A disgrace to the community'?

ANN ARBOR –
If elected mayor of Ann Arbor, Patricia Lesko will be the 22nd elected gay mayor in the country, and the second in the state of Michigan. But in cities like Ann Arbor with thriving gay communities, simply sharing a label with someone doesn't mean that you're guaranteed a vote. Other issues have trumped traditional identity-based politics, and some in the community have chosen to back known LGBT ally and incumbent Mayor John Hieftje, who has held his seat for 10 years.
The Michigan Democratic Party LGBTA Caucus released a statement early last week endorsing Heiftje, calling Lesko "an embarrassment to our community (who) reflects badly on all that we value and worked so hard to accomplish." Caucus Chair Phil Volk added, "I feel it is imperative for our LGBT political future that Pat Lesko steps out from the campaign for mayor and apologizes not only to the LGBT community but to the general public as well."
And the caucus isn't alone. An anonymous group called Lesbians Opposing Lesko http://lolesko.wordpress.com has launched a blog critical of the candidate. The site claims that the founders fear retaliation from Lesko if they give their names.
"Pat Lesko is a lesbian. Irrelevant, you say? It should be. But she makes sure to mention it early and often," wrote one LOL founder. "I think it's because she sees it as politically advantageous. There are a certain number of lesbians who will vote for another lesbian over a straight candidate because they make an assumption that someone with whom they have something in common will share their political views. It's not necessarily true – sometimes it's just the opposite, but the assumption happens.
"There are (also) a certain number of well-intentioned straight folks who are reluctant to criticize an open lesbian for fear of being branded as homophobic …," the blogger continued. "Do I think that these dynamics are a dominant force in politics in Ann Arbor? No, I don't. But in the August primaries, which are often decided by a handful of votes, every voice and every vote counts."
The reason behind the LGBT mutiny? Part of it has to do with A2Politico, a blog that Lesko started as a way to anonymously critique local politics.
She began the site under the pseudonym Sam Rosenthal and used the blog to smear local officials, give perspectives of city issues and spread information about things like budget issues and campaign funding – much of which has been exposed as false. Local news site http://www.Annarbor.com has fact-checked Lesko's statements and reports that she frequently gives false information. And another local blog reports Lesko's "Lie of the Day" at http://arborblahg.com.
Lesko has responded to the opposition, insisting that Volk's camp had given her the endorsement for mayor through June 1, then rescinded the endorsement, endorsed Hieftje, and lied to the press about it. "Because Volk's demeanor was so strange and unprofessional, and because the endorsement was being given to spite Hieftje and Smith, I never issued a press release about the Michigan Democratic LGBTA Caucus endorsement, but did list it on my campaign website," Lesko explains. "Five months later, Phil Volk sent an e-mail in which he withdrew the endorsement. … (H)e claimed his decision to endorse me had been 'overruled' by the other members of his committee, and he apologized."
Lesko added: "I'm proud to say I have widespread support from LGBT individuals in Ann Arbor who live here, vote here and pay taxes here."
In regard to the falsehoods uncovered by http://www.Annarbor.com, Lesko referred to an opinion article she wrote for the website http://bit.ly/bHoD17, where she criticizes reporter Ryan Stanton: "Stanton has chosen to thinly disguise his bias by reporting about a series of missteps by one candidate."
The A2Politico blog has been criticized for inaccuracy, as well as for personal attacks on community leaders. Annarbor.com's top 10 low-blows to the current mayor can be found here: http://bit.ly/9brXrp.
Sandi Smith, a current Ann Arbor councilwoman who is largely supported by the LGBT community, said that her endorsement of current Mayor Heiftje has nothing to do with identity labels.
Smith was recently endorsed by the Victory Fund, a national LGBT political action organization, as well as the Volk's LGBT Caucus. She won her seat in 2008 with heavy LGBT endorsement as well, but said recently that LGBT labels are largely passe in her city.
"In Ann Arbor we're past that," Smith insisted. "I've got my picture on my site with my partner, and so does Pat. It's no big deal. What I am more concerned about is that Pat has proven her self to be someone dangerous."
Smith added that blogging and online pseudo-reporting can often cause more harm than good. "The anonymity offered by the Internet is a destructive force," she said. "(Lesko) was able to say whatever she wanted with no editorial, no fact-checking, no way to say if its truthful. … Most of her facts on budget are incorrect. http://www.Annarbor.com has a reporter assigned to cover this, and the editors check his work. But with Pat it's always a conspiracy."
It remains to be seen how influential the LOL blog and the A2Politico blog will be in the Ann Arbor mayoral race. The primary will be held on Aug. 3, and there is no Republican running in the November election.