WATCH: Tony Perkins Lies to Soledad O'Brien in Row Over Boy Scouts Gay Ban

The president of the Family Research Council falsely claims he and his organization have never alleged that gay people are more likely to be pedophiles.

BY Sunnivie Brydum

February 06 2013 12:56 PM ET

CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien today verbally sparred with Tony Perkins, president of the antigay Family Research Council, over the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gay Scouts and troop leaders.

Responding to Perkinss' assertion that having gay scoutmasters "doesn't pass the parent test" because gay men are attracted to males, O'Brien asked if Perkins was saying that all gay people are pedophiles.

"No, I never said that," replies Perkins. "You said that. … We've never said that all homosexuals are pedophiles, or that all pedophiles are homosexuals."

That's simply not true. Perkins has frequently equated homosexuality and pedophilia, and in 2012 alleged the BSA's ban on gay scouts was an issue of "security" to protect "boys victimized by same-sex predators."

Watch the tense exchange below.