O.C. Assemblyman Duvall resigns amid recorded sexual comments

Orange County Assemblyman Michael Duvall, who was caught on an open mike making sexual comments, resigned today.

“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," he said in a statement posted on his website. "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."

Capitol Blackberries are buzzing after KCAL-TV Los Angeles late Tuesday night aired a videotape of the Orange County GOP lawmaker talking to a colleague at a committee hearing in explicit detail about recent trysts.

In the KCAL report, Duvall (R-Yorba Linda), the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee vice chairman, appears not to realize that his microphone is on during a lull in a July committee hearing and talks about his conquest of two women.

Reporter Dave Lopez then reports that Duvall says on the tape that the women with whom he has been having sex are lobbyists.

The report alleges that one of the lobbyists works for a utility with business before Duvall's committee but does not name her.

Later in the report, Duvall is seen ducking Lopez on the Assembly floor and in the hallways outside the chamber as the reporter confronts him with questions about his sexual encounters.

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 in Sacramento

Photo: Mike Duvall campaign office

Comments

[Birtha]

"Family
 Values" "Christian Values"

When I hear any politician say those words I Immediately think they are hypocrite - perverts.

Michael Duvall now joins, Gov Mark Sanford, Sen. John Ensign, John Edwards, Sen. Larry Craig ect..

But Duvall used a lobbyist prostitute!

[Robin Peoples]

Oh, so it's just TALKING about it on an open mic that he regrets -- not the actual acts of adulterous depravity themselves.

[The Author]

Haha! The Republicans just keep on delivering Grade A 100% hypocrites elected to public office. Nice family values idiot.

[Da Maverick]

In general, I would agree that his infidelity is a private matter best left to him, his mistresses, and his wife to sort out.

However, the fact that he was on the Assembly Utilities Committee and that his mistresses were lobbyists for some of these regulated utilities, well then, no it's not a private matter. Come clean Mister Family Values.

[Anonymous]

Duvall regrets his *comments*? He has completely missed the point. Wow. I hope the ethics committee (and his wife) throw the book at him.

[Melony]

Republican Hypocrite. He's a 'family values' conservative. Listen to the tape. His talk is pretty vulgar. He can use that kind of disrespectful language about women but promotes any woman views.

[Jay Jonson]

Another Republican "family values" hypocrite. Is anyone surprised anymore. No doubt he voted for Proposition 8 in order to preserve the sanctity of marriage.

[Steve Rhodes]

The problem wasn't his comments (beyond that they were the reason he was caught).

The problem was having sex with lobbyists which is not a private matter.

The same with his hypocrisy.

[Carlos Norton]

One of my female friends said: "Old men only give two things: pity or money" maybe we should add UNLESS HE IS AN OLD REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLYMAN... then maybe he can help you with your lobbying.

[LH Resident]

I'm glad I did not vote for this pervert and those who did should regret it.

[anon]

ha ha

[Family Values]

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[I AM AMERICA]

So, just in case you were losing track of the GOP white men (and occasionaly women) hypocritical scandals out there:

Mark Sanford – votes to impeach Bill Clinton for having an affair and lying about it, and then has an affair and lies about it and pays for it with state funds.

John Ensign – calls for the impeachment of Bill Clinton, says ‘he has no credibility left’, then has an affair with a staff member while giving her family members jobs with public funds.

Larry Craig – attacks ‘nasty boy’ Bill Clinton repeatedly for having an extramarital affair, then gets caught soliciting gay sex in a bathroom by a police officer.

Mark Foley – attacks Clinton’s “vile” affair and then spends several years having sex with young male pages and covering it up.

David Vitter – calls for the resignation of Bill Clinton while having a multi-year relationship with ‘the DC Madam’.

Newt Gingrich – had enough sense not to attack Clinton because he was already having sex with future wife number three, Calista something or other, while Clinton was having his affair.

Tom DeLay – leads the move to impeach Clinton while he is engaged in bribery and corruption scams for which he is ultimately convicted and sentenced to prison.

Ed Schrock (R-VA) – another conservative ‘family values’ Republican here in Virginia with a 90% rating from the Christian Coalition who resigns after being outed in a gay sex scandal

Helen Chenowith (R-ID)- staunchly conservative Republican Congresswoman who called for the resignation of Bill Clinton while she was having an affair herself, got caught, and said, ‘that’s different’.

Bob Allen (R-FL)- another conservative Republican ‘family values’ Congressman until he was caught solicitiing sex with a male police officer.

And now... Mike Duvall.

[Hapa]

First a big "Thank You!" to KCAl for exposing one of our many dirty politicians.

This is too funny when you think about it. Hers is another example of the bumbling idiots running our Government. No wonder they can't balance the budget, their too busy trying to balance all of their various affairs.

The irony in all of this is that he received a 100% score from Capitol Resource Institute for "time and time again to protect and preserve family values in CA."
But hold on, let's not rush to judgment. Maybe this is true? maybe he grew up in Haight-Ashbury and is used to swinging and that sort of 'family' lifestyle?

hahaha...don't you just love our government!

[Daub]

I love it. Another "family values" republican bites the dust. Keep 'em coming!

[DRE DAWG]

There needs to be a thorough investigation into ALL aspects that have even the slightest connection with Duvall's political career. This is nothing to sweep under the rug...his gross (and I mean gross like ick, the man's married and old) misconduct require his actions as Assemblyman be gone through with the finest toothed comb ever made.

[Jim_J]

" This is a private matter and I ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved.”
?? No. It is not a private matter if you are sleeping with lobbyists that represent interested parties in front you your committee. It's a public matter that it appears you are taking a bribe.

[Mark]

"I deeply regret the comments I made in what I believed to be a private conversation."

Another in a long list of so called republican "family values" personalities with an entitlement mentality who bloviates against gays and other bogeymen and then carries on in an illicit affair and then has the audacity to apologize only for an open mic. Note that he does not apologize for the hypocrisy, the lies or the ethical and moral corruption, just the open mic. Such duplicity has become a hallmark of the late Republican Party.

[Florian Vargas]

Who is the lobbyist, who employs her and which company retained her employer to lobby the vice-chair of the Assembly Utilities and Congress Committee?

[Jim]

Another hypocritical Republican politician abusing his office and making excuses.

[Guy Lauten]

Duvall sleeps with lobbyists (at least one of whom is lobbying for corporations with business before his committee), yet says in his resignation speech "This is a private matter". Huh?
This man represents Orange County, with it's purported "Family Values". I guess sleeping around with glorified prostitutes for fun and profit is all in line with "Family Values".
More Republican hypocrisy and disconnection with the real world. Good grief.

[David]

"Family
 Values" "Christian Values"

When I hear any politician say those words I Immediately think they are hypocrite - perverts.

Michael Duvall now joins, Gov Mark Sanford, Sen. John Ensign, John Edwards, Sen. Larry Craig ect..

But Duvall used a lobbyist .

[Michael]

The Capitol Resource Institute, a conservative, self-described "pro-family" advocacy organization that had given Duvall a "100%" score for his voting record on issues of concern to the group, denounced the lawmaker in a statement today. .

"It is always disappointing when a champion of traditional values does not practice the same in his private life," said Karen England, executive director of CRI. "And this appears to be the case with Assemblyman Duvall."

Another Republican hypocrite, is there any other kind?

[sinclair]

Good riddance to bad rubbish ... what a hypocrite. The list of repubs caught with their hypocrisy around their ankles is enough to stock a phone book these days. Where to file this guy? Let's see ... Bathroom stalls, no, Underage Children, no, thankfully, Secret Gay Affair, nope, Prostitution, well, no, not technically, maybe a little influence-peddling.

Here we go: Creepy, Pasty Philandering Moron. He should fit in just fine there.

[stacey]

Well Suprise Suprise Another republican family values don't let the gays get hitched gets busted...at least it wasnt his maid

[Yanni Raz]

I guess once you're in the spotlight, there is no turning back.
Some people do need some privacy because we all make mistakes and learn from them.
I'm not in politic, but I would expect them to understand that they're dealing with a human not a computer.

[thebob.bob]

Republicans, the gift that keeps on giving. he said he "regret the comments I made". He doesn't regret spanking the "bad" girl 20 years younger than him. He just regrets getting caught. He regrets that sex between him and another consenting adult became public. I'm sure he was strenuously opposed to the bogus impeachment trials of Bill Clinton.

Duvall can now join so many hypocritical members of the Republican Party that believes that you can claim to be representing the "Moral Majority" while having phone sex with underage pages, paying for prostitutes, soliciting sex in men's rooms in airports, flying to Argentina to see girlfriends or even paying male prostitutes to have sex and do meth with you.

Maybe that explains how Republicans screwed up everything they touched over their 8 years running the government, they were busy.

[Gilemena Williams]

He's clearly not sorry he did it. He's sorry he was caught.

[Alec Vargo]

Is it a stretch to think that some "lobbyists" are prostitutes hired by big energy?

[SM]

It's not a private matter! You are on the floor of the State Assembly supposedly representing the constituents. You are sleeping with a lobbyist with business in front of you and your committee. Don't give us this "it's a private matter" mularkey!!!!! We are sick of it.

[Steve]

While this is very disappointing, it's still reassuring that many of the Republicans do in fact resign when they get caught, although admittedly not as many as should. However, it's good to note that generally far more pressure is exerted on Republicans to resign than on the Democrats. So you liberal, Democratic hypocrites, stop your idiocy and see the truth. You don't have an edge on integrity.

It's to the eternal discredit of the Democratic Party that Ted Kennedy was allowed to get away with his shamelessly sinful and borderline murderous behavior. Then there's John Edwards who came close to the White House, Gary Condit, Bob Toricelli, Eliot Spitzer, Antonio Villaraigosa, Gavin Newsom - and of course the list would never be complete without Bill Clinton.

Both sides have their fair share of corruption but I won't for one minute start voting for Democrats because of buffoons like Rep. Duvall. It's nice to know that he's gone. And just today 60 out of the 72 House Reps in South Carolina have officially asked their own GOP Governor to resign. That said, I would be happier if David Vitter and John Ensign were replaced, too.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Wow, and wasn't he one of the big proponents of Prop 8? Protecting marriage, huh? The hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Let's hope the good people of this District see the light and replace him with a pro-equality candidate.

[mark]

I saw the video on KCAL. If this guy ever told me stories involving sex with him I would go to the bathroom and throw up. This is an old, fat, vile, ugly, gross human being who I can't imagine any self respecting woman would want to do anything beyond shake hands (and not even that, nowadays). These women must have gotten something in return for this. He is a corrupt politician and if it is found that he used his influence, he should be prosecuted. I hope you read this comment, jackass.

[Steve S.]

His statement about his resignation from his website: "I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction..."

It's not about 'inappropriate comments'. It's about being in bed with a lobbyist for businesses that come before his committee. And he is apologizing for getting caught?

Jerk.

[Loonesta]

At least today's Republican scandal didn't involve Congressional pages or interns, prostitutes, hidden camera sex, diapers, child molestation, farm animals, aged parents paying 'severance' to a married mistress, tea-bags, tapping toes in airport bathroom stalls, more prostitutes, death-panels, Panda-costumed aides to Oklahoman senators offering to 'entertain' 15 year olds, apocalyptic predictions, even more prostitutes, guns, making offers in park restrooms to undercover cops, indecent exposure, mystery hikes on Father's Day in the Appalachians (they are now located in Argentina - did you know?) or more prostitutes... things *are* looking up for the grand old party!

[Sharon]

WHO was he talking to??

There is a Republican assemblyman who has been aware for months that Duvall was having sex with energy lobbyists -- and he did NOTHING.

Expose him. NOW. Give us the name of the Assemblyman who sat there and listened to Duvall bragging about sex with lobbyists. We need to know the name of the man who covered it up.

[David]

I would be interested in how this hypocrite voted on PROP 8.

[mike duvall]

Mike Duvall's Christian Family Values Prove to Be "So Messy..."

[amc]

what a HYPOCRITICAL, CHEATING, LYING JERK...i never cease to wonder at how most of these creeps are "family value, conservative Republicans"...i just hope his wife dumps him, fast--she deserves better.

[Brea Republican]

This is what happens when you allow teh gay marriage. It leads to a disintegration of the holy institution and inevitably kinky Assemblyman on lobbyists sex with public corruption thrown in. Who will protect our children?

[Beth]

Why the surprise? This is ongoing with the Republicans declaring family values while having affairs and hiring hookers.

I'm more concerned with the association with a lobbyist. Why would we think this a single event rather than an ongoing behavior?

[Rey]

The public should meddle into gay people's lives but a married father of two bragging about banging lobbyists should be entitled to his privacy.... Way to go Republicans! I don't even care what this disgusting guy does with his life, I just seethe that he's commended for preventing others from doing what they want to with theirs. This is also my problem with Christians; they preaches a standard for others that many of them cannot practice themselves. Live and let live!!

[Lexia]

The purpose of "family values" is to allow the government to regulate the private lives of consenting adults.

Why does this guy expect to be exempt from his own agenda and the agenda of his party, in claiming this is a private matter? To the "family values" guys, there is no such thing.

[Ken]

People like to make a big point about the hypocrites. So, I guess you're saying that if you do wrong yourself, you have no right to insist on others doing right? So... If I drink and drive, do drugs, or shoplift, I have no business telling my children not to? Or, if I am an immoral legislator, I can't be in favor of family values? I should instead be in favor of anti-family values, so that I won't be given the dreaded label of hypocrite?

No. As immoral as these people may have acted, at least they knew and championed what was right. Just as a parent who may have skeletons in the closet should - without guilt - insist on rightness and virtue in their children. In their votes, these elected officials represented the wishes of their constituents and their families. So, while conservatives who fall are scorned for their "hypocricy", liberals who fall are given a pass because - why? Because there's no expectation of family values in the first place?

[JustEssB]

From the sounds of it, Mr. Duvall didn't use a condom, either, thereby playing Russian Roulette with his wife's life while he's getting it on the side with at least two other women. And who is to say these women aren't sleeping with other...'clients'? What kind of diseases is he picking up and passing around? Family Values indeed.

[john doughty]

I wonder where he goes to church, surely he goes to church. Will you arrogant church goers shake your fists and scream into the camera for us. Come on, let's do it for God.

[Jim Isbell]

No sir, those comments are NOT private, as they occurred during an Assemblage in which you are pledged to serve the people---and being paid to boot. NO sir, they are not private. Further, as they are not private, they are subject to review, and I hope the powers that be do not offer you a pass for not only very poor personal behavior while masquerading as a public servant (in a word, a joke) , but, as this behavior occurred (by your black tongue) with lobbyists, that they prosecute you to the full measure of the law (doubtful I realize) for not only failure to do your duty, but for clearly violating that duty to the office.

[Jim Isbell]

A second comment, if I may. While this man ought to be prosecuted, as I noted earlier--and there is no question of that in my mind, it is also sad, glancing at the other comments, that so many people, always, must reduce it to which party the person is from----who cares? My party? Who cares---this is wrong, and it is always sad that so many Democrats and Republicans ONLY care which party the wrong doer is from. Can't we EVER unite on basic right and wrong? Would you feel better or worse if he were a Democrat? That's as crazy as people that hear about a terrible crime and right away, all that matters is "which race" is the guy from. Come on!!

[majii]

Republicans/conservative had better wake up and realize that their politicians are selling them down the river for the cheap price of a roll in the hay. The politicians they continue to vote for can't be bothered to make their lives better. Some of the dems do the same thing, so dems beware of bluedogs! Duvall knew the alternative energy bill would lower costs to consumers for energy over time and would help improve the environment, but he sold them out for a piece of @$$.

[Marco Casi]

Hi Man, don't worry of..just come to Italy and you will free to follow yr "politcal" style of life, none will complain on you!!

[erin]

I lived in the OC for 28 years and worked for 18 years in the office of an elected official, so this is no surprise. I think if I hear one more Republican elected official use the term "family values" (and throw in "Christian" also) to get votes, I'll hurl! They do not own the words "family" or "values," and we have to take that term back from them. We all have values, and we all have families; but apparently these men use the term so loosely they make a mockery of both their own families and their phony adherance to "values." They denigrate their own marriages and women in general while voting against allowing gays to marry.

[Ed Wood]

How can selling your vote for sex be a "private matter"? He sure didn't have any problem waving his bible around ranting and raving about "Family Values" - The conservitives must be breathing a sigh of relief that he wasnt referring to MALE lobbyists.

[Reader]

So he is sorry that his COMMENTS had become a distraction? What about his actual BEHAVIOR? What a hypocrite.

[HealthyNana]

The question is "Is this the way the congress is invisibly getting paid by the lobbists? Is this why certain congresspersons are so scared to go against these companies (lobbists) fearing that they may tell on them? Bears investigation!

[M J]

Now this scumbag can get a job as an Obama Czar or become a democrat and join the best of cheats and thugs.

[Dwane Porter]

This man has the NERVE to ask - and i quote "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.”"

Let me translate for you - I made a mistake and I sincerely apologize only because I got caught. I deeply regret getting caught and the comments I made in public which are recorded to my knowledge was me bragging about my sexual conquests. This is a private matter because I don't want you involved in my personal marriage affairs, unlike how I am involved in other people personal marriage affairs (like same-sex marriage) and I ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved, so my wife can get around to taking me for everything in divorce.”

[rob]

Isn't it interesting that nobody in the assembly knew about this behavior? If they did, why wouldn't they disclose it? Are they all on one sort of take or another? Rhetorical question.

[sue baumann]

PLEASE!!!!! HE'S ONLY SORRY HE GOT CAUGHT.