HRC Announces Leave Of Absence For Accused Board Member Terry Bean

The Human Rights Campaign yesterday issued a brief statement noting that co-founder and board of directors member Terry Bean has taken a leave of absence. Last week Bean was arrested and charged with the sexual abuse of a 15 year-old boy that he and his then-partner met on Grindr in 2013.

From HRC vice president Fred Sainz: "Terry Bean has taken a voluntary leave of absence from the HRC board until his issues are resolved. Bean is just one of 80 board members, none of whom have daily oversight or responsibility for any of our programs."

Also yesterday Bean reacted publicly to his arrest for the first time and posted a message on his Facebook page: "To all my friends, please be assured that I am innocent of all these charges. My lawyers have insisted that the facts come out in the courtroom and not in the press, but I am eager to share the truth, and I am grateful for all of your support you have shown me during this time. Thanks, Terry."

Bean's next court appearance will be on December 5th. In addition to co-founding the HRC, he co-founded the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and was the top Oregon fundraiser for Obama's 2008 campaign. His arrest has sparked taunting headlines on anti-gay and right wing sites, many of which are now concluding any LGBT-related story with a mention of the scandal.