Tim Pawlenty Headlines Hate Group Dinner To Discuss His Homophobic Record
Pawlenty Will Never Evolve And Always Deny Equal Rights for LGBTQ Minnesotans
Tim Pawlenty is set to headline the Minnesota Family Council annual dinner tomorrow night (though, the party outside hosted by Outfront Minnesota sounds a lot more fun).
You may recall the Minnesota Family Council advocated “for laws that criminalize lesbian, gay, and bisexual Minnesotans” and disseminated widely debunked myths, such as the LGBTQ community being more likely to become pedophiles or committing acts of beastiality.
His relationship with the virulently anti-LGBT group goes all the way back to his days as a state senator when he voted for an explicit ban on same-sex marriages, but he waited until governor to really turn it up a notch. Here’s a few lowlights:
- 2004: Pawlenty called a special session for a ban on gay marriage
- 2009: Pawlenty Opposed Health Benefits To Same Sex Couples
- 2009: Pawlenty abruptly vetoed an anti-bullying bill, “shocking even members of his own party. “
- 2010: Pawlenty vetoed bill giving LGBT couples end-of-life benefits
However, his homophobic views took centerstage when he decided to run for president.
- February 2011: Pawlenty opposed repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and wanted to reinstate the policy if elected president. He would not answer directly if LGBT Americans should be able to serve at all.
- July 2011: Pawlenty said science was “in dispute” about whether being gay was a choice or genetic.
- July 2011: Pawlenty said “it defies common sense” to say same-sex marriage was equal to heterosexual marriage.
- August 2011: Pawlenty supported constitutional and state amendments banning same-sex marriage.
“For years, Tim Pawlenty has courted conservatives by denying equal rights to the LGBTQ community. As we have seen elsewhere, these discriminatory policies would hurt Minnesota’s economy, and lose good paying jobs,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director David Turner. “Tim Pawlenty is just reaffirming what we already knew about his backwards beliefs by headlining the annual dinner of a hate group. Clearly, Tim Pawlenty will never evolve; he remains committed to job-killing discriminatory policies.”