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December 4, 2008
Posted: 02:26 PM ET

NEW YORK — This year we’ve done lots of important stories on gay marriage: in California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. That debate rages on in the public interest.

But we’ve also done some other stories about marriage and gay people that are motivated by a different interest, our prurient interest. Think about it. Jim McGreevy and his wife got a divorce earlier this year. So do lots of other couples. But we were stuck on the McGreevy’s mostly because he is gay. That is what kept his story alive. How much have you heard about the Spitzers after his notorious infidelity. Visiting a prostitute is illegal but that story pretty much died on the vine.

While an affair with a staffer is also a problem, if Mr. McGreevy had not had his affair with a staffer of the same sex, his story would have died too. Instead it lived on for better than three years. Larry Craig’s toe tapping, same deal. And Mark Foley with his illicit emails.

What interests us more, their dereliction of duty or their secret gay lifestyle? I’m betting the latter. So too in the Rios case going down in Missouri this week. Yes he’s a former police officer. Yes he is charged with murder. But the big headlines are all abut his gay love affair with the victim. And that’s the straight scoop on why we care about these cases.

-Jami Floyd, In Session anchor

Filed under: Jami Floyd • Last Word


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Liz   December 4th, 2008 9:01 pm ET

Jami, I MARRIED a gay man! Why? I wanted children, had several medical issues, had SOME IDEA that he was not hetro. Well after 10 years of marriage and 3 sons later, HE became wrapped up in a lawsuit brought against him by his fellow workers for harassment. I walked away with my sons. Do I care what has happened to him- NO! Did he have anything to do with the raising of my sons? NO!! Not because I did not want him to, but because he did not want to! With my 3 sons now grown men, I allowed them to make their own decision about their BIO-DAD. The courts would NEVER consider giving my Ex custody. No matter how you look at it, the courts are still quite bias against people of different orientation. IS America’s BIGOTRY ever going to change? Doubtful. Now it is the Black’s whom are more bigoted than most whites… and both races are against those whom are born with different chromosomes. Where does it stop? “Our DESTINY is NOT written for us, but by us.” Barak Obama.

sarah   December 5th, 2008 11:14 am ET

My question is this where has oj simpsons girlfriend been all this time havent seen her at any recent hearings? ty

Su   December 6th, 2008 8:11 am ET

I think you answered your own question Jami. Everyday of the Rios trial that has been covered on TruTv, has “GAY LOVER” written on the screen as part of the trial coverage title. When a network has a banner running for seven hours a day, for an entire week, what is that network saying? “Can’t we all just get along?” NO. You guys used the salaciousness of this case, to get people to tune in! Otherwise it would have simply read. “Ex-Cop Kills Lover” It doesn’t matter that a good, young man lost his life to a horrible, unforgiving, sneaky, creepy, cop who used the power of his badge to do as pleased. What matters to the media is that he was a gay young man. Talk about stepping on someones grave, and victimizing the victim!

Miriam   December 6th, 2008 7:47 pm ET

Well the divorce was part of the publicity with this couple aired on Court TV – so you also kept this going. Your network aired the whole trial. So why did Tru TV air it if they were not also intrigued by this relationship. If I am not mistaken the outcome of the investigation of Mr. Spitzer was reported some time after his being caught. If his wife had divorced him, I am sure this case would have gone on for some time also. So it seems you are making an accusation without just cause. The media who you earn you living is guilty of what issues are talked about. If you really feel that way why not work for more honorable media, if there are any!!!!!

Spider   December 8th, 2008 10:54 am ET

Let’s see…….

Probably, if a poll were taken, most of us would agree the most notorious, and still remembered, illicit affair was Clinton/Lewinsky.
That heterosexual infidelity sure died on the vine.

I had forgotten about Mcgreevy, until you brought it up, Jami.

Maybe it’s just you, and the MSM, that wants to keep homosexual trysts in the spotlight. Keeps homosexuality on our minds, doesn’t it? We wouldn’t want to forget about homosexuality. If we forget about it, it truly means we’ve accepted it.

If we accept it then liberal rant blogs, like yours, Jami, will cease to exist. We can already see, from the number of comments, that your rants are not excitedly received. You’d have to go back to researching legal precedents in the law library.

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Sidebar takes you behind the scenes of the day's legal headlines with breaking news and in-depth analysis from In Session's anchors and correspondents.

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Ashleigh Banfield
Anchor of the daily trial program Ashleigh Banfield:Open Court
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A former prosecutor and anchor of the daily trial program Jack Ford: Courtside
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Former defense attorney and anchor of her own daily program Jami Floyd: Best Defense
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Attorney Jean Casarez covers trials around the country
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