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Connor defends comments criticizing conservative evangelical leaders

A former president of the Family Research Council argues that some conservative evangelical leaders have "abandoned principle" because they want to be perceived as players in the 2008 presidential election.

The Times-Picayune recently reported that Washington trial attorney and conservative author Ken Connor said evangelicals leaders Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, and Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation -- all members of the Arlington Group -- were reluctant to endorse former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee because "a Huckabee loss would tarnish their image as powerful kingmakers."

The paper quoted Connor as saying the three have "enjoyed having a seat at the table for so long that they didn't in many instances stand on principle when they should have, and they've lost credibility with their people." Connor, chairman of the Center for a Just Society, says while he did tell The Times-Picayune that he believes many conservative leaders have lost their credibility, he does not recall "specifying any particular individual."

"They were not quick to speak out about the scandal that existed in the House leadership with respect to the Mark Foley scandal. They didn't speak out with respect to Tom DeLay's scandal, and the scandal that related to Jack Abramoff," he says. "In fact, there were many conservative leaders who embraced Tom DeLay at a time when I thought conservative leaders should be saying, 'Wait a minute. Let's examine the facts. Let's look at what's going on here.'"

Connor, who calls Huckabee the "natural choice" for Christians to support, says there "clearly are conservative and evangelical leaders who have abandoned principle." He says his role is to identify the principles that are at stake and let the public draw their own conclusions.