Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle continues to struggle with an ongoing battle with chronic verbal diarrhea, spouting off his definition for a “responsible homosexual” during a radio interview last week.

The term-limited leader of a city that’s been long considered gay friendly said that a "responsible" homo is one who will speak out against sex in public bathrooms and address the AIDS crisis.  Naugle, renowned for using his mayoral role as a bully pulpit to demonize the gay community, ends his official reign of homophobia in March, when citizens elect a new mayor.

Two of the mayoral candidates, former City Commissioner Dean Trantalis and businessman Earl Rynerson, are gay. 

“I am a responsible individual and I resent the prerogative he has taken in trying to define people,” Trantalis said, when asked if he fit Naugle’s definition of a responsible homosexual.  “We should be talking about issues that really concern the city: taxes, crime, development and the environment,” Trantalis continued. 

Mayoral Candidate Rynerson recently requested that Mayor Naugle justify his claims about rampant gay sex in Fort Lauderdale’s public parks.  “I contacted our City’s Police Department yesterday after Naugle’s most recent tirade about this issue.  I asked them to provide me statistics that prove what Naugle is speaking about”, Rynerson said in a press release.  “They stated that the Fort Lauderdale Police Department has no information, statistics or data that can substantiate what the Mayor is saying.” 

After persistent requests for statistics regarding law enforcement action associated with public sexual activity, Fort Lauderdale Police, according to Rynerson, could only identify 10 reports of homosexual men having sexual relations in public between 2006 and 2007.  During that same timeframe, police identified 12-15 cases of heterosexual men participating in sexual activity with women in public.  “It appears that the frequency of sexual activity, however unfortunate, whether gay or straight, is normal for a city our size,” Rynerson explained.

Rynerson doesn’t believe that sex in public is a gay issue, but rather Mayor Naugle’s personal crusade to denigrate the gay community.  “If there is such a problem in Fort Lauderdale, why can’t our police provide evidence?” Rynerson asks.

Rynerson insists that the parks are safe and clean and should be available to be enjoyed by all citizens.  “If Naugle wants to scare parents, he should mention the fact that there are more than 1,200 registered sex offenders and predators living in Broward County…”, Rynerson states, citing  Florida Department of Law Enforcement website statistics. 

In addition to Rynerson & Trantalis, City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, defense attorney Steve Rossi and State Rep. Jack Seiler have all announced their candidacy for Fort Lauderdale Mayor