The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is holding a very special campaign event for Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) on May 30. It’s an important 25th anniversary that deserves celebration, according to the DCCC. What happened 25 years ago? He came out of the closet as gay. “Barney is an inspiration to all of us as one of the first openly gay Congressmen to serve in the House,” writes Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), another openly gay Congressman. “This event will be particularly moving for me as it will be one of our last events with him before he retires this year.”
But it isn’t just a celebration for Frank letting the world know about his sexual orientation. It’s an opportunity for the DCCC to fundraise: “Leader Nancy Pelosi, DCCC Chairman Steve Israel, and I would love for you to join us as we pay tribute to his service. To purchase tickets to the event, please click here.”
It is worth remembering just how Frank came out of the closet. In 1985, after entering Congress, Frank was not openly gay. He was, however, hiring a male prostitute for sex and housing him in his apartment, from which location the prostitute was running a prostitution ring. Only after the scandal broke did Frank come out of the closet. Now that’s cause for celebration – being caught with a male prostitute living in your apartment, then having to come out to quash the scandal.
No word on whether the DCCC will throw a fundraiser on the upcoming 10th anniversary of former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey coming out in 2014.
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