Richard Grenell was on the Romney campaign as Foreign Policy and National Security Spokesman for about two weeks before resigning on May 1, 2012. Some conservatives, most notably Bryan J. Fischer, host of the daily 'Focal Point' radio talk program on AFR Talk, a division of the American Family Association, were critical of Romney campaign's hiring of Grenell. In a April 27 column Fischer wrote that "Mitt Romney's hire of a homosexual activist was all about homosexuality, not foreign policy." Following Grenell's resignation, Fischer tweeted (May 1), "If my public comments about Romney's gay activist hire had anything to do with today's decision, I did the guv a big favor."
PRESS RELEASE from Log Cabin Republicans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2012
Contact: Christian Berle
With Grenell's Resignation, Romney Campaign Has Lost a Qualified Conservative Spokesman
(Washington, DC) - Log Cabin Republicans statement upon the resignation
of Richard Grenell from the Romney presidential campaign.
"Ric made the choice that he feels is best for the Romney campaign, and I respect his decision," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "It is unfortunate that while the Romney campaign made it clear that Grenell being an openly gay man was a non-issue for the governor and his team, the hyper-partisan discussion of issues unrelated to Ric's national security qualifications threatened to compromise his effectiveness on the campaign trail. As a Bush Administration colleague of Ric, I can attest to his experience and qualifications in the national security portfolio. Ric was essentially hounded by the far right and far left. The Romney campaign has lost a well-known advocate of conservative ideas and a talented spokesman, and I am certain he will remain an active voice for a confident U.S. foreign policy."
The Romney camp has responded via campaign manager Matt Rhoades: "We are disappointed that Ric decided to resign from the campaign for his own personal reasons. We wanted him to stay because he had superior qualifications for the position he was hired to fill."
05/01/2012
Washington – Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement today in response to the resignation of Richard Grennell, Mitt Romney’s openly gay spokesman:
"From the moment Richard Grennell signed on as Mitt Romney’s Foreign Policy and National Security Spokesman, he faced a torrent of unfounded criticism from the far right. Not once did the Romney campaign condemn these attacks and support Grennell.
“Mitt Romney capitulating to the demands of extremist anti-gay groups is nothing new. He has donated to the rabidly anti-gay National Organization for Marriage and the Massachusetts Family Institute. He has even signed a NOM vow that binds him to appoint only anti-gay judges and establish a McCarthy-era commission to investigate the activities of those who support LGBT equality. The fact that Grennell is gone so quickly after a right-wing uproar is a troubling harbinger of the kind of power that anti-gay forces would have in a Romney White House. ”
To learn more about Mitt Romney’s poor track record on issues of LGBT equality, visit www.hrc.org/mittnmatch.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.