Sharron Angle: I won't take gay-tainted money

The other day, considering the vogue for corporate boycotts, I wondered why the anti-gay Minnesota candidate for governor who took $250k from Target/Best Buy didn't return the money after Dayton-Hudson, the parent company, said it was sorry its contribution conflicted with its otherwise pro-gay employment and operating policies.

Thank goodness Senator Jim DeMint's Nevada Mini-Me, Sharron Angle, is firm on the issue. WaPo's Plum Line picks up on something AP missed:

Sharron Angle has taken some extreme positions, but this one is remarkable even by her standards: She said on a candidate questionnaire that she would refuse political contributions from a private company that backs equal rights for gays and extends benefits to partners of gay employees.

Angle laid out this position in a candidate questionnaire that she filled out for the Washington-based Government is not God PAC.

In question 35A of the questionnaire, Angle was asked:

Would you refuse PAC money from those who are fundamentally opposed to your views on social issues?

Angle checked the Yes box. The questionnaire then asked:

In reference to question 35A, Intel Corporation supports "equal rights for gays" and offers benefits to "partners" of homosexual employees. Would you refuse funds from this corporate PAC?

Angle again checked the Yes box.

The questionnaire was first obtained by the Associated Press, which did a story about it without noting this question and answer from Angle. The AP story noted other eyebrow-raising answers in the questionnaire, such as her support for clergy making political endorsements.

A copy of the full questionnaire is right here. The answer to the question on gays was first noted in passing by Nevada Journalist Jon Ralston.

Angle's position is striking. It's one thing to oppose gay marriage, or to oppose equal rights for gays. It's quite another to refuse to accept campaign contributions from a company that chooses of its own free will to support gay rights or extend benefits to partners of its own employees.

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