Gorbachy Campaign Worker Bashes Gays, Stevens In E-Mails

Senator's staff member sends anti-gay emails, mocks Stevens' sexual orientation

TREETON, MON--Senator Hanna Gorbachy (NAT), who is facing re-election this December, is apologizing after one of her staff members sent anti-gay e-mails, including messages that mocked Gorbachy's opponent, CNS Congressman Rill Stevens, who happens to be openly gay.

Derrick Shaffey, a key operative in Gorbachy's re-election campaign and a full-time aid to the senator, admitted to sending the e-mails after they were leaked to local media. In its Thursday edition, The Oaksdale Press newspaper published excerpts of the e-mails, but newspaper officials said some portions had to be edited because they were too explicit for publication.

In one e-mail to a fellow nationalist colleague, Shaffey writes that gays "don't deserve the attention they've been given in this campaign," and that "gays are too stupid to figure out that politicians don't really care about them." In that same e-mail, Shaffey calls Stevens a "tiny-brained faggot," and suggests if Stevens would "cross-dress" he could "do better with women [voters]."

Shaffey, a 25-year-old recent college graduate of Owens-Park State University and the youngest member of Gorbachy's full-time staff, initially denied sending the e-mails, until he was confronted by members of the media with exact transcripts. He then acknowledged he sent them, but said they had been taken out of context.

"It was really all just...kind of a joke," Shaffey said. "I think it's really being taken out of context by the media."

Out of context or not, the Gorbachy campaign did not hesitate to take action. Senator Gorbachy jointly appeared with Shaffey at a special press conference Friday morning, openly condemning his remarks.

"I have to say that I am appalled, utterly appalled, disgusted, disappointed, and ashamed of Derrick's behavior," she said. "This is in no way an acceptable kind of behavior for my campaign."

Shaffey also spoke personally, issuing an apology to Representative Stevens and the public.

"My actions were wrong. It was dumb, it was stupid. I should never have sent those e-mails, and I just want to say I'm sorry to Congressman Stevens, to the people of Monomi, and to Senator Gorbachy," he said.

When asked about Shaffey's future with the campaign, the senator did not say whether he will be dimissed. Mr. Shaffey has been put on indefinite suspension, however, the senator said.

The Stevens campaign did not immediately comment to reporters. However, the campaign did release a written statement later in the afternoon, in which Representative Stevens called Mr. Shaffey's comments "despicable, deplorable, and completely and utterly offensive."

"Mr. Shaffey's words are not only offensive to me, they are offensive to every member of our society who identifies with the gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/trans-gendered movement," Stevens wrote. "And to hear these hateful, bigotted words is extremely hurtful and demeaning."

Stevens also called for Shaffey's immediate departure from the campaign.

"If Senator Gorbachy truly cares about running a clean and respectful campaign, she will do what's right and immediately force Mr. Shaffey to leave the campaign. This kind of bigotry and hate-speech should not be tolerated in this campaign."

Senator Gorbachy's campaign will make an announcement regarding Mr. Shaffey's future with the campaign sometime over the weekend, a campaign spokeswoman said.