Sen. Ashburn on radio program: “I am gay”

Updated at 2:30 p.m.

Barstow’s state senator stated that he was gay on a Bakersfield radio program Monday morning.

Sen. Roy Ashburn, a Republican who represents State Senate District 18, made this statement days after being arrested for suspicion of drunken driving in Sacramento Wednesday morning. The senator’s arrest occurred after he was reportedly seen leaving a gay bar with an unknown man.

“I am gay,” said State Sen. Roy Ashburn on Inga Barks’ KERN 1180 a.m. radio program. “Those are the words that have been so difficult me for so long. But I am gay.”

On the radio show, Ashburn said he has voted against gay rights legislation because he felt it was his duty to represent his constituents. He felt being gay was personal and didn’t affect his job as a state senator, he said. Equality California, which ranks elected officials on their gay rights legislation voting record, ranked Ashburn a zero in 2008.

Barks asked the senator if his statement on her program would change future votes. Ashburn said his responsibility is to his constituents.

“There’s never been a doubt in my mind on the position of the majority, the vast majority of people in my district on these different issues,” Ashburn told Barks. “I’ve voted as I felt I should on behalf of the people who elected me.”

Since he was arrested, Ashburn said he lost his driver’s license and the use of the state-owned vehicle he was in when the arrest occurred. At the time of his arrest, his blood alcohol level was 0.14, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney. Ashburn is charged with driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or greater.

The State Senate District 18 seat is up for election. Ashburn cannot run again because of term limits. He has stated he will not run for any future public office. Ashburn did say on the Inga Barks show that he does want to go back to work in the State Senate. He had taken a personal leave from the Senate following his arrest.

Ashburn, who signed a no-tax pledge in 2006, was one of six Republican senators who last year voted for a $12.5 billion tax increase. In March 2009 a Bakersfield man attempted to recall Ashburn over his vote for the tax increase. The recall effort was abandoned in September.

In addition to the radio interview, Ashburn has also been interviewed by the Bakersfield Californian newspaper, said Noel Libang, Ashburn’s spokesman. However, Libang said those are all the interviews the senator will do.

Andrew LaFlamme, legislative director for the senator’s office, said the senator did attend a session of the State Senate Monday.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com