1983 Congressional page sex scandal
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The 1983 Congressional page sex scandal was a political scandal in the United States involving members of the United States House of Representatives.
On July 14, 1983 the House Ethics Committee concluded that Rep. Dan Crane (R-Ill.) and Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.) had engaged in sexual relationships with minors, specifically 17-year-old congressional pages. In Crane's case, it was a 1980 relationship with a female page and in Studds's case, it was a 1973 relationship with a male page. Both representatives immediately pleaded guilty to the charges and the committee decided to simply reprimand the two.
However, Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) demanded their expulsion. On July 20, 1983 the House voted for censure, the first time that censure had been imposed for sexual misconduct. Crane, who tearfully apologized for his transgression, lost his bid for reelection in 1984.
Studds, however, stood by the facts of the case and refused to apologize for his ephebophiliac behavior, and even turned his back and ignored the censure being read to him. He called a press conference with the former page, in which both stated that the child, who was 17, consented. Studds had taken the child to Morocco to engage in sexual activity, and therefore did not break any U.S. laws in what he called a "private relationship."<1> He continued to be reelected until his retirement in 1996.<2>
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he didn't speak about Crane either
Frank is a prominent figure in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, and has been outspoken on many human rights issues, as well as on issues of gay and lesbian rights. In 1987, he spoke publicly about his homosexuality for the first time. He said in a 1996 interview: "I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority."
In 1990, the House voted to reprimand Frank when it was revealed that Steve Gobie was running a prostitution business from Frank's apartment. Frank had dismissed Gobie earlier that year after learning of Gobie's activities.
The Boston Globe, among others, called on Frank to resign, but he refused. The House Ethics Committee recommended Frank be reprimanded because he "reflected discredit upon the House" by using his congressional office to fix 33 of Gobie's parking tickets. Attempts to expel or censure Frank failed; instead the House voted 408-18 to reprimand him. This condemnation was not reflected in Frank's district, where he won re-election in 1990 with 66 percent of the vote, and has won by larger margins ever since.
In 1995, Majority leader Dick Armey made a stir when he referred to Frank as "Barney Fag" in a press interview. Armey apologized and claimed it was a slip of the tongue.
In 1998, he founded the National Stonewall Democrats, the national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democratic organization.
In 2004, a survey of Capitol Hill staffers published in Washingtonian magazine gave Frank the title of the most intelligent Democratic member of the House of Representatives. In the same survey he was also listed as the funniest member of the House.<1>
In 2006, Frank provoked the ire of Veteran's Groups as one of only three Representatives to oppose the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act.
The Frank Rule
During a GOP campaign concerning homosexuality, Frank threatened to out a number of "gay-baiting" Republican fellow congressmen
. He stated that it is unacceptable to out a closeted gay person, unless that person uses their power or notoriety to hurt gay people<2> Many members of the LGBT community adhere to this rule in their own relationships with prominent individuals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank
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