Was GOProud Booted From CPAC?

The leaders of GOProud and the John Birch Society were notified on Friday that they would not be asked to return to the 2012 Conservative Political Action Conference, according to the Daily Caller.

GOProud, a gay conservative organization, had caused controversy in years past when they signed on as sponsors of the organization. Their involvement even sparked a boycott from other conservative groups. The Daily Caller reports that GOProud and the far-right fringe group John Birch Society, were both rejected by a full vote of the American Conservative Union's board of directors, which organizes CPAC. GOProud's chairman Chris Barron told World Net Daily, however, that they were never notified of such a vote.

“We have received no notification from ACU,” Barron said in statement. “An ACU board member told me this afternoon that they were unaware of such a decision and that to the best of his knowledge no decision had been made. I certainly hope that is true. The last thing the conservative movement needs right now is a [sic] unnecessary, ugly and divisive fight. The stakes in 2012 are too great. GOProud's number one goal is defeating Barack Obama. That should be the goal of every conservative organization.”

While the ACU's board voted against GOProud, the gay group touts at least two former ACU members who on its advisory council. Last month, former ACU executive director Christian Josi said he admired the gay organization, in a statement announcing he was joining its advisory council.

“I believe very strongly that diversity in the center-right community equals strength in the center-right community, and that strength is essential as we wrestle with the massive challenges–the REAL problems–that face us both at home and abroad,” he said in a statement.