Barney Frank reacts to Aaron Schock's resignation: Was he outed?
Wed. March 18, 2015 9:50 AM by OnTopMag.com
Chicago, IL -
Former congressman Barney Frank's initial reaction upon hearing that Republican Representative Aaron Schock had resigned was to ask whether he had been outed.
"He was outed or what?" the openly gay Frank responded when Business Insider asked him to weigh in on the development.
The 74-year-old Frank is currently pitching his his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
Schock, 33, resigned in a statement Tuesday amid questions about his use of federal funds.
Frank said that he did not know whether speculation surrounding Schock's sexuality was true.
"I will say this, I don't know if he's gay or not," Frank said. "But if he is, he's forfeited any right to privacy because he votes anti-gay. My view is that people who are gay who vote to support the right of other people to do it have a right to privacy, but the right to privacy does not include hypocrisy."
If the rumors were true, Frank said, Schock should come out.
"Yeah, if they're true, and I don't know that they are. I have to say, if they're not true, he spent entirely too much time in the gym for a straight man," he added.
Related: Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigns
Editor's Note: Join Center on Halsted, The Book Stall and Equality Illinois as they welcome Barney Frank and hear him speak about his new memoir at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Wednesday, March 25. (Event details)
"He was outed or what?" the openly gay Frank responded when Business Insider asked him to weigh in on the development.
The 74-year-old Frank is currently pitching his his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
Schock, 33, resigned in a statement Tuesday amid questions about his use of federal funds.
Frank said that he did not know whether speculation surrounding Schock's sexuality was true.
"I will say this, I don't know if he's gay or not," Frank said. "But if he is, he's forfeited any right to privacy because he votes anti-gay. My view is that people who are gay who vote to support the right of other people to do it have a right to privacy, but the right to privacy does not include hypocrisy."
If the rumors were true, Frank said, Schock should come out.
"Yeah, if they're true, and I don't know that they are. I have to say, if they're not true, he spent entirely too much time in the gym for a straight man," he added.
Related: Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigns
Editor's Note: Join Center on Halsted, The Book Stall and Equality Illinois as they welcome Barney Frank and hear him speak about his new memoir at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Wednesday, March 25. (Event details)
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