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Posted on 08/22/2012 4:33:12 PM PDT by Hunton Peck
Hours after releasing a statement saying he will seek re-election, a Minnesota state lawmaker who police say had a rest-stop liaison with a 17-year-old boy, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he has reconsidered his position and will not be running again. He also says he will not be at the upcoming special session to discuss flood relief for the area he represents. He says he does not want to be a distraction.
In his original statement released Wednesday afternoon, 56-year-old Rep. Kerry Gauthier said, the scandal "has been an obvious tragic embarrassment to me. I am sorry for the hurt this has caused my family, friends and my constituents. I know I made a mistake and am determined to make amends as best I can. I am a better person than this incident would indicate and will demonstrate this with my future behavior."
Gauthier hasn't been charged in the July incident, and authorities said he wouldn't be because the boy was older than 16, the legal age of consent, and no money was exchanged. Police say the teenager responded to the lawmaker's Craigslist ad for "no strings attached" sex.
Gauthier admitted to the liaison, according to police reports made public late last week. The teen told police the two had oral sex, according to the reports.
In his statement Gauthier said, "I am a better person than this incident would indicate and will try to demonstrate this with my future behavior. I can change my behavior, but I can't change the fact that I am a gay man and have known so since I was in college. I simply must act as a mature gay man would act, and not as this incident portrays me."
Gauthier was hospitalized last week for an 'unknown health issue.' In his statement he revealed, "When faced with the trauma and public shame brought by this incident I reverted to old behavior... I took an overdose of pills to not feel any pain and this resulted in my hospitalization." He said he needs to recommit himself to his sobriety program.
The scandal has called a reliably Democratic seat into question as that party tries to regain control of the House by winning at least six more seats in November.
Democratic House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin on Monday called on Gauthier to withdraw from the race.
Thissen had said he was looking at state law for a way to replace Gauthier on the ballot if Gauthier formally exits from the race.
"I think that would be the fairest thing for the people of Duluth," Thissen said.
Duluth firefighter Erik Simonson launched a bid as a write-in Democratic candidate for Gauthier's seat Tuesday. Duluth City Councilor Jay Fosle also has filed paperwork to run as a write-in candidate. Republican Travis Silvers already is on the ballot.
[GAUTHIER'S STATEMENT:]
My name is Kerry Gauthier and i have the honor of representing the people of district 7B for the last two years in the MN State House of Representatives. I am here to address recent incidents regarding myself and announce response to these incidents and my future plans.
The recent incident at Thompson hill that involved myself and a young man was all over the press and has been an obvious tragic embarrassment to me. I am sorry for the hurt this has caused my family, friends and my constituents. I know I made a mistake and am determined to make amends as best i can. i am a better person than this incident would indicate and will try to demonstrate this with my future behavior. i can change my behavior but i cannot change the fact that i am a gay man and have known so since I was in college. I simply must act as a mature gay man would act and not as this incident portrays me. I also need to recommit myself to my sobriety program. i am a chemically dependent person and have been in recovery for over 30 years with one relapse. However when faced with the trauma and public shame brought about by this incident i reverted to old bad behavior and tried to run away and escape the reality that I was facing I took an overdose of pills to not feel any pain and this resulted in my hospitalization. i am again aware of the foolishness of this effort and must rededicate to my sobriety in order to survive. fortunatley i have many who are willing to help me in this effort.
there are those, particularly in st. paul that have publicily stated that i should resign my position and/or withdraw from the reelection effort for house seat 7B
In consultation with my friends and family members, I have decided to let the people of central and west Duluth make that decision.
I plan to continue in my relection efforts and ask the voters in district 7B to accept my sincere apology and make their judgement of me based on my vigorous advocacy of the interests of the district at the capitol and not based on a mistake in my personal life.
i plan to run a campaign based on that legislative record and ask the voters for their forgiveness and for their vote.
I will not be taking phone calls, questions, or interviews at this time.
Only took 1,000 words to get to the word Democrat. Shocked.
To clarify, the full statement reprinted above (capitalization errors in the original) is the one Gauthier released earlier today, not his later alleged decision to drop out.
Disgusting behavior which he doesn’t renounce. He’s just going to be more careful from now on. Gross.
Let me boil this down to three words - I’m a victim.
I guess you can say that Gauthier really blew his political career.
| Full Name: | Kerry Gauthier |
|---|---|
| Current Office: | State House - 7B, Democratic/Farmer/Labor |
| First Elected: | 11/02/2010 |
| Last Elected: | 11/02/2010 |
| Next Election: | 2012 |
| On The Ballot: | Running, Democratic/Farmer/Labor for State House - 7B |
| General | Nov. 6, 2012 |
| Primary | Aug. 14, 2012 |
What is the Democratic/Farmer/Labor party? Is that a obscure democrat?
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
If I were to be plausibly charged with such a disgusting act and were in the public’s eye, I would quickly remove myself from said eye. I suppose Mr. Gauthier does have some sense of shame...for a Democrat.
Not only does he see himself as the victim - but he also took an overdose of pills wanting to parlay his little drama into a ‘pity appeal’ for votes. He’s one creepy democrat...
What a sad day.
The left-wing Minnesota Farmer-Labor party merged with Minnesota's Democratic Party in 1944 (about the time Hubert Humphrey came on the political scene). At times in the Depression both Senators and the Governor had been Farmer-Labor. Ever since, Minnesota Democrats have officially been Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party or DFL.
The DFL is one of those strange Minnesota things. A merger of the Democrat Party with the (even more) Leftist/populist Farmer/Labor party, brought about by Hubert Humphrey during WWII.
Until fairly recently, MN’s Republican Party was officially named the Independent Republican Party, for similarly idiosyncratic reasons.
Maybe he could run for Barney Frank’s old seat. Pun intended.
It "only" took 7 paragraphs to get there.
What’s sad is that there are people who see equivalency between a single, stupid statement on the one hand, and a perverted act that’s a part of a lifetime of perverted acts on the other, and actually favor the pervert.
You need to seriously examine your values, Newz.I am not sure you are on the right forum, but it isn’t my call.
To me, defending the rights of the unborn trump sodomy any day.
I will pray for you, and while I am, please do some soul searching about right and wrong. Do not let the end justify the means, for that is how we got into this present mess.
To quote that old hymn...
Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever, ’twixt that darkness and that light.
Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.
By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever with the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.
Is this guy married?
I don’t think it was leadership.
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