The internet is full of controversy about Paul Babeu, the Arizona Sheriff accused of threatening an ex-male-lover with deportation. Mr. Babeu has denied the allegations of threatening to deport the ex-lover, but admits he is gay. Mr Babeu is of particular interest because he had been the co-chair of the campaign of Mitt Romney in Arizona. He has resigned from that position.
Mr. Babeu has been a high-profile figure for several years. He was chosen as the “Sheriff of the Year” which was a national honor bestowed in 2011 for his outstanding service.
He gave an interview in which he publically admitted being abused by a priest as a young boy.
He previously served as the headmaster for the DeSisto School which was a controversial school, to say the least. Among other things the school was sued 23 times for fraud and breach of contract, and was accused of abuse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeSisto_School.
Mr. Babeu’s ex-lover has spoken out through his lawyer and indicated that he feels intimidated.The story is of particular interest because Sheriff Babeu has repeatedly spoken out against illegal immigrants, but apparently enjoyed the company of illegal immigrants.
When giving a public statement he admitted that he was gay, but Sheriff Babeu defiantly declared that :
“What I do in my private, personal life is my business.”
Most people would agree that Sheriff Babeu’s private life should remain private. However he himself has made his private life public, by placing ads in publications for anyone to see. These “ads” describe his “private, personal life” by declaring what sexual positions he is willing to participate in, and a description of his most private of organs by length and characteristics.
The amazing thing about this story is that Sheriff Babeu seems to feel that his sex life should remain private, but Rick Santorum, a fellow Republican, feels it is appropriate for him to dictate to men and women what they can and should do in the privacy of their bedrooms, including with whom they should have sex, for what purpose, and whether they should use contraception. Since Newt Gingrich told a homosexual man that he should vote for Obama, it seems clear why Sheriff Babeu would support Mitt. However given Mitt’s flip-flopping on gay rights there is still a substantial question about why Sheriff Babeu would work for Mitt Romney’s campaign. Perhaps the answer lies in his declaration that he was running for Congress in Arizona, a predominately Republican state. Maybe Jan Brewer told him that if he wanted to run for office he better keep this homosexual part of his life, private?
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February 19, 2012 at 3:21 pm
daisydem
Thanks for this post Malia.
February 19, 2012 at 5:13 pm
malialitman
daisydem,
Thanks for bring my attention to this story! Malia
February 19, 2012 at 5:31 pm
daisydem
You are welcome! This story really caught my attention, it is just the latest in the illustration of the hypocrisy inherent in the Republican Party as we know it today! I am so sick of it. I am so liberal and the fact that this guy is gay is really none of my business except that his political and professional attitudes and behaviors make it ours. I think he may be guilty of using his authority as a “sheriff” to get lovers, to threaten them, and who knows what else. I think the once case which is now unfolding is the tip of the iceberg on this person.
February 19, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Becky
Yes. Poor Arizona has been ruled by hippocrits for quite sometime now. Seems we just cant remove the tentacles and shackles of Republicans for now. But there is hope on the horizon. The state is turning Independent/Blue.
February 19, 2012 at 4:42 pm
rumsey10
When he was a child, he was passed around from one priest to another.
This does not excuse his incredible behavior now.
Just so you know that he has lived in his own hell.
February 19, 2012 at 5:12 pm
malialitman
Rumsey10,
I believe that! It just amazes me that someone like this would purport to be a Republican!
February 19, 2012 at 5:43 pm
daisydem
I totally believe that … and I have sympathy and caring for him because of that. I also know, being in the mental health business, that children who have been abused frequently become abusers. And on it goes. This is a man who is a position of authority and can wield that authority over vulnerable people; this is a man who wants to go to Congress in D.C. with the slogan that D.C. needs a new sheriff? Is this what we want? He needs help but he also needs to be stopped!
February 19, 2012 at 6:22 pm
MM
Wow, this gets weirder and weirder, I’ve been reading internets posts written by Desisto School “survivors”, (that is what they call themselves), that school and it’s programs sound horrible! A living nightmare for kids. From what little I’ve read I strongly suspect sexual abuse of the students occurred at this school.
BTW, it’s a school for troubled teens, both male and female. Who better to take advantage of.
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4096&start=300
If I was Babeu I wouldn’t be too proud of saying I worked there or even being associated with it. Babeu is crazy if he thinks this is not going to come back and bite him in the rear.
I read a post on an AZ news site by his sister Lucy (so she says) who said he’d had a “relationship” with an 18 yr old from the Desisto school and how she thought it was very inappropriate at the time. I’ll see if I can find it.
No wonder he’s so adamant and defensive about keeping his sex life private. One has to wonder what else will come out of Babeu’s closet.
This reminds me of “Herb” Cain’s closet.
February 19, 2012 at 7:19 pm
daisydem
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2012/02/babeu_the_massachusetts_years.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Talking-Points-Memo+%28Talking+Points+Memo%3A+by+Joshua+Micah+Marshall%29
Malia, this is to me rather a cryptic op-ed on Babeu’s time in MA.
February 19, 2012 at 7:46 pm
GOP=thenewgay
Title of post tells you what you will find at the link. (Babeu lives in Queen Creek AZ!)
Outed Gay GOP AZ Sheriff Gave to Homo-Hating Pols: FEC File
February 19, 2012 at 9:08 pm
de
Hi Malia,
I’m curious as to what Arpaio has to say about him — on two fronts. One that he’s gay – Second and more important – for his ‘association with’ and ‘relationship’ with illegals while spewing against them.
Flip Flop Flip Flop. He’s a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ creep. Hope it takes down his own campaign as he so deserves it!
February 19, 2012 at 11:22 pm
deliliah
i believe his (former) lover is NOT illegal.
and im sock of this bullshit from the republicans so GIT EM!!!!!!
February 20, 2012 at 5:14 am
john_in_oz
No point having “power” or “authority” if you can’t threaten people with it! That’s what it’s all about in this dog eat dog world of hours.
Even though I live a long way away in Oz, even I can see that if you elect the Republicans, then you might as well pack up and move to Siberia.
Start by dumping trash like Babeu where they belong.
Obama is not perfect by any stretch but he has more compassion and humanity in his little finger than any Republican, as far as I can see.
My two cents worth.
February 20, 2012 at 9:21 am
malialitman
john _in_oz,
We appreciate your 2cents.
February 20, 2012 at 6:36 am
maninphx
Since the story broke, Babeu and his attorney have been spinning it to take the attention away from the fact that he committed an abuse of power act towards Jose his ex-lover. As well the posting of photos in your underwear and descriptions of your penis dimensions is not in compliance with the code of ethics of the Pinal County Sheriffs Office. The spin that Babeu is using is I’m GAY, I’m GAY, I’m GAY, vote for me. Sorry to say this story is going to continue for a very long time. To titillating to go away and when the real truth emerges it still will go on and on.
February 20, 2012 at 7:15 am
London Bridges
The Babeau family started out as Catholics. Then they became right wing fundamentalists. Paul’s father, Raymond, did a fire and brimstone local cable show for years. Paul was the country’s youngest ever elected member of a city council in North Adams, MA. I think he was an MP in the National Guard. Recently, when Paul accused a priest of sexually abusing him, the desertion of the Catholic Church made sense. Paul also ran for mayor of North Adams, but lost, likely because voters may have not liked his fundy leanings. Otherwise he seemed like a polite young man. Just a little scary. Gee: this sounds a little like Sarah Palin!
April 9, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Conservative Babylon » Paul Babeu, R-MachoClosetCase, Ariz., & “Headmaster” of Bizarre “Tough Love” School, Mass.
[...] According to one observer: “The Babeau family started out as Catholics. Then they became right wing fundamentalists. [...]