Bill Sanderson resigns from Tennessee state legislature after reportedly hitting on young men

Color me surprised!

In other breaking news: Sky=blue; Water=wet.

Rep. Bill Sanderson to resign from legislature, citing family and business demands

A West Tennessee Republican lawmaker stepped down from statehouse Wednesday, citing a family matter and demands of his business.

Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, confirmed Tuesday night that he planned to resign from his legislative seat.

His resignation became effective Wednesday at noon.

Sanderson, who owns White Squirrel Winery in Kenton, said his business has increased significantly in recent years and he's been unable to adequately maintain it while being a part-time lawmaker.

"It requires a full time (work)," he said, noting he lost the fruit of 135 peach trees while serving as a lawmaker this year. "I'm going to have to be at home more."

Additionally, Sanderson said his son-in-law was recently diagnosed with throat cancer as another reason behind his resignation.

"It just would be irresponsible for me to give as much time as it requires to be a state representative," he said.

With the House Republican caucus gathering in Nashville on Wednesday to select Rep. Cameron Sexton as House Speaker Glen Casada's successor, Sanderson said the timing provided him the right opportunity.

"I've been pondering this for two months," he said, adding he was waiting on the right time.

Sanderson said after the "whole Casada thing came about" and Gov. Bill Lee called a special session, which is set for Aug. 23, he knew Wednesday's caucus meeting would be the proper time.

Sanderson said the timing will allow there to be a special election and avoid requiring the county commission to appoint his replacement.

Earlier this year, Sanderson was appointed by Casada as chairman of the departments and agencies subcommittee.

Sanderson said he told Casada about his decision on Monday.

When asked if Casada had threatened to release any compromising information on him — as some around the legislature have speculated, given the timing — Sanderson denied the notion.

"Hell no," Sanderson said Tuesday night.

Casada is expected to resign from his leadership post Aug. 2 after he faced scrutiny for sending sexually explicit and misogynistic text messages.

"As far as I know, if there's anything up here on me, I'm unaware of it," Sanderson added.

Sanderson was elected to the General Assembly in November 2010. "I just felt it was important to have the people vote," he said.

The Usual Suspects.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, there is this family-values preaching Republican and turns out...

It's amazing how common this is.

He also has a gay son.

He looks like that guy who starred in that pseudo-comedy called The Office.

Why is it necessary to call those he messaged "young men" if they're legal adults? When middle aged straight men fish for legal but younger women, these are seldom described as "young women", since male heterosexual interest in younger partners is totally normalized.

Bill Sanderson posing for a photo with his gay son.

If only those young men weren't tempting poor Bill Sanderson, this never would have happened.

R8 It is standard practice for journalists reporting on pedo cases.

You must always emphasise how young the victims are and how old the criminal.

Now he will have a lot more time to devote to Grindr.

r11 But the people he messaged were NOT underaged. And I see such language being used all the time: for example, on Wikipedia. When an eldergay gets on, or marries, a younger men, you will see the latter be described as "much younger husband", for example. I have no recollection of such salacious language being used to describe women married to much older men, despite the fact that this is so common in the showbiz.

This is why I'm surprised all conservative women don't support gay rights. Why would they want to chance marrying a gay man because their community and society is intolerant?

The Repigs never disappoint. It's always "no homo" until it isn't.

Is his wife named 'Diane'?

[quote]But the people he messaged were NOT underaged.

Does it fucking matter, R13? He's a goddamn hypocrite.

And he's the scum of the earth.

You're right, R13.

When journalists report on some alleged incident from decades ago they always mention the 'perpetrators' current age immediately adjacent to the alleged 'victim's age at the time of the incident.

So we often see screaming sentences about a 70 year old assaulting a teenager. But when we look closer we see a story about a 19 year old jerking-off with a 21 year old back in the 1960s.

r17 Of course it matters. You're a fool if you don't think the way same-sex relationships or hookups are described in the media has no impact on how gay people are perceived. I've already seen people on Twitter describe the men as "teenage boys" (see below). This is false, and this is homophobic. You might not like this man, but the way he's talked about will from now on have an impact on you.

I get the feeling his wife knew about it:

"For the record, I am not the first person to write about Sanderson’s Grindr messages. In January 2014, the gossip blog The Dirty published messages Sanderson sent to an unnamed male Vanderbilt student. Although now deleted from The Dirty’s site, the messages are still available via the Wayback Machine. In them Sanderson specifically states he is a “state rep” representing Obion, Lake and Dyer Counties — his actual district — and is in town for the next five months, staying at the Hotel Indigo. He includes a selfie, ostensibly of him in the hotel, and a picture of him with another woman, possibly his wife."

[quote]Of course it matters. You're a fool if you don't think the way same-sex relationships or hookups are described in the media has no impact on how gay people are perceived. I've already seen people on Twitter describe the men as "teenage boys" (see below). This is false, and this is homophobic. You might not like this man, but the way he's talked about will from now on have an impact on you.

[quote]And @WKRN, here's the edited version of the article...... I'm curious... Was it the @tnhousegop, @TNGOP, or #BillSanderson himself that asked that you edit the article to leave out the part where? He's been recently accused of sending nude photos to teenages boys.

R19, unless he comes out it won't have an impact on gay men and he won't ever come out. In fact, he says the scandal has nothing to do with his resignation.

Nowhere in that Twitter quote are gays getting the blame for his behavior.

Hawt!

quelle surprise

Aww, he just wants to hold someone

Vile. There’s a special place in hell for foul hypocrites like him. I hope he never finds peace or happiness.

"repeatedly voting for anti-LGBTQ legislation"

Is anybody else Schock'd by this revelation?

R26. Just how MANY items of anti-LGBTQ legislation did he "repeatedly" vote for?

How many?

Even I don't think he's hawt!

r27 I'm not r26, but you probably know that Tennessee had two major anti-LGBT bills just this legislative session. Rejecting gays as adoptive parents and a bathroom bill forbidding trans people from using bathroom of their choice and 4 more that they offered and which Sanderson supported, including allowing state contractors to discriminate against LGBT employees, Moreover, he has voted against gays whenever any of the following have been brought forward:

HOUSING State does not prohibit housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. EMPLOYMENT State does not prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS State does not prohibit discrimination in public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. SCHOOL ANTI-BULLYING State does not have a law that addresses harassment and/or bullying of students based on sexual orientation and gender identity. EDUCATION State does not have a law that addresses discrimination against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity. TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE State has neither a ban on insurance exclusions for transgender healthcare nor does it provide transgender-inclusive health benefits to state employees. GENDER MARKER UPDATES ON IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS State has no laws or policies that facilitate a gender marker change on driver’s licenses or birth certificates. CONVERSION THERAPY This state has no restrictions on so-called "conversion therapy."

He has an out gay son!!!!

The Pence family still has more homosexuals.

Why do politicians persist with this vile unnecessary hypocrisy??

Kind of a Lost Language of Cranes scenario

An anti-gay Republican who turns out to be gay himself?! I'm shocked!

kgyiy

What does his gay son think?

[quote]When an eldergay gets on, or marries, a younger men

Just the one, dear?

r43453