Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is scheduled to headline the Log Cabin Republicans’ Spirit of Lincoln event in September, despite a long history of opposition to LGBT rights.
While Gingrich, a confidant of Donald Trump and a favorite of Religious Right activists, may have softened his views on LGBT issues since his time in Congress and failed campaign for president, and has been open to at least supporting the legal recognition of same-sex relationships, his record speaks for itself. Gingrich has:
- Supported a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage nationwide.
- Called same-sex marriage “a perfect example of what I mean by the rise of paganism.”
- Warned about the threat of “a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, is prepared to use harassment.”
- Backed the creation of a federal body to investigate the supposed persecution of anti-gay activists.
- Funneled $125,000 to the anti-LGBT American Family Association to assist its campaign to remove judges who ruled in favor of marriage equality.
- Favored the reinstatement of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
The thrice-married Gingrich, it seems, has not viewed his own marital history as a reason to rethink his opposition to marriage equality, blaming his extramarital affairs on his patriotism.
The Log Cabin Republicans are mulling an endorsement of Trump, although the GOP presidential nominee has yet to meet with the group. Trump, however, is scheduled to speak to the anti-LGBT activists at the Values Voter Summit in September.
