'Truth' organization wants GOP 'gays' to come out

'Truth' organization wants GOP 'gays' to come out
Critics says presence undermining values Republicans say they support

The president of Americans for Truth says it's time for the homosexuals in the Republican Party to come out of the closet.

"In recent weeks, homosexual activists have sought to 'out' various high-level GOP staffers and leaders as homosexuals, to highlight their hypocrisy in working for a socially conservative party," said Peter LaBarbera.

"Now we in the pro-family movement are calling for full disclosure for a different reason: because homosexual GOP staff and pro-'gay' policies in the party are undermining the wholesome values Republicans say they support," he said.

In those "recent weeks," U.S. Rep. Mark Foley resigned in disgrace after it was revealed that he exchanged explicit instant messages with a male congressional page, and political pundit Bill Maher accused the head of the Republican National Committee, Ken Mehlman, of being a closet "gay."

LaBarbera also accused Virginia Senate candidate George Allen of refusing to support the family agenda, and by virtue of that handing control of the U.S. Senate to the Democrats by losing to challenger James Webb.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee also must rescind its "sexual orientation" policy that provides protections for homosexuals "as inconsistent with the GOP's professed pro-family values," LaBarbera said.

All homosexual staff members in both major parties need to be open about their lifestyle – "in the interest of full disclosure to the public and each member's constituents," the AFT organization said.

Allen's defeat came by a few thousand votes even though the state's marriage protection constitutional amendment – on the same ballot and at the same time – was winning hugely, the AFT noted. Virginia's was just one of seven marriage protection constitutional amendments approved in the election. Twenty states earlier had taken the same action.

"Allen is widely reported to have homosexual staff," the "AFT critique said. "Jay Timmons, a senior Allen Aide and former director of the NRSC, is among those being targeted for 'outing' by homosexual bloggers, as is Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman."

Noting the homosexual newspaper Washington Blade reported several years ago the NRSC has a nondiscrimination policy based on 'sexual orientation,' LaBarbera said, "Who knew that the Republican Party committee responsible for electing senators across the country has embraced the exact same pro-homosexual 'orientation' policy that social conservatives have been fighting for decades?"

As a result of the Foley scandal, just days before the election, he said, social conservatives are learning about a network of homosexual GOP staffers on Capitol Hill who promote policies antithetical to the party's stated "family values."

LaBarbera said the pro-family Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays was outraged two years ago when Sen. Allen refused to sign their pledge supporting tolerance for former homosexuals. He said the senator then went ahead and broke a promise to another pro-family group by backing a pro-"gay" federal "Hate Crimes" bill.

And he supported a pro-homosexual "nondiscrimination" pledge for his Senate office, LaBarbera said.

"George Allen's lukewarm support for Virginia's marriage amendment cost him his Senate seat," LaBarbera said. "Now we are left to wonder: did the stealth influence of gay Republican staffers move him toward this course that would ultimately turn the Senate over to the Democrats?"

The AFT is "dedicated to equipping Americans to confront the homosexual and transgender activist agendas.

Maher told CNN's Larry King Live it's an open secret in Washington that Mehlman is a homosexual and that he has "never denied" it. Maher said he plans to "out" other Republicans in the future.

Rumors of Mehlman's sexual orientation first appeared last year in GQ magazine. The RNC denied the charge. "Ken Mehlman is not gay," said then-RNC official Steve Schmidt. However, when asked directly by "gay" publications, Mehlman has dodged the question.

Maher brought up the issue while addressing reasons Republicans lost Congress. He said the Foley scandal hurt Republicans. Foley revealed his homosexuality after resigning from Congress.

And Foley's former chief of staff Kirk Fordham was recently outed by the Los Angeles Times.

The FBI is investigating reports that another "gay" Republican lawmaker, Jim Kolbe of Arizona, engaged in improper behavior with male pages during a camping trip to the Grand Canyon.

Some in Washington have charged the White House and Congress are run by a "Gay Republican Mafia."