Journalist Accuses Rep. Aaron Schock of Being a Hypocritical Gay

A CBS News correspondent posted a blind item on Facebook accusing a Congressman hiding his homosexuality while voting against equal rights, and then dropped an obvious hint.

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A journalist posted a blind item on Facebook accusing a Congressman hiding his homosexuality while voting against equal rights, and then dropped an obvious hint.

A long message on Itay Hod's Facebook page accused a Republican in Congress of hypocritically voting against bills that would bolster equal rights for gays while getting caught by a reporter in the shower with his boyfriend, or, on another occasion, navigating the gay bar scene:

what if you know a certain GOP congressman, let's just say from Illinois, is gay... and you know this because one of your friends, a journalist for a reputable network, told you in no uncertain terms that he caught that GOP congressman and his male roommate in the shower... together. now they could have been good friends just trying to conserve water. but there's more. what if this congressman has also been caught by tmz cameras trolling gay bars. now what if you know that this very same guy, the darling of the gop, has also voted against repeal of don’t ask don’t tell, opposed the repeal of doma, is against gay marriage; and for the federal marriage amendment, which would add language to the us constitution banning gay marriage and would likely strike down every gay rights law and ordinance in the country?

Are we still not allowed to out him? 

 

At the end of the note, Hay "had a sudden urge" to share this article: "The 7 gayest Aaron Schock Instagram posts of 2013." Republican Rep. Aaron Schock represents the 18th congressional district in Illinois, where is gay-marriage is legal. Schock has since adjusted his Instagram's privacy settings so no one can see his photos.

(One person Schock follows on Instagram is recently outed Olympian Tom Daley.)

Adding further fuel to the Schock theory, the Republican matches Hod's description of a GOP Congressman who has never voted for equal rights. Schock gets a whopping zero percent rating from the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group that holds elected officials accountable for supporting LBGT rights. In the past, Schock gave a vague answer when asked why he has never supported gay rights. "Um, well, I-I just haven't," he said.

Now the hunt is on for the truth behind Schock's sexuality, accusations on which he has not yet commented. This is not the first time gay rumors have swirled around Schock. His colorful outfits have drawn speculation in D.C. circles about his sexual proclivities. Also not helping his cause are the beefcake-y shots Schock posed for on the cover of Men's Health, who labeled him America's "fittest Congressman."

The Schock controversy also raises fresh questions about when it is appropriate to report someone's sexuality. The common thinking is that it is never appropriate to out someone in the closet. ABC News' Robin Roberts came out publicly last week after friends, co-workers, and reporters, too, knew about her orientation for over a decade. But Hod makes the point that this is a special situation where the hypocrisy of the situation should outweigh any ethical debate — his actions endanger others' human rights. "Doesn't the media have an OBLIGATION to expose his hypocrisy? if he had done something so hypocritical and he wasn't gay, wouldn't we demand journalists do their job?" he asks.

Update, 7:13 p.m. A CBS News spokesperson reached out to clarify that Hod is no longer an employee with company. Hod told Gawker's Jordan Sargent he left CBS two years ago. We regret the error.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.