Sex, lies and Republicans: bedroom habits should not be an issue when confirming judicial nominees

As one of Virginia’s most socially conservative legislators, Delegate Robert McDonnell (R-Va. Beach) has made a name for himself as a proponent of injecting his religious beliefs into the lives of everyone else. Now, though, as McDonnell prepares for a run at the state Attorney General’s office, we must examine the realities of his fake public image and the double standard he represents.

A little over two years ago, McDonnell was at the center of a controversy involving oral sex. A woman, Verbena Askew, was seeking reappointment to her judgeship and had to appear before McDonnell’s Courts of Justice Committee. Rumors swirled around Askew’s sexual orientation, as many believed her to be a lesbian. McDonnell sought to make her sexual preference and bedroom habits an issue by saying if she engaged in oral sex with her lover, she had violated a state law banning “crimes against nature,” and that by being a lawbreaker, she was not fit to be a judge.

Proving that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones, when the tables turned and reporters asked McDonnell if he had ever participated in giving or receiving oral sex he arrogantly replied, “Not that I can recall.”

For this comment McDonnell is either a blatant liar who has no business being the state’s top law enforcement official, or he is not skilled in the art of oral sex, in which case I’ll send him a signed copy of Jenna Jameson’s book, “How to Make Love Like a Porn Star.”

This may be a cheap shot, but it’s no better than what McDonnell did when he made sex an issue in determining Ms. Askew’s fitness for the bench. I believe people can do what they want with whom they want in their own lives. and certainly their own bedrooms. But when McDonnell makes an issue out of someone else’s sexual habits, that’s when I make an issue out of his sex habits.

What is good for one is good for the other, and just because he is a state delegate does not mean he can chastise others while holding himself exempt. Simply put, if McDonnell had taken the same progressive attitude toward sex that I do, then his oral sex skills would never be publicly questioned.

Maybe McDonnell thought that by gruffly replying “Not that I can recall” the oral sex issue would shrivel up and go away. Well, it’s not.

Maybe acting gruff and tough when confronted with one’s double standard is what the law school at Regent University taught McDonnell to do, as his lack of a real legal education comes into play here.

Unlike the majority of lawyers who receive a legal education based on statutory law (laws passed by the legislative branch), constitutional law (laws in the constitution) and case law (laws developed by time over how judges rule on cases before them) – McDonnell attended Regent University.

Regent University is a Christian law school founded by Pat Robertson that describes itself as being “distinctive among law schools…because of the integration of Christian Principles into our curriculum. It is this balance of professional legal training and the affirmation of biblical principles that enables our graduates to provide excellent legal counsel to their clients.”

Clearly McDonnell learned the law marinated in Christianity, which is not only a biased view but also an extremely dangerous one. Putting someone in charge of the law for the state of Virginia who has such a limited and biased view toward the law would be like electing a witch doctor to become surgeon general.

To right these wrongs, McDonnell needs to attach himself to something called responsibility and own up to what he has done. If he has indeed engaged in oral sex, it’s no big deal except for the one he makes it out to be with his outmoded “sex is bad” attitude.

The behavior of McDonnell is deplorable. However, it serves a purpose and proves a point in that if we had more sex education classes, our young people would not grow up to be like him.

Mike Dickinson may be reached at mdickinson2112@aol.com.