Log Cabin Republicans Slam Chuck Hagel in Full-Page Ad

The gay conservative group published a full-page ad in Thursday's New York Times claiming the former Nebraska senator is "wrong on gay rights, wrong on Iran, wrong on Israel."

BY Sunnivie Brydum

December 28 2012 2:49 PM ET

Chuck Hagel

In a full-page ad that ran in The New York Times on Thursday, conservative gay group Log Cabin Republicans decried former Nebraska Senator and likely Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel as "wrong on gay rights."

The full-page ad features text from a statement Hagel made in 1997 about James Hormel, the country's first openly gay ambassador. Under the headline "Chuck Hagel's Words:" the ad cites Hagel's 15-year-old remarks:

"They are representing America [as ambassador]. They are representing our lifestyle, our values, our standards. And I think it is an inhibiting factor to be gay — openly, aggressively gay..."

Hagel has since apologized for the remarks, but LCR is still opposing Hagel's nomination, which is considered to be on the President's short list for Secretary of Defense.

"Chuck Hagel's weak record on preventing nuclear proliferation in Iran, lack of confidence in our ally Israel as well as an aggressive history against the LGBT community is a no-go combination for a Secretary of Defense nominee," said R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of Log Cabin Republicans, in a statement announcing the ad.

View the ad below.