ACLU Says the Old, Pro-Gay Romney Could Have Been a Member

One of the ACLU billboards

Mitt Romney's claim to be more pro-gay than Ted Kennedy is coming back to haunt him yet again — this time in a series of billboards.

The American Civil Liberties Union bought the billboards to remind Romney that he once appeared to favor civil rights for LGBT people, and also seemed more closely aligned with the ACLU on abortion and immigration.

"Mitt Romney, your membership card is waiting," the signs read. "Come back home to civil liberties."

The Republican presidential candidate was assailed by Obama adviser David Plouffe back in October for having "no core." In that infamous comment on Meet the Press, Plouffe specifically referred to Romney's run against Kennedy for U.S. Senate, when Romney won the endorsement of the Log Cabin Republicans in his state by promising "as we seek to establish full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent."

Romney has also told LGBT newspaper Bay Windows in 1994, "I think the gay community needs more support from the Republican Party, and I would be a voice in the Republican Party to foster anti-discrimination efforts."

The ACLU didn't mention it in a white paper [PDF] explaining its billboards's message, but then during Romney's run for governor, a pink flier appeared at pride rallies that said Romney and his running mate "Wish You a Great Pride Weekend!" His current presidential campaign denies those fliers were created by Romney's gubernatorial campaign. He even once proclaimed Boston to be "Rainbow City" and then took it back.

The ACLU's reminder about Romney's past came in the form of mobilized billboards stationed outside Romney's homes in Belmont, Mass., La Jolla, Calif., and Wolfeboro, N.H., and also in Washington, D.C. — where he hopes to move.