Local
Gay incumbent beats gay challenger in Rehoboth race
Gossett retains seat amid ordinance controversies
Rehoboth Beach City Commissioner Patrick Gossett defeated challenger Richard Perry. (Photo public domain)
A heated dispute over proposed ordinances to regulate rental housing in the LGBT-friendly resort city of Rehoboth Beach, Del., emerged as the lead issue in the city’s Aug. 8 election in which incumbent gay City Commissioner J. Patrick Gossett beat gay challenger Richard Perry.
Gossett, a longtime Rehoboth civic activist and resident, has sided with fellow commissioners and Rehoboth Mayor Sam Cooper who favor more stringent regulations that they say are needed to prevent the city’s quiet residential neighborhoods from being inundated by large, newly built rental houses.
Perry, an attorney and newcomer to Rehoboth politics, was backed by a coalition of business owners and renters, including many gay residents and vacationers, who believe the Board of Commissioners crossed the line in proposing — and in some cases passing — ill-conceived regulatory measures that critics say will hurt the city in the long run.
While Perry lost his bid for one of two seats on the Commission that were up for election on Aug. 8, challenger Paul Kuhns, a former commissioner who expressed mostly the same positions as Perry on the regulatory issues, defeated incumbent Commissioner Willis Sargent, who largely held the same views as Gossett on those issues.
Sources familiar with Rehoboth politics, including Perry himself, said more voters chose Gossett mostly likely because he had greater name recognition and was viewed as more experienced and involved in local civic affairs for a longer period of time than Perry.
Perry said he believes he also lost support by what he called an unfair effort by his opponents to “mischaracterize” him as a real estate developer seeking to profit from Rehoboth’s booming rental housing market. Although he’s in the process of building a second home in Rehoboth, Perry said he is not a developer. He said his motive for opposing many of the proposed regulatory measures is to ensure that the city continues to benefit from a strong economy based on vacationers and renters.
Under the Rehoboth electoral system for the Board of Commissioners, which serves as the city’s legislative body, all seats are at-large seats. In the case of the Aug. 8 election, the highest two vote getters were declared the winners.
The final vote count released by the city’s Board of Elections showed that Kuhns came in first place with 545 votes followed by Gossett, who came in second with 521 votes. Sargent finished third with 464 votes. Perry came in fourth place with 407 votes.
“Although I lost and came in last, no one who has run for the first time has ever got as many votes as I got,” Perry told the Washington Blade on Monday. “So I think they got the message very strong on Saturday,” he said, referring to what he said was his and Kuhns’ message of opposition to over regulation.
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
Maryland
Evan Glass is leaning on his record. Is that enough for Montgomery County’s top job?
Gay county executive candidate pushing for equitable pay, safer streets, and cleaner environment
By TALIA RICHMAN | During a meet-and-greet at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, Evan Glass got his loudest applause of the night with a plan he acknowledged was decidedly unsexy.
“Day one, I’ll hire a director of permitting services,” the county executive candidate said.
Doing so, he added, is a step toward easing the regulatory burdens that can stifle small businesses in Montgomery County.
The only problem? At least one of his fiercest competitors is making a similar pledge.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
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Comings & Goings
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
