Caught Soliciting: "Blacks Made Me Do It" [R20]
FL GOP Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral [R20]
(Another) Conservative Caught in Sex Scandal [R20]
Yet ANOTHER Republican Caught Cruising Restrooms [R20]
A Tale of Two Cities [Advocate]
Senate Republicans Knew About "Closeted" Larry Craig's "Weird Problem" [R20]
Larry Craig Vows to Remain in Office [R20]
Larry Craig Pays a Surprise Visit to Senate [R20]
News: Larry Craig Latest, David Vitter [R20]
Larry Craig Latest: "Not Guilty!" [R20]
WI Republican Chairman Faces Charges in (Gay) Sex and Drugs Scandal with Teen [R20]

Florida REPUBLICAN Bob Allen CONVICTED of Oral Sex, Solicitation

There is a pleasant update to the case of Bob Allen. The Florida Republican state representative and John McCain campaign co-chairman has been convicted of offering $20 to perform oral sex on undercover police officer in a men's room sex sting.

The anti-gay and de-closeted state representative now "faces up to 60 days in county jail and a $500 fine for soliciting prostitution, a second-degree misdemeanor." Allen, who has sponsored six different sex crime bills this year, maintains his innocence and his heterosexuality, and, promises to appeal. "I am innocent; I've done nothing wrong," Allen claims.

Republicans in the Sunshine State are not pleased that Allen—just like fellow toe-tapper Larry Craig—has chosen to prolong the embarrassment of the "family values party."

The political career that ultimately elevated Allen to Florida co-chair for John McCain's presidential campaign is in jeopardy. State Republicans immediately urged him to reconsider his earlier vow to fight the charges and not resign. Florida law provides automatic expulsion for legislators convicted of felonies, but not misdemeanors - though Allen did lose chairmanship of the House Committee on Energy.

House Speaker Marco Rubio said the House would act if Allen didn't.

Allen's attorney's succeeded in barring two statements that received the most coverage: The closeted Republican's claim that he was intimidated by the officer who was, in his words, a "stocky black man", and, attempts to impress officers with his legislative credentials. Closeted, anti-gay racist Republican latrine queens: It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Some Background ...
Florida GOP Rep. Bob Allen Apologizes to NAACP [R20]
FL Rep. Caught Soliciting: "Blacks Made Me Do It" [R20]
FL GOP Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral [R20]
(Another) Conservative Caught in Sex Scandal [R20]
Yet ANOTHER Republican Caught Cruising Restrooms [R20]
A Tale of Two Cities [Advocate]
Senate Republicans Knew About "Closeted" Larry Craig's "Weird Problem" [R20]
Larry Craig Vows to Remain in Office [R20]
Larry Craig Pays a Surprise Visit to Senate [R20]
News: Larry Craig Latest, David Vitter [R20]
Larry Craig Latest: "Not Guilty!" [R20]
WI Republican Chairman Faces Charges in (Gay) Sex and Drugs Scandal with Teen [R20]

News: Maryland Gay Marriage, Stanley Bennett Clay, Bob Allen

· Maryland's highest court upholds the state's ban against same-sex marriage. "The Court of Appeals ruled that the state's 1973 ban on gay marriage does not discriminate on the basis of gender and does not deny any fundamental rights guaranteed by the state constitution. The court also found that the state has a legitimate interest in promoting opposite-sex marriage." Bills allowing gay marriage and civil unions will soon be introduced in the legislature. Read the ruling here

· California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will once again veto legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry.

· Last week. black gay HIV/AIDS activist Phil Wilson called for presidential candidates to address the AIDS pandemic. This week, more than 100 HIV/AIDS organizations issue a "Call to Action" statement "to all presidential candidates asking them to develop results-oriented, national HIV/AIDS strategies."

· Jury selection begins tomorrow in the case of Florida Republican State Rep. Bob Allen, who was arrested after offering $20 to perform oral sex on an undercover police officer. Attorneys for the state legislator—who argued the black undercover officer "intimidated" him—are requesting a continuance.

· ENDA moves forward and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) says he expects the House to pass the bill.

· Brotherlove has an insightful two-part interview with Stanley Bennett Clay, the prolific writer and author of Looker and applauds "the fact that it was written by an out, black gay man who is older than the majority of writers in his genre. While a lot of focus in black gay writing is on the down low, coming out and how to find a man, Clay uses those issues as backdrops with a mature aesthetic." Bennett Clay's In Search of Pretty Young Black Men review/interview on Rod 2.0 here.

Florida GOP Representative Bob Allen Apologizes to NAACP

The Florida Republican state legislator who was arrested after offering $20 to perform oral sex on an undercover police officer tells the NAACP he is no "racist."

Rep. Bob Allen made headlines after his arrest by claiming that he was intimidated by the officer who was, in his words, a "stocky black man." Civil rights groups were not pleased and "the Florida Civil Rights Association is calling for his resignation." Addressing the Brevard County NAACP, the disgraced lawmaker says those remarks were taken "out of context."

"I don't consider that a racist description. The description was of the people outside the facility and inside the facility with me," Allen said. "They described me as an overweight, disheveled white man. I don't consider that a racist description. The description was of the people outside the facility and inside the facility with me."

Allen was voted the Tampa Police Union's 2007 Lawmaker of the Year and the "stocky black man" whom he offered $20 for oral—as well as the "people outside the facility"—were all "undercover officers staking out a nearby condo."

Allen is running for state senate and refuses all calls to resign. The conservative Republican lawmaker—sponsor of six different sex crime bills this year—claims to be innocent and will not explain how he came to follow one of the officers into the restroom. Perhaps that explanation will come Monday in his first court appearance.

Allen Apologizes for Comments [13 News]
Rep. Accused Of Racism Meets With NAACP [WFTV]

Some Background ...
FL Rep. Caught Soliciting: "Blacks Made Me Do It" [R20]
FL GOP Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral [R20]
(Another) Conservative Caught in Sex Scandal [R20]

Florida GOP Legislator Caught Soliciting: "Blacks Made Me Do It"

The disgraced Florida State Rep Bob Allen returns to the headlines. The Republican legislator caught cruising a public restroom and offering to perform oral sex upon an undercover officer for $20 maintains his innocence and offers a not-so-novel defense strategy, what pop culture blogger Novaslim calls the "Lindsay Lohan Defense": The Black guys made me do it.

Read it and weep in The Orlando Sentinel:

"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," said Allen, R-Merritt Island, who was arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution.

"This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen, who is white,& told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he "was about to be a statistic" and would have said anything just to get away.[...]

When Allen was being placed in a marked patrol car, he asked whether "it would help" if he was a state legislator, according to a police report. The officer replied, "No."

Here is the delicious part: Allen was voted the Tampa Police Union's 2007 Lawmaker of the Year and the big black men that he allegedly feared—€”the "pretty stocky black guy" whom he offered $20 for oral, as well as the "other black guys" outside—were all "undercover officers staking out a nearby condo hoping to catch a burglar."

This year alone, Allen sponsored six different sex crime bills this year and three focus on indecent exposure and soliciting sex. He has also supported amending the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage and opposed a bill to curb the bullying of gay students.

State Rep. Allen Explains Sex Case [Sentinel via Novaslim]
Sad Spectacle [Sentinel]

Some Background ...
FL GOP Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral [R20]
(Another) Conservative Caught in Sex Scandal [R20]

Florida Republican Rep. Charged with Soliciting Oral Sex from Cop

A veteran Florida legislator who has co-sponsored bills increasing penalties for public lewdness and solicitation of sex has been arrested after cruising a public restroom and offering to perform oral sex upon an undercover officer for $20.

Rep. Robert Allen, a Republican from Merritt Island, was arrested Wednesday night in the men's restroom in a public park in the central Florida town of Titusville, near Orlando. WFTV:

Three undercover officers, police said, watched him go into the bathroom three times. One of the undercover officers then went into the bathroom and into a stall. Allen allegedly started talking to the officer through the door of the stall.

Police said Allen offered the officer $20 for oral sex. When the undercover officer and Allen left the bathroom, officers arrested Allen.

Allen—who is married with one daughter and currently was running for state senate—described the situation as "a very big misunderstanding" and denied the allegations. ''I'm not in anyway associated with that they are saying, this is disgusting,'' the Republican lawmaker claimed as he was escorted by police. Allen faces one charge of solicitation for prostitution, a misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

The penalties could be stiffer. According to the official website of the Florida House of Representatives, the disgraced lawmaker has sponsored or co-sponsored numerous bills on sexual solicitation and lewd conduct. One pet project, HB 269, called for "enhanced penalties for offenses involving unnatural & lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs committed within specified distance of certain locations." That bill died in committee, but, if it were passed, Allen would be looking at a felony charge.

State Rep. Arrested in Park on Solicitation [WFTV]
Rep. Allen Arrested on Solicitation [Tallahassee Dem.]