An excerpt from
You Don't Know Me:
A Citizen's Guide to Republican Family Values

By Win McCormack
(Tin House Books)
July 2008

“The flames of hedonism, the flames
of narcissism, the flames of self-centered
morality are licking at the very foundation
of our society, the family unit." 1

—Representative Bob Barr (R-GA),
speaking on the house floor
in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act

 

 

ADULTERY

GEORGIA ATTORNEY GENERAL, LEADING
PROPONENT OF ANTI-SODOMY LAWS,
ADMITS TO AFFAIR WITH STAFFER

 

 

In June 1997, Mike Bowers, a candidate for Georgia governor and former Georgia attorney general, admitted to an affair with a subordinate in the attorney general's office. His mistress, Anne Davis, claimed the affair lasted 15 years. Bowers announced that he would resign his position as a major general in the Georgia Air National Guard because of the affair.2

The Florida Times-Union noted that, as attorney general, Bowers was "the most ardent defender of Georgia's morality laws." The paper reported that Bowers "admitted feeling hypocritical" for withdrawing a job offer in 1991 to a lesbian planning to marry another woman.3 He claimed she engaged in illegal sexual behavior, which would undermine her ability to enforce state laws.4

 

Mistress Reveals Bowers Made Financial Payments to Her, Often By Signing Over State-Paid Expense Checks

 

In April 1998, Bowers' mistress Anne Davis revealed to George magazine that Bowers had made monthly payments of $400-$600 to her since their affair began," often by signing over his state paid expense checks."5

Bowers' wife of 35 years, Bette Rose, defended her husband's decision to financially support his mistress:

 

"When she asked Mike for help, he thought that it was the right thing to do, and I concurred.... I didn't think about it until it became an issue (this week)..... I look forward to the day when Mike and I stop having to apologize for the fact that we kept our marriage together."6

 

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NOTES 1 New York Times, "House Passes Bar to U.S. Sanction of Gay Marriage," July 13, 1996. 2 Florida Times-Union, "Governor-Hopeful Bowers Admits Decade-Long Affair," June 6, 1997. 3 Ibid. 4 Southern Voice, "Firing Gay Workers Still Legal in GA," January 26, 2007. 5 Atlanta Journal and Constitution, "Bowers Says He's Stopped Payments to Ex-Mistress," April 17, 1998. 6 Ibid.