In an interview with the Bakersfield Californian, disgraced Senator Roy Ashburn, a Republican from the Central Valley, apologized for his aggressively anti-gay voting record. Ashburn, if you recall, was arrested in March on a DUI charge after visiting Sacramento gay bar Faces. He later admitted publicly to being a lifelong penis fan.

Now, in an arguably brave move, Ashburn fessed up to voting on gay-based measures in order to cloak his sexual preference, not in the interest of his constituents.

In the past, I didn't want to even vote on a gay rights bill because I didn't want to bring the spotlight on myself since I had a big secret to keep .. Most of the time I would leave the chamber and come back to vote no. I didn't even know what was in the bills.

Ashburn's tarnished civil rights record includes voting against a Senate resolution declaring Prop 8 unconstitutional, and thrice shooting down the creation of Harvey Milk Day. But! A few frozen cosmopolitans and one drunk driving incident later, and Ashburn has changed his tune. Why, just this week Ashburn voiced his support for the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the military's bizarre ban on queer ilk, by making a speech on the Senate floor.

Does this mean we can soon look forward to similar mea culpas from hateful, doth-protest-too-much skidmarks like Pat Robertson? We sure hope not.

[via SFGate]