Let the Voters Decide

BARNEY Frank '62 (D-Mass.) said Sunday he would not resign from Congress because of his 1985-1987 relationship with prostitute Steven L. Gobie. Frank has admitted that he paid Gobie and other male prostitutes for sex, hired Gobie as a personal assistant and then used his Congressional position to void some of Gobie's parking tickets. Still unproven are charges that Frank knew that Gobie was operating a prostitution ring out of his home.

There can be no doubt that Frank made serious errors in judgment. He has embarrassed Congress, the Democratic Party and the gay community. His mistakes, however, do not justify his resignation before the completion of a House Ethics Committee investigation. Assuming that Frank was unaware of Gobie's prostitution ring, Frank should not resign at all. He should run for re-election in 1990 and leave his political future in the hands of his constituents.

FRANK should run for re-election despite the surge of homophobia that threatens his political career. Polls indicate that as many as 50 percent of Americans do not believe gays should serve in Congress at all. Only 1 percent of Americans see a difference between Frank's being gay and his being gay and hiring a prostitute.

Frank should run for re-election because he never subverted the legislative process. Unlike many of his colleagues who prostitute themselves to corporate Political Action Committees, Frank has never put personal financial gain ahead of his Congressional responsibilities. On the contrary, he is an outspoken advocate of clean government, recently leading the investigation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Even in his darkest moment, Frank respected his unique responsibility as a legislator. Although he had the power to do otherwise, Frank paid Gobie out of personal and not Congressional funds. Frank says he used his own money to pay for the parking tickets Gobie accrued when not on official business.

Frank should run for re-election because his actions never injured anyone directly. Unlike Donald "Buzz" Lukens (R-Ohio), who is still in Congress, Frank did not have sex with a minor: Gobie was a seasoned con-artist with more than 15 convictions. And unlike Rep. Gus Savage (D-III.), who is also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, he did not try to coerce someone into having sex.

FINALLY, Frank should run for re-election because the scandal will not ruin his effectiveness in Congress. He will continue to earn the respect of Democrats and Republicans for being a dedicated legislator. He will continue to champion the cause of women, minorities and the poor. If Frank could distinguish himself in Congress as an acknowledged gay, he can do the same as an acknowledged gay who made serious mistakes.

We are glad that Frank supports the causes he does. Yet his politics cannot excuse his actions. To have any merit, standards of conduct must apply to liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans alike.

After more than ten years in Congress, Barney Frank should have the chance to rebuild his legislative career. His constituents should be given the opportunity to evaluate Frank's effectiveness for themselves in 1990.