Liberty Caucus slams Goodman, ‘enablers’

State representative resigned amid sex misconduct.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Ohio has joined those criticizing the sexual behavior of former Rep. Wes Goodman, R-Cardigan, and who it portrayed as his enablers.

The caucus, which describes itself as the “philosophical core” of the Republican Party, issued a statement Wednesday “to set the record straight on where we stand today.”

“Last week, Wes Goodman, once considered a rising star in Ohio politics, resigned over an incident of consensual sexual contact with another male in his office. Since that time, we’ve come to learn more about his behavior over the last decade,” the statement said.

“Aside from the predatory nature of some of the alleged incidents, the most troubling part about this news is the cover-up of an illegal act to protect his image by groups promoting themselves as stalwarts of Christian morality.”

The Columbus Dispatch earlier this month reported that Goodman, 33, had resigned after he was allegedly observed in intimate conduct with another man in his Riffe Center office. Goodman, who is married, had touted his faith and conservative values.

The Washington Post subsequently reported that in 2015, Goodman, a rising star in the conservative movement, had allegedly fondled a sleeping 18-year-old man against his wishes in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, was aware of that and other incidents, but did nothing other than admonish Goodman not to run for office until he’d dealt with his issues, The Post reported.

The Dispatch then reported that after his election early last summer, Ohio legislative leaders warned Goodman not to engage in misconduct with staffers.

The Liberty Caucus wanted to make clear that it wasn’t criticizing homosexual conduct.

“The choices that consenting adults make to engage in sexual activity is not at issue,” it said. “A person’s body is his or her most basic property to do with as he or she chooses. If we are ever going to be fully free, we must be able to do anything we desire with our property as long as it does not injure another or restrict another’s right to do the same.”