IRELAND: Openly Gay Senator Drops Bid For National Presidency

Openly gay Sen. David Norris has dropped his bid for the presidency of Ireland after revelations that he once pleaded for clemency for a former boyfriend imprisoned for statutory rape.

Mr Norris held a press conference outside his home in Dublin this afternoon to inform supporters he was withdrawing from the race. "I deeply regret the most recent of all the controversies concerning my former partner of 25 years ago, Ezra Yitzhak Nawi," he said. “The fallout from his disgraceful behaviour has now spread to me and is in danger of contaminating others close to me both in political and personal life. It is essential that I act decisively now to halt this negative process. I do not regret supporting and seeking clemency for a friend, but I do regret giving the impression that I did not have sufficient compassion for the victim of Ezra’s crime," Mr Norris said.

Norris had been considered the front-runner for the position, which in Ireland is largely ceremonial.

IRELAND: Openly Gay Senator Drops Bid For National Presidency

Openly gay Sen. David Norris has dropped his bid for the presidency of Ireland after revelations that he once pleaded for clemency for a former boyfriend imprisoned for statutory rape.

Mr Norris held a press conference outside his home in Dublin this afternoon to inform supporters he was withdrawing from the race. "I deeply regret the most recent of all the controversies concerning my former partner of 25 years ago, Ezra Yitzhak Nawi," he said. “The fallout from his disgraceful behaviour has now spread to me and is in danger of contaminating others close to me both in political and personal life. It is essential that I act decisively now to halt this negative process. I do not regret supporting and seeking clemency for a friend, but I do regret giving the impression that I did not have sufficient compassion for the victim of Ezra’s crime," Mr Norris said.

Norris had been considered the front-runner for the position, which in Ireland is largely ceremonial.

UTAH: Democrats Elect Openly Gay Man As State Party Chairman

A very nice first for the state of Utah.

Utah Democrats made history Saturday afternoon, electing Jim Dabakis as state party chairman by a wide margin. He is believed to be the state’s first openly gay major party leader. Dabakis, who is an art dealer and co-founder of both the Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah, said his election shows how fair-minded the people of Utah are. “I visited all 29 counties during the last five months, and people were very interested in what kind of a job I would do and what my experience was,” Dabakis said. “The whole gay thing just simply did not surface as an issue. People are broad-minded in Utah, and they want to know if you can do the job or not.”

UTAH: Democrats Elect Openly Gay Man As State Party Chairman

A very nice first for the state of Utah.

Utah Democrats made history Saturday afternoon, electing Jim Dabakis as state party chairman by a wide margin. He is believed to be the state’s first openly gay major party leader. Dabakis, who is an art dealer and co-founder of both the Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah, said his election shows how fair-minded the people of Utah are. “I visited all 29 counties during the last five months, and people were very interested in what kind of a job I would do and what my experience was,” Dabakis said. “The whole gay thing just simply did not surface as an issue. People are broad-minded in Utah, and they want to know if you can do the job or not.”