Carl DeMaio: selling his soul in the mayoral race (commentary)

Almost everyone knows the story of the Faustian bargain or as it’s more commonly known, the proverbial pact with the devil. As the story goes, the person offers his soul in exchange for favors. These favors vary by tale, but usually include a desire for youth, knowledge, wealth or power.

I never thought I would see the old parable play itself out so literally in real life; then came gay mayoral candidate, Carl DeMaio.

It is clear at this point that DeMaio has made a pact with the devil in pursuit of power, a pact made because of his desire to be mayor of America’s Finest City. DeMaio so desperately wants to be mayor that he has made deals with anti-LGBT organizations and people who support his candidacy for mayor, while also supporting groups whose main purpose is to fight against LGBT equality.

Those who are politically aware suspect that DeMaio has promised opponents of equality that LGBT issues will not be of importance in his would-be administration. In so doing, he is garnering the support of the rabid Prop. 8 supporters and the Christian right.

Most recently, Carl DeMaio got the endorsement of the Republican Party Central Committee (RPCC) of San Diego County.

Interesting. This is the same group that supports the anti-LGBT platform of the California Republican Party, not to mention the Republican National Committee.

In pursuit of the Republican Party of San Diego County endorsement, the DeMaio camp distributed literature assailing Nathan Fletcher’s record in the California Assembly. The literature distributed gave Fletcher a grade of “F” for his voting record, and called him the “most liberal Republican.” Forty-eight hours prior to the RPCC endorsement vote, DeMaio’s campaign manager, Ryan Clumpner, referred to the same material on SDRostra.com, calling Fletcher’s scores for conservatism “abysmal.”

Who are these independent organizations that the DeMaio campaign is using against Fletcher? The California Republican Assembly and Capitol Resource Family Impact are both anti-LGBT organizations that rail against any California LGBT positive legislation. Capitol Resource Family Impact has called LGBT-positive legislation “homosexual indoctrination” and the “promotion of homosexual lifestyle in school curriculum (sic).”

Both organizations were against SB 48 which requires public schools to teach children about the contributions of LGBT Americans. They were also against AB 433; the bill that allows a transgender person to be issued a new birth certificate with a new name and gender. Nathan Fletcher voted against his party and for the passage of both of these pieces of LGBT-positive legislation, moves which contributed to him being labeled “the most liberal Republican” by the DeMaio campaign and these anti-gay Republican groups.

So Carl, are you suggesting that you would not have voted to allow LGBT history to be taught in schools or that you wouldn’t vote to allow transgender Californians to get driver’s licenses in their new gender?

Coupled with the fact that DeMaio has touted the support of homophobes Roger Hedgecock and Lysol Larry Stirling, as well as taken the most money from those who supported Prop. 8 and other anti-LGBT groups; it is obvious that DeMaio has made a deal with these devils in pursuit of the power afforded by the office of mayor.

Pacts with devils do not end well. DeMaio’s support among the LGBT community is dwindling and our community could be the deciding factor in a close race. Why DeMaio continues to pal around with political people who do not believe in LGBT equality is beyond me. But the real question is why would any LGBT person who believes in LGBT equality support Carl DeMaio?

Stampp Corbin

Publisher