Gay Today: World

Pornography Scandal:
Senator James Inhofe is Mum

Compiled By GayToday

Washington, D.C.--Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla., was criticized yesterday at a press conference by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and by Oklahoma activists for hiding behind privacy concerns and obfuscating on the details surrounding the recent pornography scandal that has enveloped his office.

The sudden concern for privacy is highly suspect considering his personal attacks on James Hormel during his bid to become ambassador to Luxembourg, according to HRC.

"Senator Inhofe's staff should have used their highly honed internet skills to download the Constitution instead of pornography," said HRC Communications Director David M. Smith.

"If they would have downloaded the Constitution, they would have seen that the framers never saw the process as a means in which to derail qualified nominees based on prejudice. Furthermore, they would have learned that there isn't a Constitutional right to place a hold on nominations."

Large quantities of pornography were discovered to have been downloaded onto several tax-payer funded staff computers in Inhofe's office. The pictures were found during a routine systems check, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

The newspaper reported that there was such a voluminous collection of lewd and lascivious material that it "messed up the senator's computer system." A source told Roll Call that three male staffers were responsible.

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An Inhofe spokesman said in the article that "this resulted in immediate and appropriate disciplinary action being taken against those involved." There is still no word, however, on whether the staffers were fired or what measure of discipline has been proscribed for the aides involved.

"Inhofe has yet to clarify who was responsible for this incident and how they were disciplined," said Smith. "Inhofe's suspect handling of the situation could lead some people to wonder whether a higher level staff member was involved."

Last week, Inhofe blocked all pending Clinton administration nominations because he was upset over the June 4 recess appointment of openly gay philanthropist James Hormel as ambassador to Luxembourg.

Inhofe attacked the appointment with a blistering statement. "President Clinton has shown contempt for Congress and the Constitution," Inhofe said. "He has treated the Senate confirmation process as little more than a nuisance which he can circumvent whenever he wants to impose his will on the country."

Bill Lockhart, president of the Cimarron Alliance Group, Oklahoma's largest gay and lesbian political organization also spoke at the press conference in the Oklahoma State Capitol building.