Bob McDonnell Faces Scrutiny for 2003 Views on Homosexuality

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, who has faced criticism over a 20-year-old thesis that described working women as "detrimental" to society, is now facing scrutiny for his strong views on homosexuality. In the controversial thesis, McDonnell included homosexuality as one symptom of moral decline that government should "punish." He also participated in a 2003 hearing that left many with the impression that a Virginia circuit court judge was thrown off the bench because of her sexual orientation.

In the seven-hour hearing that the Washington Post calls "extraordinary," Virginia lawmakers grilled Verbena M. Askew, the state's first black female circuit court judge, whose reappointment was in jeopardy because she was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague. Before the hearing, McDonnell told a newspaper that "certain homosexual conduct" could disqualify a person from the bench, because it violates Virginia's "crimes against nature" law. He qualified his stance, saying he would not consider a judge unfit to serve because he or she was gay, but made clear he believed that some of their actions could violate the law.

McDonnell now says that the hearing and his previous comments have nothing to do with his current race for governor, though he did say the quotations were inaccurate and "inartful." The reporter who interviewed him remembers asking if he had ever violated the so-called "crimes against nature" law, which prohibits oral or anal sex. McDonnell responded, "Not that I recall."

For details: Scrutiny Spreads to '03 McDonnell Remarks [Washington Post]