RHODE ISLAND: Gay House Speaker Steps Down After FBI Raid On Home & Office

Openly gay Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox announced yesterday that he is stepping down from his leadership position and will not seek reelection after the FBI conducted a raid on his home and office. The FBI has not disclosed the nature of the investigation.

"Because of the respect I have for all members of the House of Representatives, I am resigning as Speaker," Fox said in a written statement emailed to reporters. "The process of governing must continue and the transition of leadership must be conducted in an orderly manner." The 52-year-old Providence Democrat, who became the nation's first openly gay House speaker in 2010, said he planned to serve out the remainder of his term through the end of the year, but that "my personal focus going forward will be on my family and dealing with the investigation." It is unclear when Fox will officially resign, but the next scheduled meeting of the House is Tuesday. Fox has represented Rhode Island's capital in the General Assembly for more than 20 years and is one of the state's most powerful politicians.

In 2010 Fox was criticized by LGBT activists for pushing for civil unions rather than marriage, but he reversed in 2012 and was integral to the ultimate passage of Rhode Island's marriage equality bill. He married his partner at the statehouse last year.