Defeated candidate whose explicit videos surfaced not done with politics
Susanna Gibson lost her Virginia legislative race this month, but she may not be done with politics.
Gibson, a Democrat whose House of Delegates campaign and personal life were rocked by news reports that she had livestreamed sex acts with her husband on a pornographic website, isn't ruling out another run for office someday, she told The Associated Press in her first interview since the controversy erupted in September.
While expressing regret about what unfolded, Gibson is unapologetic about her participation in the online sex acts. She maintains that a crime was committed when members of the news media were alerted to the existence of videos documenting what had been livestreamed. Moving forward, she says she wants to find ways to support and encourage other women running for office, particularly those who might find themselves in situations that bear similarities to hers.
Gibson, who has faced harassment and death threats since the disclosure of the videos, said of her aims: “Using what platform I have to make sure that this does not remain acceptable. Doing what I can do to prevent this from happening to any other woman. I'm still figuring out next steps and what that looks like. But that is my plan.”
Gibson said she had no idea the videos existed until they were brought to her attention by reporters. Two preemptive opposition research efforts into her own background that she had approved — a common political practice — did not turn them up, she said.
Gibson and her husband had no idea their livestreaming would be recorded in any fashion, she said.
“Consent to allow someone to view something that exists only as a moment in time or exists only in their memory is very different than consenting to allowing someone to have something that remains a permanent object and can be shared or viewed indefinitely,” Gibson said in the interview.
The platform the couple used currently warns in its privacy policy and other explanatory materials that it cannot control the use of content and that streams may be recorded.
Daniel Watkins, an attorney for Gibson who specializes in defamation cases, has said the dissemination of the videos was a violation of Virginia's revenge porn law. The law makes it a crime to “maliciously” disseminate nude or sexual images of another person with the intent to “coerce, harass, or intimidate.”
Gibson, who maintains that nothing about her use of the streaming platform had any bearing on her qualifications to hold public office, said sex between consenting adults should never merit a news story.
“What is newsworthy is abortion rights are on the line in Virginia,” she said. “What is newsworthy is gun violence. What is not newsworthy is someone's consensual sex life within the confines of their marriage or with any partner.”