Guest blogged by Jon Ponder, Pensito Review.
The McCain campaign’s Alabama chairman, Attorney General Troy King, the virulent homophobe who is the subject of rumors that his wife discovered him having sex with another man, was a client of Strategum USA, the consulting firm of Ralph Gonzalez, a closeted gay GOP political operative who was killed last summer in a double murder-suicide in his home in Orlando.
Gonzalez was also the one-time campaign manager/consultant for Florida’s hard-right, scandal-plagued 24th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney whose close ties to disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff and involvement in an alleged electronic vote-rigging conspiracy have been reported extensively for years by The BRAD BLOG.
Last Friday, the McCain campaign quickly scrubbed all references to King from its website without offering a public reason.
The August 27, 2007 Birmingham News report of the murder-suicide which took Gonzalez’ life, discussed the consultant’s work for King in Alabama…
The Republican political consultant who died in an apparent double murder-suicide in Florida late last week had several Alabama clients, including Attorney General Troy King.
Ralph Gonzalez, 39, president of The Strategum Group, was found dead Thursday along with his roommate, David Abrami, 36, and a friend, Robert Drake, 30, according to The Associated Press.
A motive has not been determined, and weapons and signs of a struggle were found in the house.
The Web site for Gonzalez’ firm lists among its Republican clients King, Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carns, and four other legislative and judicial candidates from Alabama.
The Strategum Group produced a flier in a state legislative race in 2005 saying Democratic candidate Gloria Dolbare supported same-sex marriage. The flier said “Let Gloria Dolbare know God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!” and depicted two smiling men on a porch holding hands.
The Alabama Republican Legislative Committee reported paying Strategum $3,144 for the advertising on behalf of Dolbare’s opponent Nick Williams. Williams won race for House District 65.
In January, the Orlando police released their final report, which according to the Orlando Sentinel, ascribed no motive for Jason Drake’s murder of Gonzalez and Abrami or his own suicide.
One of Strategum’s highest profile clients was Rep. Tom Feeney, the scandal-plagued Florida Republican, who, as the Florida Speaker of the House played a minor but key role in helping George W. Bush steal the 2000 election, and who could probably tell the McCain campaign a thing or two about scrubbing websites.
(H/t: Michelle L)
I have heard two rumors regarding Troy King’s gay lover. The first is that Troy King employs his lover in the State AG’s office. The second rumor is that Troy King’s gay lover is just a college student at Troy State university. If Troy King is employing his gay lover in the State AG’s office, that is grounds for removal. Can someone clear this up, please?
I hope we can get to the bottom of this corruption in the South eventually, if anything, to vindicate Ms. Michelle and Mr. Adams.
Probably a ton of other victims also.
Maybe they’ll put him in these – http://www.gayrepublicancards.com
Here is the link to Mr. Adams story from my post @ 2
Link
I have been in five jails, harassed by police for nearly ten years, crossing state lines in the South, since my son’s disappearance from Georgia to Alabama. Not only have I suffered false arrests and harassment, but ridicule and manipulation of medical/financial/records and terror in my back yard with slaughter of my animals. http://theloonusa.googlepages.com
My motto: “Staying Alive”
My Dad dropped dead of a heart attack at the age of 39, active duty last day of the Cuban Missile Crisis (10/28/62.) He was a pilot, USN, ready to fly and had passed the Navy’s physical requirements. 1966, an uncle, USN relocated to Fairfax, Va., and died the same way, age, 39. 1971 saw his best USN friend die with a heart attack, as well. 1981, another uncle, USN, took a job offer in Boca Raton, and died in an accidental boiler explosion.
Just before he died my Dad had also bought into Dahlberg’s (Watergate) hearing aid business venture.
I am a former church secretary and a political cartoonist (http://whackedpolitics.googlepages.com) whose military family and ancestors would turn over in their graves to know the corruption, and to know what is being done in this country to genocide what’s left of their descendants.
I was recently in Florida to see a beach lined with empty condominiums sitting anxiously for the slot machines surely planned for the massive lobbies. I was advised the buildings were built illegally directly on the beach.
It’s very important to note former Governor Don Siegelman had a battle, lottery vs. casino, when all “scientific gaming” involves organized crime in one way or another.
Few people realize the power of Abramoff’s casino friends, Las Vegas, and the “CIA” (Casino Industry in America.) There were casinos in Cuba and RFK had vowed to eradicate the mafia from this country.
As it is, fifty years have proven military intelligence has placed former officers in high ranking position, enriched them with private industry and with government contracts, and done little to nothing to eradicate organized criminals, or illegal drugs. It has been written the cocaine kingpins in this country actually have a sick, secretive religion.
Their drug profits are well protected while Americans struggle to pay taxes to clean up the messes made by their illegal endeavors, in jails, prisons, and medical expenses.
I’m sure if my Dad had been asked to use his Navy pilot’s talents to run (CIA-Cocaine Importing Agency) drugs he would have declined. But there were military retirees in our state (Virginia) who gained incredible wealth from the bloodbaths and devastation of illegal drug distribution, and walked around smiling about it, their thoroughbred race horses, fox hunts, and bragging about their affluent friends and associates at the court houses.
At the point of knowing about Colombian Condominiums and a get-rich-quick flight pattern, he would have been “in too deep.” It’s too bad his Naval intelligence was most likely leaked to my uncles.
So now, I and my remaining children?
We’re sitting ducks.
I think of this country thirty years from now and American grandchildren working 30 years labor happy to be employed by the Japanese or Germans who own the companies. Or they might be working the grand casinos or tourism industry to be of service and beholden to those wealthy foreigners who can afford vacations. They could well be struggling to pay the foreign companies price for drinking water, or foreign owner’s requirements for American electricity.
That the leadership of this country has sold it from our children, and spend our descendants in wars is incredible. In fact, it’s insane.
But in this country, only “crazy” people dare tell the truth. Otherwise, you might lose in court and be ushered to prison. Worse, you might end up like “Dark Alliance” truth-teller, Gary Webb with two bullets in your head, ruled “suicide.”
Best wishes, Mr. Adams. It’s everywhere. And Nathan, please make a “pedophile” card deck and another one with Cunningham, Foggo and friends for Corruption/Racketeers. Pedophiles seem to be expendable worker bees for these underground planners, and “drowning in corruption” is an understatement for the U.S.A.
My Mother said to be promoted as an officer in the USN, my Dad was required to watch pornography. It’s all beginning to make sense, now.
Somebody has to enlighten Americans about the American Fascist card games, and it won’t be FOX NEWS.
what ever happined to Gannon the gay reporter Scotty was takeing to see Bush???
and Bush and Victor Ashe
http://bushssecretlifein84.tripod.com/
If Glenn Beck is not Gay, he missed his call!
I think every judicial decision Troy King has ever supported, based on his hypocritical anti-gay rants and writings, should be reversed. He should be disbarred since his every accomplishment has been based on a fraudulent persona. I think he should admit that he is a cheater, a liar, a fake and that his marriage is not only a slap in the face of religion, but also a means to commit insurance fraud since he could not take a “husband” and collect any benefits. Fraud charges should then be filed and he should be made to answer for his lies and indiscretions.
The only drawback would be that in the UNLIKELY event he were found guilty, sending him to prison would be like sending a child to Disney world.
Unfortunately, people in high places have friends there too. As in all matters politically embarrassing, these power-whores won’t be seen or heard, but he will never be punished for anything. They are too busy chasing me around for being poor and harmless. GOD BLESS AMERICA. what a joke.
Why is the democrat party not acting on this “Catagory X” storm? Why aren’t the gay and lesbian communities in Alabama and this nation not outraged? Why are there no petitions for a federal investigation into the rumors? I live in Alabame and Troy King’s “Anti-gay”, “gay-hate-mongering” campagin/platform always made Jerry Falwell look like a whiney week-old baby kitten. I’m a straight republican who is OUTRAGED at King’s hyporcary. Why is Civil Liberties not all over this? I agree, ever action on Kings part which effected gays (in any context) is questionsable; should be reviewed and thrown out. How about the employees in the ATG’s office who (now for sure) work in a legally defineded “Hostile Work Environment”: sexual activities between employees which creates/created a burden or discrimination for the other employees.
The citizens of the great state of Alabama deserve better than what is forced down our throats by King’s refusal to resign and the GOP’s conver-up and suport his decision. There’s no way he can effectively function in his capacity as the ATG because he has abandoned the ethics of his oath of office; has no credability, his hypocracy cancels ANY credability he ever had thus rendering him incapable of functioning as Attonrey General of Alabama. The GOP think this will go away like Texas Governor Perry’s gay sex scandle. I PRAY NOT !!! HOEPFULLY, SOMEONE IN A NATIONAL MEDIA VENUE HAS COURAGE ENOUGH TO BRING TO LIGHT THAT “ANOTHER REPUBLICAN COVER-UP OF ONE OF THEIR’S, RUMORED TO HAVE BEEN OUTED IN GAY SEX SCANDLE”. The most terrifying part of the entire situation is this: IT PROVES THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONTINUES TO TWIST THE TRUTHS, LIE, BE DECIETFUL PUTTING PARTY OVER THE CITIZENS OF OUR STATE AND NATION. John McCain lost my vote too becasue he’s also in “cover-up” mode. SOME CHANGE, John Boy! ! ! The Republican party a machine, which is “toxic”, and a party of deciet, dishonesty, double standards and hyporcacy. WE NEED TO VOTE EVERY REPUBLICAN OUT OF ANY OFFICE THEY HOLD IN NOVEMEBER and return some integrity to politics!
I understand the position of the “concern for King’s children”. What about all the parents who’s gay and lesbian children King has degraded, mocked, put down, and on upon who’s backs King’s “FAMILY VALUES -ANTI-GAY” campaign put in the ATG office? I think the christian-right will justify this because King is a Southern Baptist! If King had been a democrat this “rumor” would have already been on EVERY national news network every 15 minutes since it first surfaced.
It isn’t a “gay” issue, but it’s about integrity and flawed human character.
If a man will deceive a woman, then make her his wife, and the mother of his children, use “the family” for his personal appearances and success, and like a chameleon disquise his true nature by supporting anti-gay political propoganda, then what won’t he do for personal gain?
And if he’s dishonest with the mother of his children, then will he be honest in his occupation, whether prosecutions, legal issues or court trials?
Would he be as fair to a “gay” person as he would to a “straight” person if he were asked to consider opening a case?
It’s the same as a person who chooses a spouse for convenience, power, money, etc. or for any reason other than love and affection. The gay community is bearing the burden in King’s situation if the rumor is true.
And in Alabama, in the South, King’s in a real tight spot, but the Baptists will forgive him.
The issue is honesty. Nobody wants to be sentenced by a dishonest, prejudiced judge; represented or prosecuted by a dishonest attorney.
If the truth is that King is living a double, deceitful life, he’s a compromised man, bribery bait, blackmail material, and a disaster for anyone entering his courts.