advertisement

SSN on Facebook SSN on Twitter SSN on YouTube RSS Feed

18 Comments
Nancy Smith

Porn, Ross Spano and Hypocrisy

September 22, 2017 - 8:15am

Much as I hate deputizing the hypocrisy posse to chase down a Republican, hypocrites in positions of influence deserve a good public "outing" no matter which way they lean.

You listening, Ross Spano? Time to remove the white hat, cowboy.

Spano, R-Riverview, chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and widely admired as a committed Christian conservative, is probably the last buckaroo you would expect to be staking a claim to pornography on Twitter.

But that's exactly what Spano did. The Orlando Weekly exposed him on Wednesday for "favoriting" a tweet Jan. 8 "from the 'Goddess Lesbian' Twitter account, which features a video clip from adult entertainment company Reality Kings." (No, I'm not going to link the 17-second clip, but a screen shot of Spano's "liked" Twitter entry is reproduced on this page.) 
  
Naturally, other news sources followed the Weekly's story, just as I'm doing, and judging by comments in responding tweets, there's likely a slew of disillusioned conservatives out there wondering who the real Ross Spano is.

State Rep. Ross Spano
State Rep. Ross Spano

It's the bald-faced hypocrisy of it all, not Spano's interest in the "Goddess Lesbian" adult entertainment that drives me up the wall. Frankly, as long as it's legal, what adults choose to do with their time is their business, not mine.

But when you preach the evils of pornography in one breath, you don't leer at a porn vid by so publicly "liking" it on Twitter in the next. If you do, be honest -- you're a hypocrite.

Spano, who has represented most of Hillsborough County since 2012, is the lawmaker who last Monday filed "House Resolution 157. Public Health Crisis Created by Pornography." In it he claims "pornography is contributing to the hyper-sexualization of children and teens ..." Further, "due to advances in technology and the widespread availability of the Internet, children are exposed to pornography at an alarming rate and it often serves as their main source of education regarding human sexuality ..."

The resolution also claims pornography promotes kids developing "low self-esteem, ... eating disorder[s] and a desire to engage in dangerous sexual behavior."

Never mind that not a shred of evidence for any of this is presented, but that's a column for another day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right now the point is, Spano turns out to be another do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do pontificater who is unable to admit it. He does exactly what U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas did when he was caught earlier this month "hearting" porn -- he blames someone else.

Here's the statement Spano issued:

"Obviously, I have a long social media history on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram since I was first elected in 2012. With a thorough examination of my accounts, it will be easy to see that this is not my doing. I have since gone back, once notified, and rectified the problem. And I’m now looking into how it occurred in the first place. 

"In addition, referencing my prior statement, I don’t believe any of this takes the focus off of the fact that there is a direct correlation between pornography and a host of societal problems, including human trafficking, exploitation of children, sex slavery, and domestic violence."

Why don't any of us who have written this story believe the representative's explanation? Maybe because it's hard for us to imagine this kind of "accident" happening to us -- that someone would find our passwords, sign on to our Twitter accounts and misrepresent our values. Or, is it more likely because Spano left his graphic "liked" porno tweet "Goddess Lesbian" up and untouched for nine months?

Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith

Comments

Nancy gets it right. Real conservatives like my family understand the issues and politics our own party is broadcasting. Maybe the joke media outlet "The Orlando Weekly" should be investigated. Sounds alot like the rags from the Everglades Foundation and other special interest groups in South Florida and TLH put this out. Maybe he didn't vote their way? Typical response from these obnoxious liberals.

I see Representative Spano and his Wife Amy twice week sometimes more than that. This is not his doing. One I seriously doubt her would have time for such activity, and second it is not in his nature. He is indeed one of the finest Men I know and I simply can not believe this is factual information. Could someone hack his information somehow, probably so. But thesis not the content of the Character of the Ross Spano that I know, admire and respect.

ANYONE who would believe this hatchet job by Nancy, also would believe cows are now airborne!

I find some hypocracy in this salacious reporting. A little more investigation is warranted. Ross' reputation warrants the opportunity for him to get to the bottom of this and provide answers b/f, what to me appears to me to be more of a smear piece & yellow journalism than legitimate journalism, your article was published.

Is this all you got for news on a Friday? Anyone and everyone that has spent any time with Rep Spano knows He is not going to like something like you reported. First he is a fine man, secondly he has worked to get laws passed to protect women, girls, boys, men from human trafficking, thirdly liking this on public platform would be a stupid move and he is certainly is NOT stupid. I could go on,,,, but I just say,,,, anything to sell ads and increase readership. No integrity in reporting.

Quote-"Maybe because it's hard for us to imagine this kind of "accident" happening to us." This has most definitely happens to me. It's a fat finger moment or butt dial. Spao attends a large church in the Brandon area. If he's actively involved in this lewdness it would have been called out long ago.

Let see the Proof of this.....HIM doing as this Article says.....Got any Photo's him on Twitter at time of Tweet....?????....anyone can Hack a Tweeter account and with the World of Hackers among us..SO before you keep Reprinting an article ...SO THE PROOF.....not just what someone else Said ....especially the world of FAKE NEWS today.....

This article is about TRANSPARENCY in Government. Spano doesn't represent me in any way, but I seriously doubt that he did NOT hit "Favorite" or "Like" without a reason. Who thinks - Seriously - that "PAID POLITICIAN LAWYERS" are deep in Computer knowledge. He's a Christian ~F~A~I~L~

There have been many times I'm scrolling through my news feeds/timelines and accidentally "liked" something and had no idea I had done it until someone (usually my Mom) informs me of it. You might question why it popped into the feed to begin with - but it's a far stretch to say he couldn't have accidentally hit like and had no idea.

Where's a pattern of behavior to prove your point? A single instance makes everything else in the article that he's done go away? I don't think so.

What has he done you like so much? Whatever it is, Spano is still a hypocrite. Good call Sunshine SN.

hard to argue a "like" by your own personal twitter account. Weiner used to say the same thing...lol.

Yea sorry I dont believe he would "like" lesbian porn on his account as a conservative elected official. He's not stupid. He knows that people comb through social media accounts. And everyone knows thats public. Thats like signing up for Hustler and sending it to his legislative office. Something is fishy about this.

Blinders?

Ross Spano is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met. This story is completely unnecessary and uncalled for. It serves no good purpose.

I completely agree. These accounts are routinely runny staff. If you believe for one second that Ross Spano "favorited" A lesbian porn site that he knows full well would come into view by the public then you are naive. Same with Ted Cruz. Do you actually believe that a right wing and United States senator would also favorite a tweet like the one on his account? These guys know full well that when you favorite an account, it become such a public view. They know full well that Twitter does not allow you to hide your favorites. This is likely some sort of organized campaign to sabotage certain right wing legislators. Although I disagree with Ross Spano on a number of things, he is truly one of the finest men I know.

I agree! Devoting a column to this as hypocrisy is really not professional. The writer certainly should have checked the facts with Spano before publishing this. All I can think is there was nefarious political capital to be had.

Rep. Spano did explain "the facts" and he is quoted in the column.

Comments are now closed.

nancy smith
advertisement
advertisement
Live streaming of WBOB Talk Radio, a Sunshine State News Radio Partner.

advertisement