Uber-activist Grover Norquist has driven the right-wing agenda for many years, all the while pushing legal and ethical envelopes, enraging Democrats with some of the most inflammatory rhetoric imaginable, and viciously attacking anyone who gets in his way. In many Republican circles, this makes Norquist a hero.
But Norquist is not untouchable. In fact, some of his recent political outreach efforts have led to bitter criticisms from some of Norquist’s own right-wing allies. You’ll never guess why.
Was it Norquist’s controversial outreach to some radical Islamic extremists? No, Norquist has done this for years with nary a peep from the far-right.
Maybe it was Norquist’s integral involvement in a fraudulent scheme cooked up by disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff? No, Norquist may have violated several laws by helping funnel casino money to Ralph Reed, using Americans for Tax Reform as a kind of money laundering institution, but conservatives haven’t said a word about it.
So, what did Norquist do to disgust conservative activists? He agreed to meet with a group of Republicans in Texas — who happen to be gay.
A number of conservatives are seething over the fact that Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), was the featured speaker at a fund-raising event for a group of homosexual Republicans last weekend. One pro-family leader called Norquist’s appearance “an act of utter betrayal.”
Norquist was the main attraction at the “Grand Ol’ Party,” the largest fund-raising event of the year for the Dallas, Tex., chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, a homosexual advocacy group within the GOP.
Carla Halbrook, a member of the national Log Cabin board and the organization’s chapter in Dallas, told Cybercast News Service that Norquist gave a “fantastic” speech at the dinner on Saturday night. Halbrook said that during his speech, Norquist discussed “Social Security reform and reducing taxes and government in general. It was his normal message.
“The fact that the group is gay was irrelevant,” she said. “It was one conservative talking to other conservatives.”
Conservatives don’t quite see it that way.
The Texas Eagle Forum called Norquist’s presence at the gay Republican group’s fundraiser “traitorous,” adding, “If he was a serious economic conservative, Grover Norquist would not have accepted the invitation or the honorarium for speaking at a fund-raiser for a group bent on the destruction of traditional families.”
The American Family Association of Michigan more or less accused Norquist of political treason, saying that it would urge its supporters “to withhold their future support until Grover ‘takes the pledge’ to no longer give aid and comfort to homosexual activist groups intent on undermining traditional marriage and the family.”
At the national level, the Family Research Council was equally incensed.
“Grover has spent years working to assemble a coalition of fiscal and social conservatives and his decision to aid those who are trying to destroy the institution of marriage is truly a disappointment and will no doubt split this important coalition.”
Look, Grover Norquist is one of the most loathsome figures in public life. He has no sense of decency, honesty, or ethics, and I’ve long believed Republicans should distance themselves from his vile brand of politics. I’m delighted, to a limited extent, to see conservatives blasting Norquist, but in this case, their motivation is absurd.
These far-right groups don’t care if Norquist hangs out with criminals or those suspected of helping terrorists, but they’re livid if he talks to gay Republicans? Given the circumstances, the criticism says more about the right than it does Norquist.
