My father was involved in suburban Chicago politics for many years, and told me that whenever he was around a mike he always acted as if was switched on (whether it was or not) to avoid saying anything that could come back to bite him.

Too bad some others aren’t smart enough to adopt the same idea.

This is getting to be what Chuck Shepherd would call “No Longer Weird News”...things that used to be considered such but now occur with enough frequency as to be retired from circulation.  Republican Sexual Hypocrites are rapidly becoming such creatures.

ack. Not before lunch, Pam! :x

The sanctity of marriage is flimsy indeed if tiny underpants are all that it takes to break it.  In order to protect marriage, I think we should pass laws banning underwear!  What?  It makes about as much sense as banning gay marriage.

These incidents never fail to crack me up.

I feel for the person whose job it is to clean the above mentioned stairs.

Republican Sexual Hypocrites are rapidly becoming such creatures.

I’m sorry, but there’s one too many assumptions there.

Apart from the fact that he’s Republican, can you actually show this “sexual hypocrisy” above simple adultery?

And as regards the vulgarity - think carefully about whether you’d pass if you were unlucky to have all your conversations transcribed verbatim.  Speaking in front of a microphone is indeed stupid, though.

Much as I like the “gotcha” stings against Republicans, you’re going to have to show more to demonstrate that we should forgo cutting him the usual slack that comes from understanding human beings as mixtures of both the high and low.

I’m reminded here of the sniffy cries over horror over Prince Charles’ “tampon” remarks to the woman with which he was sexually enamoured.  Show me it’s more than that.

Do we really need to watch the chasing-the-story fail? It’s slightly less riveting than a car chase.

Also, is anyone getting the sense that these “lobbyists” are little more than prostitutes paid to take care of the politicians they’re trying to influence? I have a feeling that from their perspective, he’s the conquest.

Piator:

Did you watch the clip? He’s pretty much straight up “family values”, but as a general rule he’s extremely indiscreet.

Did you watch the clip? He’s pretty much straight up “family values”, but as a general rule he’s extremely indiscreet.

He’s reported as that.  I didn’t see any evidence he was doing anything more than going through the motions required of Republican pols - the nearest he got was speaking on an anti-gay position.

This guy was all over the prop 8 issue out here (I’m in Orange County). He is full on godly family values. So yeah, PiaToR, There is something to this as a story.

What a shock: Phoenician in a Time of “Uh, safewords?” Romans, who recently claimed that pro-liars still deserve the benefit of the doubt — despite years of posts by Amanda brimming with evidence to the contrary — doesn’t understand why this dude’s a hypocrite.

PiaToR, are you really that stupid, or are you trolling?

Now the fucker’s are taking credit for gravity.  Or…  maybe it proves their sperm don’t have angel wings.  Or….  I’m making myself sick now.  Bye.

This guy was all over the prop 8 issue out here (I’m in Orange County). He is full on godly family values.

Mmm - “family values” seems to be mostly used as a code for anti-gay positions, though, a way for Repubs to feel righteous about their bigotry.  Do you have him taking any major position on things like adultery, divorce or plain sex - other than the mouthings necessary for Republican pols?

PIATOR, hmmm…let’s see, from his own CA Assembly web site (http://arc.asm.ca.gov/inc/article.aspx?id=219702), he received a 100% score from the Capitol Resource Institute, whose mission is to advocate “family-friendly” policies in California.  From his own press release:

“Assemblyman Duvall has been a consistent trooper for the conservative cause,” stated Capitol Resource Institute Executive Director Karen England. “For the last two years he has voted, time and time again, to protect and preserve family values in California. We are grateful for his support of California families and will continue to look for it in the upcoming session.”...“California’s families are under a constant assault in Sacramento, and CRI does an excellent job of educating legislators and staff alike on issues, and advocating in defense of the traditional family,” Assemblyman Duvall said.

So, he put himself forth as a family-values Republican, and touted his F-V bona fides in a press release.

Then you said:  “I didn’t see any evidence he was doing anything more than going through the motions required of Republican pols.”

Pretending to be something you’re not, loudly proclaiming so, and comporting yourself in a completely opposite manner?  That’s a hypocrite, my friend.

That took me less than 10 minutes to find.

PiaToR, are you really that stupid, or are you trolling?

Riiiiiight - ‘cos, you know, groupthink, tribalism, failing to cope with criticism, and conflating different issues (such as bigotry, ethical violations and hypocrisy in this case) together into one big smear to express our distaste for the assholes we don’t like are sooooo attractive when the wingnuts do it.

So, he put himself forth as a family-values Republican, and touted his F-V bona fides in a press release.

Pretending to be something you’re not, loudly proclaiming so, and comporting yourself in a completely opposite manner?  That’s a hypocrite, my friend.

I saw that.  I’d still like to see that “family values” in this case meant anything other than the usual gay-bashing.

Heh—reader at my pad noted that Duvall was awarded “Ethics in America Award” for highest standards of ethical integrity.
http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/72/

Assemblyman Duvall currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the influential Committee on Utilities and Commerce, which oversees the regulation of public utilities in the state, as well as dealing with trade issues. Duvall is also a member of the Assembly Committees on Appropriations and Local Government. In February 2009 Assemblyman Duvall was named “Legislator of the Year for 2008” by the California Attractions and Parks Association for his opposition to Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed “fun tax.”

Assemblyman Duvall continues to own and operate a local insurance agency and understands what it takes to run a small business in California’s strict regulatory environment. As the two-time President of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Yorba Linda General Plan Steering Committee, he was a passionate defender of local businesses. Chapman University awarded Duvall the Ethics in America Award in 2000 for his “demonstration of the highest standards of ethical integrity” while a member of the Chamber team.

Assemblyman Duvall lives in Yorba Linda with his wife Susan. He has two grown children.

I’m reminded here of the sniffy cries over horror over Prince Charles’ “tampon” remarks to the woman with which he was sexually enamoured.

Well, he was married at the time, and the heir to the British throne.  They’re not too happy about their monarchs (or monarchs-to-be) engaging in adultery.  Hell, they forced Edward VII to abdicate merely because he married a divorced woman.

Edward VII—> Edward VIII

I’d still like to see that “family values” in this case meant anything other than the usual gay-bashing.

A quick Googling of the term “family values” renders this:

Social and religious conservatives often use the term “family values” to promote conservative ideology that supports traditional morality or values.

I’m pretty sure banging a lobbyist who is not your wife (i.e., adultery) falls outside the purview of “traditional morality”.  Not to mention the whole kiss-and-tell thing.  A gentleman, he is not.

I love how one of Duvall’s 2000 campaign priorities was to “Restore ethical behavior, responsibility and accountability to City Council”

http://www.smartvoter.org/2000/11/07/ca/or/vote/duvall_m/

I insist that in the future you warn me in advance when you’re going to induce vomiting by quoting a Republican verbatim.

PiaToR, I think this Wiki entry says it all:

Organizations: Orange County California Republican Assembly California Dental Association PAC California Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association PAC California Correctional Peace Officers Association OC Taxpayers Association Young Republican Federation of California Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs

U.S. House of Representatives : Congressman John Campbell Congressman Gary Miller Congressman Ed Royce

State Senate: Senator John J. Benoit Senator Bob Huff Senator Mimi Walters Former Senator Dick Ackerman

State Assembly: Assemblyman Chuck DeVore Assemblyman Bill Emmerson Assemblyman Jeff Miller Assemblyman Jim Silva Assemblyman Van Tran Former Assemblyman Russ Bogh Former Assemblyman Ray Haynes Former Assemblywoman Shirley Horton Former Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa Former Assemblyman Ken Maddox Former Assemblyman George Plescia Former Assemblywoman Sharon Runner

Orange County Supervisors: Janet Nguyen, 1st District Bill Campbell, 3rd District

Orange County Public Administrator-Guardian John Williams

City of Aliso Viejo: Greg Ficke

City of Anaheim: Curt Pringle Harry Sidhu

City of Buena Park: Art C. Brown

City of Costa Mesa: Gary Monahan

City of Cypress: Lydia Sondhi Phil Luebben

City of Fountain Valley: Larry Crandall

City of Fullerton: Dick Jones

City of Huntington Beach: Cathy Green

City of Irvine: Christina Shea Steven Choi

City of La Habra: Dororthy Wedel

City of La Palma: Mark Waldman

City of Laguna Niguel: Cassie DeYoung

City of Laguna Woods: Robert Bouer

City of Mission Viejo: John Paul Ledesma

City of Orange: Mark Murphy Jon Dumitru Carolyn Cavecche

City of Placentia: Scott Brady

City of Rancho Santa Margarita: James Thor

City of Villa Park: Patricia Bortle Rich Freschi

City of Westminister: Frank Fry Kermit Marsh

City of Yorba Linda: Keri Lynn Wilson Ken Ryan Jim Winder Allen Castellano

Orange County Board of Education Dr. Ken L. Williams, Trustee

Orange County School Board Dr. Alexandria Coronado

Municipal Water District of Orange County: Brett Barbre Larry Dick

Orange County Water District: Denis Bilodeau Philip Anthony, President Wes Bannister

Yorba Linda County Water District: John Summerfield Mike Beverage

Hartnell College Board: Steve McShane, Trustee, District 1

Anaheim City School District Board of Education James Vanderbilt

Community Leaders/Businessman: Brion May, Principal of Brion May Consulting Steve Belly, Assistant City Manager, City of Grand Terrace Buck Johns, Lincoln Club Karen Estremo, Karen’s Extreme Cuisine Franklin Garcia, Insurance Agent Ray Rizzo, Ray’s Auto Care Martel Electronics Henry Sunit, General Manager, Audio Designs Peter Templeton, Templeton Planning Group Anna Bryson Tom Scott, Anaheim Fullerton Harley-Davidson John Force, John Force Racing Ed Lani, Farmer’s Insurance Mike Crawley, Farmer’s Insurance George Cuevas, Kramer Auto Collision

Mr. Duvall lives in Yorba Linda with his wife Susan, a local businesswoman.For now.

Wikipedia Link

Right-wing “family values” Republican is a lying hypocritical piece of shit. In other news, the sun rose in the east today.

Thread over!

I didn’t see any evidence he was doing anything more than going through the motions required of Republican pols - the nearest he got was speaking on an anti-gay position.

Isn’t an anti-gay position (anti-gay marriage) pro family values in Duvall’s world? I’m confuzzled.

Upon reflection, I concede that PIATOR’s observation that I was being unfair is correct.  I suppose I should have spent a few minutes doing some research before commenting on my completely accurate assumption as to the man’s character.

Going to be hard to put a dollar amount on that kind of contribution by a lobbyist.

I didn’t see any evidence he was doing anything more than going through the motions required of Republican pols

Phoenician in a time of Romans

Remember when the motions Republicans were require to go through to prove their cred was more than bonking your lobbyists, interns and then trash talking about it to other Republicans?

Yeah, me neither.

Thread over!

Not yet:

The Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee is looking into the reports about Duvall’s alleged relationship with the lobbyist, a source close to the committee said this morning.

Members of the ethics panel plan to meet today with their legal counsel to determine what action they might take, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak for the committee.

“They are taking this very seriously,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Duvall posted this apology on his campaign website:  “I made a mistake and I sincerely apologize. I deeply regret the comments I made in what I believed to be a private conversation. This is a private matter and I ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved.”]

Duvall joined the Assembly in 2006, representing the 72nd District, which includes the cities of Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Orange, Brea, Yorba Linda and La Habra.

He is a former Yorba Linda City Councilman and member of the Orange County Sanitation District board and Orange County Transportation Authority. According to his Assembly website, he also runs an insurance business with his wife.

—Evan Halper reporting from Sacramento

Credit: Mike Duvall campaign office

LAT Link

Yorba Linda, FWIW, is the home town of Richard M Nixon, so that tells you something right there.

Going to be hard to put a dollar amount on that kind of contribution by a lobbyist.

I’m sure there’s a couple of brothels in Nevada that would be able to offer a reasonable guess at a price point there.

Hang on.

Yes, “Family Values” is pretty much a code-word and a dog-whistle for anti-gay political positions and legislation. No argument there, and this story is further proof that many if not most “family values” people are anti-gay, pure and simple.

But that doesn’t change the hypocrisy. Even if everyone on both sides understands that family values means anti-gay, he is still using the phrase, campaigning using the phrase, and using it as a part of his resume as a reason to be voted for.

The reason this is the code word they chose is that they claim to stand for monogamy, Christian marriage, fidelity, and in many cases, boring sex even within marriage.

And when you use a code word like that, in the same context as everyone else, especially when the code word is a part of your party platform, you are stating that you stand for what your party claims to stand for - in this case, not adultery.

The fact that it is an incredibly common hypocrisy, and a transparent one, doesn’t make it any less hypocritical.

I’d still like to see that “family values” in this case meant anything other than the usual gay-bashing.

what? because gay-bashing is not enough?

you don’t get to talk about how gays are destroying the sanctity of “opposite marriage” all the while doing your damnedest to destroy the sanctity of your own marriage. although i would love to see him argue that teh gayness made him cheat on his wife in a hetero-manner…

dude is a hypocrite, and a stupid one at that. and yeah, that’s not all that uncommon for a rethug these days. doesn’t mean they get a pass.

why don’t these adulterous sickoes use condoms? If only for the health of his wife. Gross. I feel sorry for the people that had to listen to him bloviate on about his sex life too… it’s like a high school locker room meets the RNC.

On top of everything else, it appalls me that he felt it was okay to have this discussion on the job in the first place, mike on or not.

LOL. Because pointing out that you have a track record of saying things that are dimwitted at best, disingenuous at worst, makes me “just as bad as the wingnuts.”

Heh—reader at my pad noted that Duvall was awarded “Ethics in America Award” for highest standards of ethical integrity. http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/72/

Sounds promising.  Your link is not really functional - be careful on one of the links, it appears to be a malware site.

I’m pretty sure banging a lobbyist who is not your wife (i.e., adultery) falls outside the purview of “traditional morality”.

I’d like to see some evidence of him condemning others for screwing around or using his wife and family as a stick to beat up opponents before I’d make a point of calling him a hypocrite, over and above what he did as a necessary part of his role.

Yes, “Family Values” is pretty much a code-word and a dog-whistle for anti-gay political positions and legislation. No argument there, and this story is further proof that many if not most “family values” people are anti-gay, pure and simple.

The reason this is the code word they chose is that they claim to stand for monogamy, Christian marriage, fidelity, and in many cases, boring sex even within marriage.

What was the name of that Disney star who got the hell kicked out of her publicly because she was stupid enough to send nude pictures to her boyfriend, the sort of thing hundreds of thousands of teenage girls do? She was also expected to have a squeaky clean image due to her role.

The fact that it is an incredibly common hypocrisy, and a transparent one, doesn’t make it any less hypocritical.

No, but it does mean I think it’s tacky to go around throwing mud at him for that particular human failing, unless you first think that your private life and public image have no discrepencies or you show him particularly trumpeting his fidelity and condemning others.

Does anyone wonder whether the female lobbyist had any choice in the affair? What if her boss forced her to ‘get close’ to him? Especially since he was on the Energy committee and she was an energy lobbyist.

Considering Abramoff and Co actually hired prostitutes in lieu of bribes for politicians this seems like it could be a lot worse than some garden variety affair.

Also, is anyone getting the sense that these “lobbyists” are little more than prostitutes paid to take care of the politicians they’re trying to influence? I have a feeling that from their perspective, he’s the conquest.

That occurred to me, too. And if it’s true, God help the legitimate lobbyists, especially if they happen to be young women.

This guy apparently never learned the lesson of Jesse Unruh, erstwhile Calif. Assembly speaker: “If you can’t eat [lobbyists’] food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you have no business up here.”

“The Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee is looking into the reports about Duvall’s alleged relationship with the lobbyist, a source close to the committee said this morning. “

Now we’re getting somewhere.  People have sex.  Sex is messy.  Some people think messy sex is sexy.  Other people think their way of doing sex is great and everyone else’s is gross.  *That’s* not going anywhere.

What *does* need to go somewhere, though, is that he was doing these things with lobbyists.  Because even if Duvall’s marital partner knew and approved, and even if his sex partner’s husbands knew and approved, it would still be a scandal that he was having sex with lobbyists for industries his committee has jurisdiction over.

It wouldn’t just be scandalous in terms of exchange of favors (which is how a lot of people seem to be reading it with their “little more than prostitutes” quips.)  It would also be scandalous in terms of sexual-harassment-type power differentials between people seeking changes in legislation and someone in a position to make those changes.

But yes, by all means, go all knee-squeezy because someone had sex.  Gag and heave all you like about his explicit language.  And yes, definitely, absolutely take him to task for being the slimy hypocrite he is. But *first* put this man out of his chairmanship, off the committee, out of the Assembly, and, if possible, in jail for the real scandal of being that intimate with lobbyists or allowing them to be that intimate with him.

Those of us on the left are even more likely than those on the right to stop at twittery about sex at the expense of substance.

figleaf

Thank you, Figleaf, you said it more coherently and less profanely than I could. 

Also, I think it’s fair to add that “Family Values” isn’t just code for anti-gay.  That phrase has been called on in reference to abortion rights, single motherhood, porn, rock music, and anything else of which the Right does not approve.

He did the right thing:

Assemblyman Mike Duvall, R-Yorba Linda, has released a statement saying he will resign his office. Here’s his statement: “I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working hard on the very serious problems facing our state. I have come to the conclusion that it would not be fair to my family, my constituents or to my friends on both sides of the aisle to remain in office. Therefore, I have decided to resign my office, effective immediately, so that the Assembly can get back to work.”

Link

sophiefair says: you don’t get to talk about how gays are destroying the sanctity of “opposite marriage” all the while doing your damnedest to destroy the sanctity of your own marriage. although i would love to see him argue that teh gayness made him cheat on his wife in a hetero-manner…

THIS!

“I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction…”

He’s still aiming to let twittery trump substance.  It’s not his inappropriate comments, or the specific sexual activities he was describing when he made those comments.  It’s that he was literally *in bed* with lobbyists for an energy company his committee regulates.

Oh, and while I was Googling around for a post I’m writing up at my place, there’s the possibility that the energy company may have instead hired the lobbyists specifically *because* of his prior sexual relationship with him.  In which case not only should he face trial and jail, so should the lobbyists and the corporate staff that hired them.

figleaf

piator—i don’t have to worry about my public image and private behaviour matching because i am not a public figure with legislative power over the lives of others. and further, i don’t make public pronouncements about certain groups not deserving civil rights, based on religious standards that have no place in the civic or legislative arena.

this is not that complicated. he was a proud and loud douche. he got hoisted on the petard of public and ostentatious morality. and don’t think that said public and ostentatious morality was not the horse he rode into office on. (just to mix my metaphors slightly!)

He did the right thing:

Assemblyman Mike Duvall, R-Yorba Linda, has released a statement saying he will resign his office.

I would have put money on the nausuating kabuki play of the “reformed” pol announcing they’ve learned the error of their ways, with the loyal little spouse alongside, myself.

this is not that complicated. he was a proud and loud douche. he got hoisted on the petard of public and ostentatious morality.

Sophie, he is indeed a douche.  Is he being hoisted on his *own* petard or that wielded by the media?

“Is he being hoisted on his *own* petard or that wielded by the media?”

Indeed, it is possible that he was a reliable “family values” conservative who ran on an “Anti-gay, Anti-choice, Pro-fucking-people-other-than-your-wife” platform.

That said, figleaf is right that the story that should matter is the conflict-of-interest and power differentials here.

Is he being hoisted on his *own* petard or that wielded by the media?

From the Orange County Weekly:

SACRAMENTO—Freshmen legislators arriving in Sacramento receive advice from veteran politicians about the intricacies of working in California’s capital. One of those tips is to remember that microphones broadcasting legislative debates can also capture embarrassing, career-ending personal admissions if a politician isn’t careful. Michael D. Duvall, Orange County’s 72nd Assembly District representative, must have forgotten the warning.

piator—i would say his own. after all, as a canadian, i can think of several public figures/politicians whose views on “family values” i know nothing about. this is because publically declaring yourself to be a christiantist douche (or “speaking the biblical truth about marriage…blah,blah,blah”) is not useful in getting yourself elected up here.

he didn’t HAVE to talk about it (the sanctity of marriage, wev). hell, he didn’t HAVE to run for office. he chose to be a PUBLIC douche. and now he’s been outed as a lying, hypocritical public douche.

figleaf is right that the story that should matter is the conflict-of-interest and power differentials here.

i thought this was a both/and blog.

“People have sex.  Sex is messy.  Some people think messy sex is sexy.  Other people think their way of doing sex is great and everyone else’s is gross.  *That’s* not going anywhere.”

There’s something to be said for the fact that we know about this because he decided to talk about all the messy lobbyist sex he was having while he was on the *ahem* fucking job.

“Indeed, it is possible that he was a reliable “family values” conservative who ran on an “Anti-gay, Anti-choice, Pro-fucking-people-other-than-your-wife” platform.”

The press conferences those guys give are the absolute best.

You can’t but wonder at the position of the poor bastard next to him, who was either thinking “TMI, TMI, T effing MI” or else has got to know that he’s next on the ethic-investigation list. Because if you’ve known for a long time that your colleague is having sex with a lobbyist, you’re accessory to a crime.

Sophie, he is indeed a douche.  Is he being hoisted on his *own* petard or that wielded by the media?

What fucking planet are you from, dumbfuck? The depraved right-wing asshole crafted his entire political career on the platform of “family values”—sanctity of man-woman marriage, abolition of women’s ownership of their own bodies, man-man buttsex teh evul, etc: attempting to validate through force of law sanctimonious hateful religious assholes’ bronze-age fantasy-sky-fairy bullshit. And now he is revealed as a lying hypocritical piece of shit, fucking lobbyists and reveling with his right-wing asshole pals about how his fucking jism was dripping out of the lobbyist’s vagina onto the stairs.

He’s being hoisted on a petard that he has spent his entire political career nurturing. Are you really this fucking stupid, or are you just a shitheel?

He got in big trouble for his consensual “adulterous spanking”.  If he had just stuck to marital non-consensual spanking as God intended, he’d have done just fine.

Sigh, I stand by my point that it would be much easier to just report on the Republican politicians who <aren’t> hypocritical about their “family values”.

If you’re a Republican and you’re caught committing adultery, you’re a hypocrite. It doesn’t matter what your personal stance is; your party is obsessed with regulating the sexual behavior than others.

You can’t walk away from that.

You can’t ignore it.

Now, let’s say you speak out against your party’s stance. The question that immediately comes up is why the fuck are you are Republican in the first place?

Note that I’m not talking about people outside of public office. It is still yet possible to be utterly clueless about politics and thereby back a thoroughly immoral party without sin. But once you’re on the public dime, it’s on you.

This guy doesn’t get the benefit of a doubt. There is no doubt. No research is required. He stands for a party that is against “sexual immorality” and he was “sexually immoral.” That’s hypocrisy.

(Hypocrisy is one of the least important vices ever, imo. I think this story’s worth hearing because it’s funny and a bad thing happened to a bad person. Hypocrisy is merely a means of getting to the funny.)

I kinda wish that he had stayed on and forced his collegues to force him out.

What figleaf said.

That is all.

You can’t but wonder at the position of the poor bastard next to him, who was either thinking “TMI, TMI, T effing MI”

totally. who talks like that? about that? really?

i would expect better from a locker room of teenage boys. christ!

What was the name of that Disney star who got the hell kicked out of her publicly because she was stupid enough to send nude pictures to her boyfriend, the sort of thing hundreds of thousands of teenage girls do? She was also expected to have a squeaky clean image due to her role.

vanessa hudgens. (what? i have pre-teen daughters.)

and i fail to recall her making a huge deal about her own “type” of sexuality being the only acceptable type, and all others being deviant and damaging to god, mom and apple pie. further, i don’t recall her having any actual power to control the behaviour and/or civil rights of others…

so no. not the same thing at all.

What are “eye-patch undies”?

Also, ick. For talking about it, anyway.

Male lawmakers are not the only targets. Former Sen. Sheila Kuehl, a Santa Monica Democrat and California’s first openly lesbian lawmaker, recounted that the National Rifle Assn. once sent a “really good-looking” woman, whom she took to be a lesbian, to lobby her against restrictive gun laws.

“Why would she be the one coming to talk to me to talk about the NRA?” said Kuehl, who left office in 2008. “I’m sure they said, ‘Let’s send her to talk to Sheila.’ I found it sort of amusing, actually.”

She said the “fraternity atmosphere” in Sacramento isn’t as much about lobbyists as about ” ‘I’m away from home so I’m going to play.’ “

Former Senate chief Perata said the atmosphere today actually is less freewheeling than in the 1970s, when he began working as a legislative staff member. Then, he said, “women were treated as sex objects.”

That attitude has diminished since the advent of sexual harassment laws. The lesson of Mike Duvall, Perata said, is more about the perils of open microphones in a new media age. “What nailed this guy is technology,” he said.

Duvall incident spotlights politicians’ perks in capital