Maddow to Media: Ask Romney About Antigay Donations

BY Lucas Grindley

January 28 2012 3:59 PM ET

Michele Bachmann isn't the only Republican presidential candidate tied to so-called reparative therapy. The money that Mitt Romney's foundation donated to the Massachusetts Family Institute is raising questions from Truth Wins Out and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow.

Disclosure of tax filings this week for the Tyler Charitable Foundation found that it had donated $10,000 in 2010 to the MFI, which The Advocate previously reported paid for a public awareness campaign that paints trans people as sexual predators.

MFI also backs "ex-gay" organizations such as Exodus International and promotes the use of therapy as a supposed cure for homosexuality.

Maddow spoke to Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, about the donations during her show on Thursday. At the end of her report, Maddow called on the media to ask about Romney's beliefs on this kind of therapy.

"If anybody has the chance to ask Mitt Romney a question on this — I never do, they never return my calls — you might just say, 'Hey, your family foundation has been funding the promotion of pray-away-the-gay organizations, do you believe that homosexuality can be cured through therapy or praying?'" Maddow suggested. "You could just ask. Wouldn't take long. Might not kill you."

Watch the report below.