Mississippi Mayor Greg Davis spent city money at a gay lifestyle and sex shop
Mississippi Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican of Southaven, spent over $170,000 of city money on personal expenses including purchases at a gay lifestyle and sex shop, according to receipts.
According to Mississippi state auditor, it was an anonymous tipster who prompted a Freedom of Information request into two years “of Mr. Davis” records, discovering the expenses as well as his admittance of being gay.
“I gasped,” Greg Davis said at a press conference describing his reaction to the news of the expenses.
“It was an accounting error, book keeping error. We’ve learned our lesson, and we’ll pay back the funds and we’ll move forward,” Greg Davis assured a reporter for My Fox Memphis, which boarders the Mississippi state in Tennessee.
“While I have performed my job as mayor, in my opinion, as a very conservative, progressive individual – and still continue to be a very conservative individual – I think that it is important that I discuss the struggles I have had over the last few years when I came to the realization that I am gay,” Greg Davis announced, according to The Commercial Appeal.
State Auditor Stacey Pickering has since demanded Greg Davis pay back all the money within 30 days, exactly “$170,782.28,” or submit detailed receipts of his spending to not face a civil suit.
The auditor’s office has since received $96,000 from the mayor who is also providing receipts.
According to The Commercial Appeal, among Greg Davis’ expenses were thousands at a chop house and thousands more at local liquor stores.
The auditor’s office confirmed to The Associated Press that Greg Davis also billed the $67 Priape purchase, a Canadian store that describes itself as a gay sex shop, as well to the city.
Greg Davis told The Commercial Appeal he doesn’t remember what he bought at the shop.
In 2008, Greg Davis ran unsuccessfully for Congress on a family-values platform.
Greg Davis has been married to his wife Suzann for the past 19 years, according to the city’s website, whom he shares three daughters with.
Greg Davis says he plans to take time off during the holidays to be with his family as well as, “ensure that for the next year and a half that the city continues to grow.”
He added: “I will evaluate whether I will run again as mayor at a later time.”