Senator’s restroom exploits put new focus on bloggers

A week of humiliation for Idaho Sen. Larry Craig has been a week of vindication for gay-activist blogger Mike Rogers.

Rogers, who “outs” hypocritical gay politicians at BlogActive.com, last October reported allegations that Craig, a married gay-rights opponent, had sex with male partners at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station.

Those allegations, which gained broader exposure when Rogers appeared on the syndicated Ed Schultz radio show, spurred heated denials from Craig’s camp. The restroom liaisons “absolutely did not [occur]; there is no basis in fact,” a spokesman for the Republican senator told The Spokesman-Review for an Oct. 18 story.

What a difference nearly a year makes. As Roll Call reported last week, Craig recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge stemming from a June arrest for allegedly soliciting sex in a men’s room at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

And there was Rogers back on the air with Schultz while his earlier reports were cited by CNN, the Washington Post and many other news outlets. Heavy traffic even knocked his blog offline Tuesday.

Visitors who got through to the site saw “The List” – a running tally of politicians Rogers has outed. Some, such as former Florida Rep. Mark Foley, have been widely exposed. Others have not.

That list underscores a dilemma for mainstream media outlets: Point readers toward allegations they wouldn’t normally report because of ethics concerns, or risk irrelevancy by ignoring salacious scoops from activist blogs.

The D.C.-based Rogers offered both criticism and advice for the MSM on that score last week via phone.

“Bloggers threaten the unwritten pact of protection between those in political power and the mainstream media,” Rogers charged.

On the other hand, he said, “It’s been a wonderful relief to see folks in the mainstream media crediting my reporting on Craig. It’s been a vindication of my work. The mainstream media is learning.”

It might surprise newsroom veterans to learn Rogers shares their concerns about accuracy and ethics – even if his standards are somewhat different.

When MSM journalists see an incendiary allegation on a blog, Rogers said, they do have an obligation to confirm it before giving it wider circulation.

“I don’t think blogs can do the job for the reporter,” he advised. “They can’t just say, ‘Mike Rogers says this so it must be true.’ “

But his frustration kicks in when reporters do their due diligence and sit on the story anyway – as happened in the Foley case – or when they don’t follow up evidence supporting an allegation because they’re squeamish about exposing the private lives of even hypocritical politicians.

Rogers acknowledged gay legislators don’t have to support gay marriage. However, he added, “You have to be honest with the American people that you’re voting against a group you’re a part of. If politicians want to say they’re straight and then have sex in bathrooms after voting against gay rights, that doesn’t work.”

But the blogger also considers potential collateral damage before outing such lawmakers. Rogers said he’s delayed forcing another U.S. senator out of the closet because it would harm the career of a young teacher with whom he had sex.

The blogger also will hold off on naming names when he believes hypocritical politicians are on a path to greater self-awareness.

“I like to give them the time to complete the journey instead of forcing them out and destroying their career,” Rogers said. “Every journey for every closeted gay politician is different. Some people, like Craig, are in a ditch and they’re never going to climb out of it. Those are the guys I’m interested in outing.”

Those are the kinds of judgment calls that tie newsrooms into ethics knots. But blogs and traditional media outlets will reach some accommodation, Rogers predicted, because they need each other.

“A lot more people read the paper than read blogs,” he said. “But blogs do influence the mainstream media. We’ll all work it out. If things didn’t change, we’d still be going to the barber to have our teeth pulled.”

As Craig has discovered, however, that change can be as messy and painful as an old-fashioned dental extraction.