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Not long after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum sent out a letter asking for money for a nonprofit group lobbying against same-sex marriages.
"I know it may sound like a huge exaggeration, particularly in light of the attack on America, but this may truly be the most important letter I ever write you," Santorum wrote.
The letter endorsed Alexandria, Va.-based Alliance for Marriage and its campaign for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. The mailing sought money so the nonprofit could flood Congress with petitions to "protect marriage between a man and a woman against the attacks of the homosexual activists."
This mass mailing has generated a new round of criticism of the senator from gay-rights advocates. Yesterday, they said Santorum, by seemingly equating terrorism and gay marriage, had showed a stunning lack of judgment.
In his letter, the Republican senator characterized Alliance for Marriage as a "political organization." The group, for its part, told donors any contributions were tax-deductible.
Tax experts said yesterday that both statements could not be true. They noted that donations to political groups are not tax-deductible.
As it happened, the recipients of Santorum's letter included Philadelphia gay-rights activist Malcolm La
oops.
Go listen to Mike Signorile talk about this.