Anti-gay marriage group knew of lawmaker's secret gay life

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The nation's leading anti-gay marriage organization was among the Christian conservative groups that knew a recently resigned Republican Ohio lawmaker had extramarital sexual contact with other men.

A Citizens for Community Values board member tells The Associated Press that the Cincinnati-based group learned about Wes Goodman's consensual activity after it had endorsed him in last year's legislative primary.

Further, according to dozens of young men accused Goodman of making sexual advances. The lawmaker would reach out to college students on Facebook who had mutual friends in conservative circles. Through Facebook's messenger and Snapchat, Goodman would offer to mentor these young people in political careers, before sending sexually suggestive messages, according to The Advocate.

The 33-year-old Goodman resigned last week after having a sexual encounter with a man in his state office.
Read about the resignation of Wes Goodman.

Board member Seth Morgan says Goodman faced no general election opposition and was "dealing with it," so the issue was set aside by CCV and another group that was briefed, Ohio's Conservative Republican Leadership Committee.

The Washington Post reported Friday that a third conservative group, the Council for National Policy, handled internally a complaint that Goodman fondled an 18-year-old college student at a conference.

By JULIE CARR SMYTH, Associated Press
Copyright Associated Press all rights reserved.

The Gayly 11/21/2017 @ 1:16 p.m.