Putting topless pictures of yourself online isn't just for politicians looking for love from the ladies, it seems. Puerto Rican senator Roberto Arango, who is also president of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (New Progressive Party Of Puerto Rico), has resigned from office after photographs of him (including one graphic shot of his butthole taken though a mirror) turned up on Grindr, the phone social network for gay men looking for a quick fix. Can we say he pulled a Weiner?
When the photos first appeared on the Puerto Rican TV show "Dando Candela" on Friday Arango put out a statement that reads like a keeper to us: "You know I've been losing weight," he said. "As I shed that weight, I've been taking pictures. I don't remember taking this particular picture but I'm not gonna say I didn't take it. I'd tell you if I remembered taking the picture but I don't."
But that was then. Unlike Weiner—but like fellow Republican and Internet over-sharer Chris Lee—Arango decided to pull the band-aide off quickly. Over the weekend Arango wrote up a letter of resignation (which has not been released to the public) and presented it to Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, who accepted it. Arango, who vice-chaired George W. Bush's 2004 Puerto Rico campaign, has yet to say if the pics on Grindr were actually of him or if he posted them.
Oh, and in case you were concerned? It seems that Arango does not have the best track record on gay rights. He voted in favor of a resolution that would block same-sex marriages in the territory and also blocked a measure that would ban sexual discrimination in the workplace. He also blocked measures to give adoption rights to gays. So maybe he was just doing some demographic research?
