Conservative blogger defends outing candidate’s Playboy gig

A conservative blogger is defending a critical story that revealed a Spokane-area businesswoman running for the state house once posed in Playboy Magazine.

The Western Center For Journalism outed Democrat Amy Biviano’s appearance in Playboy’s “Women of the Ivy League” edition back in 1995 as a student at Yale University.

Reporter Bob Unruh tells Dori Monson he re-reported the story on his World Net Daily because Biviano had not disclosed it in any of her campaign materials and the voters deserve to know.

“Whether it’s relevant to them [voters] would depend on whether they decide it’s relevant to them, but if they don’t know about it, they can’t decide,” Unruh argues.

Biviano isn’t apologizing. She told The Spokesman-Review she doesn’t regret posing topless, but wouldn’t do it again as a married mother of two, now 37.

“It was one of the youthful college kinds of things. I was interested in pushing my limits,” Biviano said. “This was my small act of rebellion.”

In an article she wrote for “The Yale Herald” at the time she posed, she defended her decision even though she recognized it might be an issue later in life, The News Chick reported.

“Do I believe that my future might be affected by posing for Playboy? Yes, I believe that it will. But, it has made a positive contribution to my life – I gained a sense of self-reliance, which I lacked before the posing scandal,” she continued. “Posing for Playboy has permanently changed me by making me think a little bit differently about myself – I’m now more of a risk-taker, fear social approval less, and know a bit more about what I’m capable of. I may never do something this controversial again, but it’s nice to know that I could and did.”

Dori Monson is one of many criticizing the reporting of the story and the people perpetuating it.

“How does being a mom, Sunday school teacher and all the things you cited in 2012, how is that at all reflected in what she chose to do one time when she was 20-years-old 20 years ago?” Dori asks.

“It clashes with the concept of appearing in Playboy and that’s probably pertinent in so far as it should let people know of the type of decision making process that this person, this candidate used at one point in her life,” Unruh responds.

Biviano is now a small business owner who teaches Sunday school at Bethany Presbyterian Church. Her opponent, Republican Rep. Matt Shea, is among those criticizing the reporting of the story.

“This type of negative campaigning is exactly what is wrong with politics today,” he said in a statement. “While these revelations are indeed alarming, my heart goes out to Amy and her family.”

The original story calls Biviano hypocritical for touting her family values and not disclosing her past while also criticizing her opponent’s past marital failings. And Unruh argues it’s all relevant in the race.

“If they’re asking to represent the public, their pasts should be open books.”

“There are a lot of things I did when I was 20-years-old that I don’t tell my listeners about,” Dori counters. “It seems like you just want to embarrass this woman, to drag her through the mud, all because she has a “D” next to her name. I see the left playing that game a lot, I call them out on it. I see the right playing that game a lot. I don’t understand the point of this other than to humiliate or attempt to humiliate somebody for something they did 15, 18 years ago.”

Dori’s listeners overwhelmingly agree. In comments on his Facebook page, the vast majority call it a “non-issue.”

“It’s a non-issue just like if she smoked weed while a teen! What matters is what she is all about now and what has led her to that. What is her track record since those times? That is what I care about. We all made mistakes,” wrote listener Joseph Keller.

Listener Dawn Shaw wrote, “Non-issue. I’m more interested in her current qualifications.”

“She learned and grew. I wish all politicians went through that process before running for office,” wrote Vanessa Harrington.

What do you think?