Barney Frank Says Romney's Talk Cheapens Marriage Equality

Congressman Barney Frank says Mitt Romney's way of talking about same-sex marriages is cheapening them, and he also took Romney to task for once claiming he was better on LGBT issues than Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Frank, speaking to the Washington Blade Tuesday night, said Romney has become too willing to change positions to appease Republican voters, especially after attempting to garner gay votes during his 1994 Senate run in Massachusetts against the late Senator Kennedy. Frank pointed out that Romney had told supporters in February that he "fought hard and prevented Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas of gay marriage."

Frank, who is retiring and planning to marry his partner before the end of the year, said Romney's words trivialized all same-sex marriages.

"That's saying our marriages were a trick, were a sham," Frank said. "He's clearly prepared to embrace the most -- oh, and supporting a constitutional amendment. What that says is that existing marriages are abolished. That's just outrageous."