Long Accusers Speak Out, Risking Their Settlement Money

I am not at all surprised at this. Two of Eddie Long's accusers have started speaking out about their experiences, in defiance of their settlement agreement, and risking their share of the payout. Jamal Parris and Spencer LeGrande sat down with Atlanta's WSB TV, recounting their years of abuse and how they're trying to pull their lives back together.

The station aired a four part report, which we'll provide links to here, along with a link to the 21 minutes of raw interview footage.

The links to the videos, after the break.

The National Organization for Marriage is asking presidential candidates to sign its own marriage pledge. Bachmann, Romney, and Santorum have signed it.

They write:
NOM's marriage pledge was offered to all serious announced candidates for the GOP nomination. An opportunity to sign the Marriage Pledge will be extended to Gov. Rick Perry and other major candidates, if and as they enter the race.

In signing NOM's marriage pledge, Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachman and Rick Santorum pledged to:
Support and send to the states a federal marriage amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman; Defend DOMA in court; Appoint judges and an attorney general who will respect the original meaning of the Constitution; Appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of traditional marriage supporters; Support legislation that would return to the people of D.C. their right to vote for marriage.
Said NOM's Brian Brown (pictured): "Many candidates say they support traditional marriage (like President Obama!) but three GOP presidential candidates today stand head and shoulders above the crowd as marriage champions, for their willingness to go beyond words to commit to concrete actions. We are grateful to Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum for their courage and their leadership in standing up for marriage, and so are millions of Americans who care about protecting marriage."
(via right wing watch)

Is This Who Republicans Want for President?

Via Towleroad: Michele Bachmann has avoided inquiries about marriage equality and her husband's homophobic professional work.

The Republican "presidential candidate" dismissed one Iowa news station's questions about her husband's ex-gay clinics, later stonewalled a reporter from that same station and then dodged related questions at the National Press Club.
Now it appears Bachmann has done the same thing to New Hampshire's Concord Monitor, via Politico.

Bachmann cut off an interview last week as she was being asked a question about gay marriage and emphasized that she is focused on rebuilding the economy and repealing federal health care reform.
"I'm not involved in light, frivolous matters," she said. "I'm not involved in fringe or side issues. I'm involved in serious issues."
Alexander Burns seems to think that Bachmann is trying to move away from divisive social issues -- part of the elusive culture war "truce" -- but it seems just as likely she's trying to avoid a Pandora's box of a negative news story about her discriminatory politics.
Bachmann is also on the cover of Newsweek's latest issue.