Florida's $400,000 Blowjob

This short piece form Dan Savage (http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/400000_blowjob) shows how much the Florida taxpayers will be shelling out for a special election now that park restroom sex offender Bob Allen has resigned from office:

Bob Allen—the GOP state rep in Florida that was arrested after offering an undercover cop $20 and a blowjob in a public toilet—was convicted of solicitation last week, sentenced to six month’s probation and fined $250. Allen has now resigned from the Florida state house, much to the delight of his GOP colleagues, and a special election has to be held to pick his replacement. And guess what? It’s going to cost the state $400,000 to hold that special election. “That’s one expensive blowjob,” says Towleroad.

Well, technically no one got blown—so I’d describe it as one expensive bloverture. But knowing how much it would cost to replace Allen, the GOP might have helped to reestablish its fiscal-conservative bona fides by encouraging Allen to serve out the rest of his term, a la Larry Craig.

Florida Republican Guilty In Washroom Sex Case

This was too good to pass up. One more GOP closet case goes down, convicted by a jury of his peers. To say that Bob Allen is a stupid ass doesn't even begin to describe the matter. I continue to be amazed how it's the loudest homophobes who are just dying to have some gay sex. While I feel sorry for his family members, this guy deserves to be humiliated given his anti-gay voting record. I especially like the excuse that he solicited gay sex because he was afraid of blacks: I was afraid of the black men - - so I wanted to suck c**k? What the F***! Here are highlights from 365gay.com (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/11/111007allen.htm):

(Tampa, Florida) State Rep. Bob Allen (R) has been convicted of offering an undercover male police officer cash for sex. Allen, a longtime foe of LGBT rights in Florida, will be sentenced next Thursday. He could be facing 60 days in the county jail and a $500. fine. Republicans in the legislature said the conviction will allow them to move forward with plans to remove Allen from office.

Following the verdict his attorney accused the prosecution of misconduct and said he will seek a new trial. Allen was busted in July during a sting at a men's washroom at Veteran's Memorial Park in Titusville, Florida. In taped statements made by Allen to police following his arrest and released by the force Allen admits to soliciting the male officer but claims that it was the result of being nervous by the high number of black men in the park.

Ironically, Allen was the Police Union's 2007 Lawmaker of the Year. In the last session of the Florida legislature he sponsored a failed bill that would have tightened the state's prohibition on public sex. He also has been a supporter of amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage and has opposed a bill to curb bullying of gay students.

More GOP Sex Busts - This Time for Gay Sex Solicitation

At least David Vitter is not alone in the media spot light. Now Bob Allen, a member of the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Co-Chairman of the John McCain campaign, has been arrested on charges of soliciting a male undercover police officer. The following are highlights from the Orlando Sentinel's story (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-boballen071107,0,7769658.story?coll=orl-news-utility-lake):

Allen, R-Merritt Island, was booked into the Brevard County jail in Sharpes on a charge of solicitation to commit prostitution, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in the county jail and a $500 fine.

Titusville police were at Veteran's Memorial Park on East Broad Street on a burglary detail when they noticed an unshaven man acting suspicious, going in and out of the restroom three times, said Lt. Todd Hutchinson.

An undercover officer decided to go into one of the bathroom stalls, Hutchinson said. Moments later, Allen knocked on the stall door and offered to perform oral sex on the officer for $20, according to the police spokesman.The officer identified himself and took Allen into custody. Hutchinson said the officers had no idea the suspect was a state lawmaker.

Allen, 48, who chairs the House Committee on Energy, is married and has one child. He also is a former Little League volunteer and has donated time to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

Well, well. Yet another example of the actual practices of the "Party of Family Values." I feel sorry for Allen's wife and child, but what really kills me is that Allen blew his political career - no pun intended (not) - for a $20 blow job. Is the guy an idiot or what??