Another Toe Tapping Republican: Former member of Louisiana Republican State Central Committee dropped out of race just ahead of incidents exposed

Early Thursday Republican Joey DiFatta dropped out of the Louisiana State Senate 1st  District race claiming he had been having chest pains and  "might have had a minor heart attack in the past few days."  Tonight the Times Picayune reports DiFatta, (a former member of the Republican State Central Committee--1996-2004), was  twice detained for suspicion of lewd conduct in mall restrooms. From the Times Picayune.....

St. Bernard Parish Councilman Joey DiFatta, who on Thursday withdrew from the 1st Senate District campaign, has been stopped twice since 1996 for suspicion of engaging in lewd behavior in public restrooms in Jefferson Parish, records obtained by The Times-Picayune show.

DiFatta, 53, acknowledged that reports he had been stopped are true, but he denied any wrongdoing in both cases. He said he was not prosecuted in either case and has no arrest record.

SNIP

DiFatta, who has served on the St. Bernard Parish Council since January 1996 and is currently its chairman, denied he is stepping down from the Senate race for fear that the reports would become public. In fact, he said he did not know the reports had surfaced when he made his decision.

Number One...Peeping Tom

Kenner police issued a misdemeanor summons to DiFatta in September 1996 in connection with a peeping Tom incident in a men's bathroom at the former Mervyn's department store at The Esplanade mall, according to a Kenner Police Department incident report obtained by The Times-Picayune.

The report states that DiFatta watched a man use the bathroom while peering through a hole in a bathroom stall. The man held DiFatta until police arrived, at which time he was issued the misdemeanor summons and ordered to appear in court.

DiFatta said the man eventually withdrew his complaint, and the case was dismissed. A spokeswoman for the Kenner Police Department said the record was expunged.

Number Two...A Toe Tapper

In the second incident, Jefferson Parish deputies working an undercover detail in a men's bathroom at Dillard's at Lakeside Shopping Center in March 2000 stopped DiFatta after he indicated a desire to engage in sex with an undercover deputy in an adjoining bathroom stall, according to an interoffice memorandum written by Sgt. Keith Conley, one of the deputies involved in the investigation.

The report said DiFatta slid his foot into the deputy's stall and tapped the deputy's foot. In the report, Conley noted that such activity is common among men to indicate a willingness to participate in sex.

The deputy inside the stall, Detective Wayne Couvillion, responded by tapping his foot, and DiFatta reached under the partition and began to rub the deputy's leg, the report states.

The detective asked DiFatta, "What do you want?" according to the report, and he replied, "I want to play with you."

DiFatta also used a hand signal to indicate that he wanted to engage in sex and used language that indicated the same, according to the report. Conley, who is now the Kenner city attorney, confirmed the report's authenticity Thursday.

The incident did not culminate in an arrest because the deputy in the bathroom with DiFatta terminated the investigation after several children entered the bathroom, the report states. Conley noted in the report that DiFatta appeared well-versed and comfortable with the routine.

Conley wrote that had the investigation been allowed to continue, it likely would have concluded in DiFatta's arrest on obscenity charges, including a possible attempted crime against nature.

Conley confronted DiFatta outside the bathroom, and DiFatta apologized and said he would not return, according to the report. DiFatta also said he has a problem with such behavior and had sought counseling for the addiction in the past, the report states.

In both instances, DiFatta produced his commission from the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office identifying him as a captain. DiFatta said Thursday he did not show his commission either time until officers asked him for identification, all of which he keeps in his wallet.

Toe Tapping AND pulling his card out when caught. Sound familiar? Sheesh what is this some sort of Republican modus operandi?

I have some sympathy for DiFatta who lost his home to Katrina.  But still he does include this issue at his website..."Defend our conservative values from attacks by extreme liberal groups."   

Comments

[Peter VE]

"Defend our conservative values from attacks by extreme liberal groups."

Anonymous gay bathroom sex is a conservative value... who knew?

[Aaaargh]

I repeat: is there a Republican living who isn't a) gay b) a pedophile or c) both? What a weirdly self-loathing group of people they are (though appropriately so in the case of the pedophile contingent).

[Nero's Fiddle]

"Crimes against nature"?

What, was DiFatta looking for a hummer or driving one?

[slim]

"Crimes against nature" = being a closet case.

[pansypoo]

man, i feel for guys just going into a [public restroom to pee or poo.

[Lindsay Graham-Mehlman]

"Sheesh what is this some sort of Republican modus operandi?"

Yes. Thanks for asking.

.

[Tom]

I guess it depends on which party is represented by the toe. Maybe we should have seperate (but equal) restrooms for Republicans.

[Phillybits]

Is there a way to found out if Senator Craig had any "engagements" in that specific area on the day in question?

[Tel Quel]

Please get some help, Republicans, and stop taking your sickness and self-loathing out on the rest of us. Now do it!

[floyd]

Maybe better be careful in the rest rooms, Republicans preaching moral values is out the window. Linked your story on my blog, I think they need to re-think the family values slogan.

[Robert I. Laitres]

We have separate restrooms for both men and women in public places. Perhaps public areas should now be required to create another room, for the "toe tapping" Republicans. There, they can do whatever they want without interruption, and the rest of us don't have to be bothered by them. Just think of how much money and time would be saved, if only in the criminal justice system. Judging only from the recent incidents involving these virtuous ones, the cost of such rooms would be paid in no time.

[James]

Damnit, what are we Gay Republicans supposed to do! We can't go into gay bars for our fix of hot, sweaty man-sex; we don't have a choice but to hang out in bathroom stalls! Can't you understand? Plus, it is more of a thrill to suck a strangers manhood than some guy I pick up in a bar. It's like a box of chocolates; you never know what your gonna get!

[Joe Mama]

First one to get the goods on Fred Thompson can have my stall.

[GodTheAlmighty]

For thousands of years men have been seeking other men for laisions of this nature. It is and has been a world-wide phenomina in every country and nation on this earth, in small towns and villages and in major population centers. It is and never has been unusual in that sense, nothing new under the sun. Yet sexuality has never sought to be understood but simply and consistenly and with abject falure has tried to be put into a box that does not exist. It is an approach that mostly has its source in Dogmas and illogical irrational concepts. What ought to be done, but of course will not per the loss of power by Dogmatist and that ilk, is to face it and provide understanding of sexuality and it's need. The shame of it should be eliminated so there is no need to sneak around looking for sex in a public venue such as a public restroom. With such and understanding we would all be better off but of course that will never happen. Dogmatic inspired insanity will simply continue in this aspect of being human as well as others. SmokeEmIfYouGotem.

God

[Larry Hinze]

Maybe if this keeps on...we will see the Repube's self-destruct. It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of corporate sleeze!