Susanna Gibson broke her silence over the exposure of her intimate webcam videos through an interview with Politico published Saturday.
Gibson, who unsuccessfully ran for Virginia’s House of Delegates, described the leak as a deliberate attack aimed at sabotaging her campaign and personal reputation. The failed Democratic candidate spoke about the personal and professional turmoil she faced following the leak of the videos.
Gibson admitted she felt embarrassed when The Washington Post published a story about her participation in live-streamed sexual activities with her husband, per Politico. (RELATED: ‘Won’t Lose Next Time’: Failed Dem Candidate Who Streamed Sex Acts For Money Says She Might Run For Office Again)
“When you find out that there are sexually explicit videos of you online — it is a feeling that I would not wish on my worst enemy,” the mother of two told Politico. “My entire life was rocked on Sept. 11, when the article ran, implying that I performed sex acts online with my husband for money. It was really written based on this Dropbox file that self-described Republican operatives shopped around.”
Susanna Gibson lost her election after her online sex life was exposed. Now she’s speaking out.https://t.co/Jbh5rPu5Vo
— POLITICO (@politico) December 9, 2023
Despite the controversy, Gibson remains unapologetic about her online activities, which she insists were private acts between consenting adults and not relevant to her political aspirations, per Politico. The leak of these videos was reportedly discovered on the dark web and circulated among various news outlets. She argued that her sexual content bears no relevance to one’s professional capabilities or political qualifications.
“I think if I wasn’t a candidate, the Post probably would have been appalled at the invasion of my privacy. But because I was a candidate, they decided that it was a political story, rather than an invasion of my privacy and potentially a crime,” she said to Politico.
Despite facing immense scrutiny, including loitering journalists, threatening mail and social media backlash, Gibson stood firm in her campaign, according to Politico. She received substantial support from various groups, including abortion rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, and even saw a surge in campaign donations following the scandal.
Ultimately, the controversy seemed to have a minimal impact on her electoral performance, per Politico. Gibson lost to her Republican opponent by a narrow margin, suggesting that voters were either unaware of or indifferent to the scandal. Gibson is now determined to seek justice. She sought the services of an attorney specializing in sex crimes and has filed complaints with local police and the FBI, believing the distribution of the videos falls under Virginia’s “revenge porn” law.
“I want the person who found and then disseminated illegal pornographic images of me — again, violating federal and state laws — they need to be held accountable,” Gibson told Politico. “It’s going to be a long process.”