GOProud Outs Perry's Strategist

Just two days ago presidential hopeful Rick Perry released his controversial video ad, simply titled "Strong." In the clip, Perry slams gays in the military, reported EDGE in a Dec. 7 article.

"I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a Christian," he says. Perry then goes on to say that there is something wrong with the country when "gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school."

The video instantly gained the media's attention and has been attacked by a number of LGBT organizations, including the Log Cabin Republicans.

"Our nation was built upon individual liberty and individual responsibility, and open service by gay and lesbian service members is directly in line with the vision of our Founding Fathers," said Log Cabin Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper. "It is wrong for Governor Perry to assume being a person of faith does not afford one to support equality."

Another gay Republican group that was upset with the ad was GOProud. The organization's officials tweeted about Perry's ad and outed Perry's strategist, Tony Fabrizio, reported Poliglot in a Dec. 8 article.

Jimmy LaSalvia, the GOProud's executive director, wrote, "I've just about had it with faggots who line their pockets with checks from anti-gay homophobes while throwing the rest of us under the bus," and "I was talking about Rick Perry's pollster/strategist."

GOProud responded to the Log Cabin's tweets in an official statement.

"GOProud has disgraced itself in attacking Mr. Fabrizio. Log Cabin Republicans are against outing, especially for staffers, who have limited if any control over the politicians they work for," Robert Turner, Log Cabin Republican's president said.

"GOProud, by contrast, dribbled out a person's private life through tweets," he said. "Worse, given that we don't know the internal workings of the Perry campaign, we don't know what connection, if any, Mr. Fabrizio had with the noxious ad. For GOProud to use a person's sexual orientation against him in such murky circumstances tells us everything we need to know about how much honor they have: none. GOProud? GOShame!"

After the Log Cabin Republicans slammed GOProud, Barron and LasSalvia issued a joint statement about the incident.

"From the time this organization was founded we have been clear in our opposition to outing," they said. "We would never intentionally out anyone. However, in the case of Tony Fabrizio, top pollster and chief strategist for the Presidential campaign of Texas Governor Rick Perry, we did not believe there was any question about his sexual orientation."

The GOProud officials went on to say that Fabrizio is not a victim and that he has taken money from anti-gay groups. In addition they claim that he intends to "demonize gay people in order to score political points."

"Rick Perry should be embarrassed and the people around him who are the architects of this strategy, particularly people like Tony Fabrizio, should be ashamed."