Its awful to think that one of our own partners in this struggle for Equality have been unethical, but gays and lesbians are humans complete with all human virtues and vices. We got a few bad apples--and even some that don't seem so on the surface.

I do hope that we wake up and take stock when things like this happen. When we allow ourselves to fall victim to our darker side (I'm not talking a little spanking and role-play, I'm talking stealing and lying), we always inevitably get caught. When we do--the Far Right does not see us as individuals--we become posterchildren for the entire movement. When one of us runs a charity that raises millions for the poor and destitute, they don't associate that person with the LGBT community. But when one of us steals millions, they do.

We need to strive to be better than. Live your life on the 'up-and-up.' When you don't steal or lie you don't have so many stories to have to keep straight. You have a lot better peace of mind. Be honest, fair, ethical and just.

Finally, though, everyone is innocent until proven guilty--whether they be a former Justice Department official or an LGBT activist. Though I took this opportunity to say something that I've been ITCHING to say since Sam Adams, I don't think that an investigation a conviction does make. The amount makes it unlikely that there IS REALLY any sort of alternative story... but let's remember that everyone--including our worst enemies and our best friends--are innocent until proven guilty.

Disheartening, based on what is known so far.

I have more questions than answers at this point. A couple hundred thousand in political contributions is certainly a lot for 2 election cycles, and yet it's still a small piece of $6 million.

And, with their writings on income tax, they would have understood that the commission payments to a fictitious agent would be reported to the IRS, which would have looked for tax returns.

Finally, it makes no sense that a thinking person, after being notified of being under suspicion, would try to withdraw $170K in cash, under the guise of preparing to leave the country.

If they have done this it is going to give us all a big black eye. Too bad.

This does not look good.

I guess what I am reading is that National City Bank is associated with Aviva? Did she have an account at National City or was she attempting to borrow against real estate in Indiana? I do not get the connection with the $170,000.00.

Why was she lingering in Las Vegas? Where is Marla and how is she doing.

Phyllis has broken faith and trust with us. We more than anyone should know the importance of being "squeeky clean." It is hard to give away all of 5.9 million "under the radar" in five years and a full accounting needs to be done of which assets were moved where and how much is offshore, if any.

Bil, I am very sorry for how you and Jerame must be feeling right now. It must be an awful personal letdown. I hope that Marla has no fingerprints on anything that can harm her.

In so many relationships there is a full division of responsibilities and she could literally have not known what her partner was doing. This is the flip side of "marriage equality" some may not wish to consider, but I would think that a bright tax attorney could help Marla refile her old joint tax statements to a good effect. They were probably in IRS dispute anyway. She will pay a penalty, but a smaller one than being entangled in this.

And what do they call it when it goes the other way: insurance companies stealing from us and "donating" money to protect their favorite?

Stay on message, folks.

I don't know that Nick is arguing on behalf of righteous civil disobedience. I'd read his note a bit more carefully. Maybe I'm wrong, and Nick can correct me, but I believe he *is* referring to it as theft.

As for: "Recognize it be be smart and agile enough to do the right thing rather than just lash out and break the law when all odds are against you." Where is this coming from? Who's lashed out when the odds are against them?

On a related note, I'm not sure why we're all going on about how teh gayz need to be held to greater standards than others, or need to worry more about our tainted relationships to things like money or, well, relationships (one of the ongoing threads in this discussion). Really? Why? The narrative of exceptionalism overdetermines gay organising, and it is always doomed to fail.

I'd stop worrying about proving how we're so much better than others. Embrace our fallibility - after all, isn't the aim of the "movement" to prove how we're "just like everyone else?" But, oh right, then we'd have to admit that the politics of inclusion that we crave so desperately is in itself flawed, yes?

A little less self-righteousness might be in order.

What Nick is talking about are the donations given by insurance companies and other corporations to various political candidates of both major parties. It is public record who donates what to whom.

By choosing to work for an insurance company in a position of trust and breaking faith with them as an employee she is not Robin Hood, but Benedict Arnold to have donated any of those illegal proceeds to Gay orgs or affirming candidates. (Assuming this is so in the end)

How easily with the next lesbian, trans, Gay or Bi person advance in this company or any related company that hears of this? This is just the sort of thing that hurts our brothers and sisters and keeps us in the outer circle. I know that to you corporate America is the enemy and let anarchy rule. If we want laws changed in our favor we had better be seen to be law abiding ourselves.

In a civil rights struggle we had better damn well be clean even if we are fallible humans and this is an absolutely clear line not to cross.

Well, I'm not denying that we live in a society that is less than ideal, and that some of the institutions we're trying to gain access to are flawed. We can discuss whether or not those institutions are worth joining in another topic. I think you've got a point. However, I STILL don't agree that just because there's injustice in the system that you completely opt out of the system and make your own rules. What system does not have injustice? Where have they gotten it right yet? I certainly think a lot of us would jump ship if we could figure that out.

Flawed and all, I think if we live here now, we need to try to abide by the rules of the game as best as we can--not because we're just going to accept things as they are will always be, but because you can't change the rules until you know them inside and out and can make a real, principled argument for their change.

I think everyone should strive to be a better person every day--I should try to help more people every day, I should strive to destroy more of my ego every day (which is a task, because my ego is enormous!), we should try to be better role models to others every day, be kinder to strangers more every day, love our loved ones more every day.

In short, whether or not you agree with me that LGBT people need to be better than straight folk, we should certainly all try to be better than ourselves every day. And if we try that, we WILL become ideal citizens. They can't deny us equality very long if we live in THEIR society more peacefully and justly than THEY do.

Oh that poor insurance company -- I shed tears every time an insurance company loses a few million...