Is this a fair tactic in all cases, or only for some?
For instance, suppose there was a closeted gay politician. He doesn’t want to be out of the closet, is generally discreet, and is also generally gay-friendly in his votes.
Would it be acceptable for some group to threaten to “out” him to force him to vote against some gay-friendly measure, like gay marriage?
To threaten an outing unless one votes for/against any bill is blackmail, and not something I would support. I support just outing the bastards who work against equality for people just like themselves.
Every Republican who publicly blasted Clinton for being a draft-dodging, pot-smoking adulterer had at least two of the three in his own background and deserved to be outed for it.