We've all seen those stories where a careless politician gets a little too candid when speaking into a hot mic. But this one's really in a whole different league.
Michael Duvall is a conservative Republican state representative from Orange County, California. While waiting for the start of a legislative hearing in July, the 54-year-old married father of two and family values champion began describing, for the benefit of a colleague seated next to him, his ongoing affairs with two different women. Invery graphic detail.
For instance:
Duvall's sophomoric braggadocio, of course, was picked up by the microphone in front of him, and wound up on a tape for the legislature's in-house TV station. From there it was sent to a local news station, KCAL, which ran this full report last night:
According to both KCAL and the OC Weekly, an alternative weekly in Orange County, the woman who wears the "eye-patch underwear" is Heidi DeJong Barsuglia, a lobbyist for an energy company, Sempra Energy. Duvall is vice chair of the Committee on Utilities & Commerce.
In the tape, Duvall also says of Barsuglia:
The OC Weekly explains that it identified Barsuglia as the woman Duvall was talking about because Duvall also said:
The hearing took place on July 8th. OC Weekly looked at voter registration records and confirmed that Barsuglia turned 36 on Monday July 6.
Separately, KCAL named Barsuglia, citing sources.
According to the OC Weekly, Duvall and Barsuglia have been seen "arm-in-arm" at fund-raising events, and even shopping for groceries together near the Capitol.
One Sacramento staffer told the paper:
As for the second woman, whose identity remains unconfirmed, Duvall said in the recorded conversation:
This story, of course, just wouldn't be the same if Duvall -- a former mayor of Yorba Linda and the owner of an insurance company -- weren't known as a strict conservative and a staunch defender of family values. But alas, he is.
As the OC Weekly reports, Duvall has "blasted" efforts to promote gay marriage, and got a 100 percent score from the Capitol Resource Institute, which describes its mission as to "educate, advocate, protect, and defend family-friendly policies in the California state legislature". In March, a spokeswoman for the group called Duvall "a consistent trooper for the conservative causes," adding that "for the last two years, he has voted time and time again to protect and preserve family values in California."
In addition, says the paper:
Throughout the day yesterday, Duvall evaded reporters' efforts to talk to him about his comments, fleeing several times down the Capitol's corridors.
The voice-mailbox for Duvall's Capitol office was full. Calls by TPMmuckraker to Duvall's district office, to Barsuglia, and to Sempra Energy's public relations department were not immediately returned.
Late Update: Duvall has apologized. But that doesn't mean he's escaping punishment.
Late Late Update: Duvall resigns from office.
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