Senator Roy Ashburn who was last week caught drink driving after leaving a gay bar has told the radio station AM1180 KERN that he is in fact gay.

Saying that he felt compelled to address the rumours, Ashburn said:

“I am gay. And so, those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long,”

The revelation is likely to come as a surprise to many due to Ashburn’s long history of voting against gay rights legislation,  but the Senator said he felt it must reveal the truth because:

“Through my own actions, I have made my personal life public,”

When asked what he wanted from people after making the revelation, Ashburn said:

“I would ask people to pray for me.”

Saying that the arrest marked him crossing the line and breaking the law, the 55-year-old father of four said he owned the public the truth and that he believed his votes on gay issues indicated how constituents in his district wanted him to vote, and that his sexuality was a personal issue, justifying it by saying:

“I felt with my heart that being gay would not affect how I do my job.

I felt my duty was to represent my constituents. That system of government provides for representatives elected by the people to go to legislative bodies and cast votes on behalf of the people… not my own point of view.”

Via NBC Los Angeles

Pulled over by the police, Ashburn was then arrested and taken in by the police before being charged with drinking under the influence, drinking which Channel 13 report took place, according to unidentified sources at the popular gay nightspot, Faces.

Married with four children, Ashburn is seen as a strong opponent to gay rights having lead anti-marriage equality rallies, and whilst he has since apologised for the behaviour that lead up to the arrest, he has neither confirmed or denied that he was at Faces prior to the arrest:

“I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did.”

Ashburn is now put in the position of not being able to drive for a month and has had his car impounded. Alongside this he could, according to EDGE Boston face three years of probation, fines of up to $1,000, attendance at a “DUI offender program,” and two days’ jail time.

Ashburn is not the first anti-gay politician to face allegations of engaging in sexual activity with members of the same sex with former Idaho Senator Larry Craig being charged for soliciting another man for sex in an airport restroom, whilst in 2006 Republican Senator Mark Foley faced allegations that he had been exchanging sexually charged text messages with teenaged male Pages and young men who had formerly been Pages.