Continuing a nearly six-month pattern, the nation's establishment press ignored today's arraignment of pioneering homosexual activist, major Obama campaign bundler and Democrat "kingmaker" Terry Bean in Lane County, Oregon "on two charges of third-degree sodomy, a felony, and sexual abuse in the third degree, a misdemeanor."
A Google News search on Bean's full name during the past 24 hours done at 11 PM ET returned 24 items. Over a dozen of them linked to Michelle Malkin's latest syndicated column decrying the press's disgraceful double standards in covering matters such as these. Most of the remaining results were reports found at Oregon media outlets. One interesting exception was at, of all places, EDGE.
EDGE calls itself "the largest network of local Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) news and entertainment portals in the world, serving 3+ million dedicated readers from a variety of metropolitan areas around the United States and beyond."
In direct contrast to the virtual national establishment press silence, EDGE is carrying its own story on Bean's arraignment at most if not all of its 21 metro editions throughout the U.S., making it about the only national media outlet acting even remotely responsibly. Though that seems deeply ironic, perhaps EDGE understands the damage the Bean story and its national media coverup are doing to their cause. Rather than pretend that Bean's criminal prosecution doesn't exist, perhaps EDGE would prefer to see a movement leader, if truly guilty, get punished, and ensure that his punishment is widely known.
Here are excerpts from EDGE's coverage (links are in original; bolds are mine throughout this post):
HRC Co-Founder Pleads Not Guilty to Abusing Teen Boy
A prominent gay rights activist who help found the Human Rights Campaign pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that accuse him of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy last year, KOIN 6 reports.
Terry Bean, 66, along with his ex-boyfriend Kiah Lawson, 25, were arrested in Eugene, Ore., last month and charged with two counts of third-degree sexual assault. Lawson pleaded not guilty to all charges in November.
"Terry absolutely did not have sex with a minor. As we've said before, the circumstances behind this are not what they appear to be," Bean's attorney, Kristen Winemiller, said in a statement. "Terry Bean is a principled and esteemed citizen of the state ... He's eager to share the truth with the public and with all of his supporters. He has been the victim of a series of crimes perpetrated by a group of men that include his so-called ex partner and now co-defendant Kiah Lawson.
"Out of respect for the court today we will not comment on the specifics, but we are eager for the opportunity to represent the facts to the court and we look forward to clearing Terry's name," the statement reads.
KION 6 points out that there have been restraining orders filed by both Bean and Lawson, suggesting, "a violent end to the pair's relationship, and both men's friends and family claim they have been made the victim."
Sources close to the investigation told KION 6 at the time of the arrests that violence occurred after Lawson's found a hidden camera in Bean's Portland home. Lawson then allegedly tried to extort Bean, the source said the news station.
Investigators are also looking into the possibility that more underage children have been abused. ...
Bean is a prominent gay rights advocate and a major Democratic fundraiser. ...
Despite the charges, Portland's LGBT community has been supportive of Bean since being arrested. Gay activist Bill Dickey took to Facebook last month and said his "instinct is to remain loyal" to Bean, KOIN 6 reports.
Though the story doesn't mention Bean's association with President Obama, the "major Democratic fundraiser" link goes to a 2012 story headlined "Obama Thanks Alleged Gay Porn Producer at Ore. Fundraiser." At the time, the New York Post characterized Bean as a "gay-porn kingpin."
In a separate tweet today, Malkin skewered the Oregonian for running a "sob story" on Bean's life and current predicament. True enough, but the following passage from Jeff Manning's Tuesday evening story may indicate why many of Bean's fellow homosexuals may choose — or feel forced — to turn on him:
Bean has visited the White House multiple times, most recently in May. On one of those White House trips, Bean was accompanied by Lawson, the companion he started dating in August 2013.
... for a number of months, the two were inseparable. Bean gave Lawson entre to a new world.
"Here's this kid from Junction City flying off to Milan, meeting the president and getting a private tour of the White House," said Dickey, Lawson's former lawyer.
Bean allowed Lawson to live in a Portland condo, giving him a $1,600 monthly allowance.
Lawson and Bean traveled in a world of sexually adventurous young men and digitally enabled trysts. They were enthusiasts of Grindr, a cell phone app that facilitates hook-ups with other gay men who were interested and nearby. Deveny said the duo used Grindr to find the Eugene 15-year-old.
"Sexually adventurous" could very well mean "sexually dangerous." Specifically:
- "Nearly Half of Respondents (i.e., Gay, Bisexual Men Who Use Social Networking Apps) Admit to Practicing Unsafe Sex"
- A British study found that "94 Percent of Gay Men More Likely to Bareback With Someone Attractive" (i.e., engage in homosexual intercourse without using a condom), and that "researchers attributed the high rates to Grindr and similar apps."
The Oregonian's description of Bean's and Lawson's activities as "enthusiasts" and their apparent desire for young partners would seem to imply that the two engaged in the reckless behaviors described in the surveys. If that's indeed the case, Bean's status as a major Obama campaign bundler and Democratic Party "kingmaker" is, to say the least, quite problematic. On that basis, maybe it's not surprising that EDGE would want to closely cover Bean's criminal case, even as the establishment press continues its "la-la, we can't hear you" treatment.
Speaking of which, for the record, here is the full extent of coverage seen at the Associated Press since Bean's arrest, published on the afternoon of November 21:
Note the complete absence of any direct reference to President Obama, and headline's reference only to "abusing."
What a disgrace.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
