The Right Wing Goes After Walker's Sexuality

The watchdog group Media Matters and writer Michelangelo Signorile are highlighting attacks by the right wing on federal judge Vaughn Walker, who struck down Proposition 8 on Wednesday.

On its website, Media Matters features a video from Sunday's Face the Nation that has the Family Research Council's referring to Walker as "openly homosexual" and implying his decision was biased because of that. Another Media Matters video highlights a recent episode of The Chris Matthews Show that had New York magazine political correspondent John Heilemann saying Walker's purported sexuality "has become a big thing on Fox News." Media Matters backs up Heilemann's assertion with a video of conservative writer Liz Trotta speaking about the Prop. 8 decision and how it may have been influenced by Walker's sexuality -- Trotta also says the judge's decision described gays as "special."

Writing for The Huffington Post, Signorile lobbed complaints not only at Fox News but other media outlets for referring to Walker as "openly gay." "Judge Walker is in fact not 'openly' gay," writes Signorile. "Judge Walker has not ever confirmed to anyone in the media what sexual orientation he may be."

Signorile points out the media's reticence in discussing the sexuality of rumored gays in Congress, while newspapers like The New York Times have called Walker gay without any sources or reporting to indicate that as truth.