Log Cabin: We Helped Make Utah Happen

"Having visited the Beehive State and Governor Herbert less than two years ago, I know firsthand how hard Log Cabin Republicans of Utah President James Humphreys and his team have been working to achieve this monumental victory. The passage of this bill in Utah should show Republicans around the country that the balance between LGBT rights and religious liberty is not a zero-sum game. Likewise, advocates on the gay left would do well to see that an all-or-nothing approach to LGBT protections with no reasonable religious exemption will doom passage of any similar non-discrimination protections in GOP-controlled legislatures, be they state or federal. I'm proud of the many Republicans, common-sense LGBT advocates, and the Log Cabin Republicans of Utah who worked tirelessly to achieve this historic milestone in the reddest of red states." - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo, via email.

CPAC Relents: Log Cabin Head To Speak

Via Politico:

The head of the Log Cabin Republicans has been invited to speak on a panel at this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference, the pro-gay rights group announced Monday. Executive Director Gregory Angelo said he will be speaking on a panel called “Putin’s Russia: A New Cold War?” alongside Seth Cropsey, Cliff May, Amanda Brickell Bellows and potential 2016 candidate Carly Fiorina. The announcement comes after days of back and forth between the Log Cabin Republicans and the American Conservative Union, which organizes CPAC. “There has been a great deal of confusion over the last 48 hours regarding Log Cabin Republicans’ role in CPAC 2015,” Angelo wrote in a statement. “[A]fter some fruitful conversations with the leadership of the American Conservative Union,” Angelo wrote, “we would like to express regret if anyone associated with the American Conservative Union felt unfairly maligned. That was never our intention.”

From Log Cabin's statement:

For years, all we have wanted is for Log Cabin Republicans to be able to provide a meaningful contribution to CPAC, be it as sponsors, speakers, or panelists. Now is not the time to make the perfect the enemy of the good. Log Cabin Republicans will continue working toward full sponsorship of future CPACs. In the meantime, I look forward to bringing the gay conservative perspective to CPAC 2015 on behalf of Log Cabin Republicans, as well as the message that when conservatives focus on unity rather than division, we win.

Don't expect CPAC to tweet out one of their "CONFIRMED!" notices. (Tipped by JMG reader TJ)

CPAC Bans Log Cabin Republicans

"The American Conservative Union has the right to invite or not invite whoever they want to the Conservative Political Action Conference, but they should be honest about the reasons why. The ACU is fond of hiding behind a fig leaf stating gay people are welcome as guests, but the ability to buy a ticket to CPAC was never what our debate was about; indeed, I will be attending CPAC, as will hundreds of other Log Cabin Republicans members and supporters. Make no mistake: LCR is actively being prohibited from sponsoring CPAC.

"For our organization, this has always been about contributing to CPAC as sponsors or in some recognized capacity. Time and again, when we showed the ACU that we met the criteria for sponsorship, the reasons for our exclusion changed. The only conclusion that can be made is that the organizers of CPAC do not feel gay people can be conservative - a position opposed by the thousands of Millennial CPAC attendees who have been asking Log Cabin Republicans for months if we would be participating at this year's event. We owed it to them to explain why we are not." - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo, via email.

Angelo's email goes on to tick off on a long list of positions which align with the goals of CPAC. Top on that list is the repeal of Obamacare. The on-again off-again inclusion of homocon groups has long roiled CPAC and caused very entertaining infighting among its participants. Last year the now-defunct GOProud was allowed to attend after two years of being banned, but were prohibited from purchasing booth space.

Log Cabin Takes A Swing At Jeb Bush

"It's disappointing to see that Jeb Bush has the same opinion of marriage equality as the presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Jeb had a chance to differentiate himself from her, and at the very least say that, in Florida, marriage equality is settled law and there are more pressing issues demanding attention. As it stands, Jeb tacks the same line as Hillary: that marriage is something that should be left to the states." - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo, speaking to the Huffington Post about yesterday's statement by Jeb Bush.

As the above-linked article notes, in June 2014 Clinton said that she believes marriage should be a "matter left to the states." That quote came during a contentious interview with NPR host Terry Gross, who sparred with Clinton over her evolution on same-sex marriage. Unlike Bush, however, Clinton has endorsed marriage equality.

Log Cabin Slams GOP Attempt To Stall Executive Order On Federal Contractors

"Bring it on. Unlike his hotly contested unilateral actions on immigration or minimum wage, President Obama’s executive order providing workplace protections for LGBT federal employees is a simple extension of an executive order that was already in place under the administration of President George W. Bush. We hope that Director Shiu calls Congressmen Kline and Walberg on their ridiculous bluff — if she does, both Congressmen will soon discover what Log Cabin Republicans has been telling their offices for years — that 69 percent of Americans support workplace protections for the LGBT community — including 56 percent of Republicans. It may be extreme, but perhaps a public comment period is what it will finally take for Chairman Kline to realize just how out-of-touch he is on this issue, both with Americans and his own constituents, and finally push the Employment Non-Discrimination Act out of committee where he has kept it bottled up for the past 13 months." - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo, responding to the GOP's attempt to stall the executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees.

HomoQuotable - Gregory Angelo

"This is really a time of choosing for LGBT advocates on the left. Do you support the left agenda, or do you actually support equal rights for Americans? Those who fall in the latter category are going to be the ones who are going to be come to the table with Republicans and find solutions, ways to pass things, like employment protections for LGBT individuals, that also reach consensus among Republicans." - Log Cabin head Gregory Angelo, speaking to the Washington Blade.

Log Cabin Head Gregory Angelo: Boehner Has Always Backed Gay GOP Candidates

LCR: We Still Back ENDA

"Nothing has changed at Log Cabin Republicans regarding our calculus. We continue to support ENDA as it is now, as we always have. A lot of these organizations on the left withdrawing their support are ignorant of the political reality in Washington that led to bi-partisan support of ENDA in the Senate in the first place. It’s puzzling, really — it’s like we scored the touchdown with the Senate passage of ENDA, and right as we’re about to kick the field goal in the House the left decides to move the goal posts. Histrionics about the Hobby Lobby decision didn’t help, and a misinformation campaign about the religious exemption in ENDA hasn’t either. ENDA isn’t perfect, but no one ever said it was the end-game, and in politics you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. From a lobbying standpoint, I think this could potentially help ENDA in the House, because it underscores what has long been a lobbying strategy we have employed: this bill is going to pass sooner or later, and Republicans who care about religious liberty and equality would do well to prioritize its passage in this congress." Gregory T. Angelo, head of the Log Cabin Republicans, speaking to MetroWeekly.

Texas GOP Bans LCR From Convention

"It’s simply unconscionable that more than a dozen years since Log Cabin Republicans took the fight for gay equality against the homophobic fringe of the Party, the Texas State GOP still doesn’t get it. We are your friends and neighbors; we are your colleagues and family members; above all else, we are loyal Republicans, and deserve a literal seat at the table at the Texas State GOP Convention. Make no mistake: This isn’t about disagreements we may have on civil marriage; this isn’t about the party platform — this is about an anti-gay wing of the party that hates gay people so much they can’t even stand to see us acknowledged as a necessary part of a winning Republican coalition. At a time when Democrats are working overtime to turn Texas from red to purple and then a vibrant blue, now is not the time for the politics of subtraction and division in the GOP; it is time for addition and multiplication. The Texas State GOP and its leadership ignore that advice at their peril." - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo.

I am also surprised that Log Cabin has been banned. They certainly say ALL the right things.

Log Cabin: Dem Rep Must Apologize For Linking Blog That Refers To Gay US House Candidate Carl DeMaio As "Mary"

The Log Cabin Republicans today demanded an apology from Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) for linking to an Americablog post which refers to homocon GOP House candidate Carl DeMaio as "Mary." The link has since been removed from Peters' site. Americablog founder John Aravosis responds:

Apparently, Lob Cabin isn’t terribly familiar with “the gay lifestyle,” as Carl DeMaio’s friends on the religious right like to call it, if they think calling someone “Mary” is a slur. The only people who ever call gay people “Mary” is other gay people. And it’s not a slur, it’s actually often a term of ironic endearment. But then again, we shouldn’t expect anti-gay gays to actually understand, support or defend a culture that their own political party and candidates have long sought to destroy. Keep in mind that Log Cabin supported Mitt Romney for president when Romney refused to endorse any of their basic civil rights.

Romney was against ENDA, against the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, against marriage equality. Mitt Romney was even for enshrining anti-gay prejudice in the United States Constitution. Mitt Romney was so anti-gay that he got rid of his campaign’s foreign policy spokesman when word got out that the man was gay. And after all that, Log Cabin still supported Mitt Romney for president. So if that’s the best Carl DeMaio has to offer to prove that he’s not really anti-gay — a group that endorses candidates with a “zero out of 100″ record on gay civil rights issues — then it’s no wonder that the entire gay community has abandoned Carl DeMaio.

RELATED: In 2012 local LGBT activists organized a campaign to boo DeMaio during that year's pride parade, noting that he'd been reluctant to endorse marriage equality and had accepted donations from backers of Proposition 8. DeMaio, a wealthy political consultant, is vehemently anti-union and has vowed that LGBT rights will never affect his political decisions.

Homocon Tweet Of The Day

Log Cabin To CPAC: Let Us Speak

"Any official participation from Log Cabin Republicans at CPAC needs to be meaningful, and in our estimation meaningful participation does not begin and end with buying a ticket to CPAC. We asked for a seat at the table — quite literally — at the 'Reaching Out' panel at this year’s conference. It seemed a natural fit for LCR, while also giving CPAC the benefit of showing their inclusion of gay conservatives at an event in which the focus was not specifically about gay issues. We were rebuffed. Like all good conservatives, we want conservatives to win. With a preponderance of Americans in support of equal rights for gay Americans, Log Cabin Republicans’ mantra that 'inclusion wins' has never been more relevant. It’s not too late for the ACU to embrace that, allow us formal participation on the 'Reaching Out' panel, and welcome Log Cabin Republicans as meaningful participants at this year’s CPAC." - Log Cabin head Gregory Angelo, writing for the Daily Caller.

From The Head Of Log Cabin Republicans

Log Cabin Republicans Slam "Gay Stereotypes" In Obamacare Pitch

Via press release from Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo:

This cynical ad betrays the depths Obamacare advocates will sink to in order to pad their pathetic enrollment numbers. As a self-proclaimed ‘fierce advocate’ of gay equality, President Obama would do well to distance himself from this nonsense and denounce it immediately. This ad is also an example of the left promoting harmful stereotypes that gay men are nothing more than sex-crazed lechers. If anyone on the right made such a comparison, liberals would be apoplectic. At a time when left-wing propagandists are decrying Duck Dynasty‘s Phil Robertson for equating homosexuality with promiscuity and deviance, Out2Enroll and others should take a look in the mirror and ask if the truth is that they are the ones responsible for promoting such harmful stereotypes.

Here's the ad, which I first posted last week.

RNC Speaker Slams Gays & Immigrants For Pushing Poor Black People Aside

"I really think that the civil rights movement in it’s effort to expand has excluded some of the people that it originally designed to help and that’s low income people of all races. I didn’t hear poor people mentioned at all very much [on Saturday]. It was the environmentalists, women, gays, and immigrants. Everybody except poor people. The next frontier for me in the civil rights movement, is what are we doing for the least of God's children. Everybody has come in front of them on the bus: gays, immigrants, women, environmentalists. We never hear about the conditions confronting poor blacks and poor people in general." - Bob Woodson, speaking yesterday at a Republican National Committee luncheon to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March On Washington. Woodson's comments earned him a standing ovation from GOP leaders.

RELATED: Noting the criticisms of Woodson's comments, Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo rushes to his defense via press release.

"I was at yesterday's event, and on my feet with everyone else in the room applauding Mr. Woodson for his bold remarks. His words weren't meant to diminish the importance of the gay rights movement at all. In context, his speech was an indictment of a culture in the United States of zero-sum morality where one cause takes money, media, and attention away from others. 50 years out from the famed March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and black unemployment is at 12.6% today. 44 years out from Stonewall and gay men and women face discrimination and murder because of who they are. There's no reason we should work to achieve one victory at the expense of another."

LCR Endorses Homocon For Congress

"Log Cabin Republicans is proud to issue an enthusiastic endorsement of Carl’s campaign. The people of California need a reform-minded, new generation Republican to represent them in Congress, and I can think of no one who fits that bill better than Carl: a successful businessman, a proven leader, and a fine example of a strong gay conservative. This is a seat we can win, and we’re going to win it with Carl.” - Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo, endorsing failed San Diego mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio for the U.S. House. 

RELATED: Last year local activists called for San Diego Pride attendees to "turn your back on DeMaio" when he passed in the parade. DeMaio, whose mayoral candidacy was backed by the some of largest donors to Proposition 8, is a wealthy political consultant who is vehemently anti-union and who has vowed that LGBT rights will never affect his political decisions. True to that vow, there are exactly zero mentions of any gay issue on his campaign website.  (I can't even find mention that DeMaio is himself gay.)  DeMaio is seeking to unseat Democratic freshman Rep. Scott Peters, who like DeMaio was once on the San Diego City Council.  Peters is an ardent LGBT ally who issued a celebratory press release following the Supreme Court rulings on marriage.

NOTE:  Last week Angelo entered GOProud territory when he denounced the Seattle Pride incident as an example of "liberal tolerance."

VIDEO: Here's DeMaio getting repeatedly booed at last year's San Diego Pride parade.

Tweet Of The Day - Gregory Angelo

As the rest of us know, the man arrested in Seattle is a straight, married, multiple felon. I suspect that fact is known to Log Cabin Republicans head Gregory Angelo.

GOProud To Capital One: Fire Alec Baldwin

Led by former GOProud head Jimmy LaSalvia, two dozen wingnuts outfits are calling on Capital One to fire Alec Baldwin for "homophobic speech."

“We urge all Americans to ask themselves, ‘What’s in your wallet?’ We hope they will reject Alec Baldwin’s homophobia by cutting up those Capital One cards in their wallets,” said gay conservative strategist and GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia of RightWingNews.com.

Joining LaSalvia in spearheading the effort with his colleague at RightWingNews.com, John Hawkins. LaSalvia and Hawkins issued an open letter signed by several prominent conservatives to Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank. The group has also launched an online petition.

“It's still a free country and Alec Baldwin can do as much gay bashing as he likes on Twitter, but it's hard to understand why Capital One would choose to publicly condone his homophobia by keeping Baldwin on as its spokesman,” said Hawkins. “If Capital One is not going to do the right thing, then Capital One doesn’t deserve our business.”

Other homocons signing the letter are Log Cabin head Gregory Angelo, fired Romney advisor Richard Grenell, and Gay Patriot blogger Bruce Carroll.

REMINDER: LaSalvia doesn't mind anti-gay epithets when they come from HIM.  Here's a blast from the past.

Log Cabin Slams Democrats On IL Vote

"The betrayal of the Illinois Democrats’ promise to bring this bill to the floor should not diminish the courage of Republican Representatives Ed Sullivan and Ron Sandack, as well as Senator Jason Barickman, whose bold support for religious liberty and individual liberty exemplified true conservatism; nor does it lessen the bravery exemplified by GOP Chairman Pat Brady and Senator Mark Kirk for encouraging their colleagues to err on the right side of history. When the Illinois legislature next votes on the freedom to marry, we hope the peers of these great patriots follow their lead." - Log Cabin head Gregory Angelo.

NOTE: There are 47 Republicans in the Illinois House and only two pledged to support marriage.

Log Cabin Slams Hagel On MSNBC

Just as the president was holding the press conference to nominate Chuck Hagel, Log Cabin interim head Gregory Angelo was on MSNBC to denounce Hagel's selection.