auflusL 20. 2004 ' just Ollt 17
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highest in the administration, even while the
state was facing a budget crisis.
McGreevey claimed Cipel’s service in the
Israeli military, which is mandatory for all citi
zens, qualified him for the position. But the FBI
and other agencies refused to share intelligence
data with a foreign national who did not have a
top security clearance.
Cipel had held the title for only a few
months when state legislators questioned his fit
ness and threatened to hold up confirmation of
key appointees. He then became a special advis
er to the governor; his responsibilities were
murky, but his salary remained the same. He
went to the private sector in August 2002.
As The. New York Times said in an Aug. 13
editorial, “If McGreevey put someone in that
critical post because of a personal relationship,
that would be an outrage, regardless of his sexu
al orientation.” It was perhaps the most damag
ing part of the scenario and one the McGreevey
side tried to play down.
according to what staffers told the Times—
proved to be too high. Cipel’s lawyer called that
suggestion a smear campaign against his client
and claimed McGreevey’s people “offered a sum
of money to make my client go away.”
At first McGreevey thought he would sim
ply announce that he was not going to run for
re-election. But then he decided to make a
clean break and resign. The one catch was
that he would delay the resignation until
Nov. 15 in order to forestall a special election
and improve chances for the Democrats to
retain control of the governor’s office. He
called the news conference.
Cipel played the victim card in a statement
read by his lawyer the next day. “While
employed by one of the most powerful politi
cians in the country, New Jersey Gov.
McGreevey, 1 was the victim of repeated sexual
advances by him. Such conduct and
McGreevey’s behavior caused me such emotion
al distress and turmoil. When 1 finally dared to
reject Gov. McGreevey’s advances, the retalia
Crisis Builds
tory actions taken by him and members of his
administration were nothing short of abuse and
phone call from Cipel’s lawyer July 23
intimidation.”
about a sexual harassment lawsuit would
McGreevey maintains that the sexual activity
set off a round of discussions that ended in
was consensual. And while the still-married
McGreevey’s resignation 20 days later, accord father of two now calls himself a homosexual, the
ing to The New York Times. The reporter was
never-married Cipel told an Israeli reporter that
given extensive access to those who had partic he is heterosexual.
ipated in the process.
Cipel’s lawyer anticipates that a sexual
The staff weighed various options as they
harassment suit will be filed shortly. New Jersey
negotiated with the lawyer concerning a pos
has a statute of limitations requiring that it be
sible settlement, while McGreevey made sure
filed within two years of leaving that employ
to maintain a normal schedule. He even
ment. The deadline for Cipel is Aug. 30.
spoke to a gathering of gay and lesbian dele
gates at the Democratic National Conven
Reactions
tion in Boston without letting a hint of the
bombshell slip out.
(iT think gayness is being used,” Rutgers Uni-
JLversity political science professor Alan
Rosenthal told The Associated Press. “It’s not
the root cause of his resignation. And it’s cer
tainly not the root cause of McGreevey’s
demise.” He blamed the resignation on an accu
mulation of scandals and ineptitude.
“The fact that he’s gay is the least of his prob
lems,” gay writer Eric Marcus told The New York
Times. “And I’m not quite sure where his com
ing out fits into all of this. 1 don’t think it
reflects well on gay people.
“Here is a man who chose to hide who he
was, came out under pressure because he had
engaged in an adulterous affair, had given his
romantic partner a government job. It’s not
exactly a moment 1 think anybody who has
been involved in the gay rights movement can
take pride in.” jH
Golan Cipel (left), who claims he’s straight,
waited a couple of years before objecting to
B ob R oehr is a free-lance reporter based in
McGreevey’s “repeated sexual advances’’
Washington, D.C.
A
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