A Democrat running for Congress in New York is facing scrutiny after it emerged that he appeared in bondage-themed advertisements for a San Francisco sex shop while serving in the National Guard.
Chris Gallant, 37, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in a Long Island House race, was featured in multiple promotional images for Mr. S Leather, a retailer specializing in BDSM fetish gear and leather restraints, according to The Post Millennial. The images, which appeared on the companys website between 2011 and 2020 before being removed, show Gallant modeling bondage equipment during the same period he was in uniformed service.
The photographs are authentic and were taken during a private, consensual photo session involving Chris and his then-partner, with whom he was in a committed four-year relationship, Gallants attorney, Sara Azari, said in a statement. Chris was also friends with the owner of Mr. S Leather, and the shoot was intended to be fun and personal, with the understanding that Mr. S could use select images in connection with certain products," she added.
Azari, who has built a reputation handling high-profile sexual misconduct and reputation-management cases, has previously represented disgraced Democrat Eric Swalwell of California, who resigned from Congress after multiple sexual abuse allegations surfaced during his gubernatorial run. As Chris began considering a future in public service, he asked that the photographs no longer be used and that they be removed from the companys website. Mr. S honored his request, she said.
The outlet further reported that additional images of Gallant appear on gay pornography websites, though those photos are not tied to Mr. S Leather. For voters who expect higher standards of personal conduct from those seeking public office, the revelations raise questions about judgment, discretion, and the kind of role models being offered by the Democratic Party.
Gallant has served in the National Guard since 2006, meaning the explicit promotional work overlapped with his military service, and he has also volunteered as a firefighter and worked as an air traffic controller. He now seeks to unseat LaLota, a US Navy veteran who has represented the district since 2022, setting up a stark contrast between a Republican incumbent with a traditional service record and a Democrat whose past in fetish advertising is only now coming to light.
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