NY Times Columnist Apologizes for Speaking at Anti-Gay Group Fundraiser

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat was forced to issue an apology after appearing at a fundraiser for a prominent anti-gay group, and being called out on it by Media Matters.

Douthat had spoken at a fundraiser for the Alliance Defending Freedom on October 16th, along with radio host Hugh Hewitt and a bevy of other conservative speakers. The group, known as ADF, has a controversial history of supporting attempts to criminalize homosexuality internationally, and once celebrated a law that would imprison anyone who advocated for LGBT rights for up to 10 years.

According to Douthat, who has written articles somewhat supportive of ADF’s principles (though not supporting the group itself,) he planned on returning his honorarium:

“I was not aware in advance that this event was a fundraiser and had I known, I would not have agreed to participate,” he said in a statement issued to Media Matters through the Times Wednesday. “I was invited by an events organizing group, not by ADF directly. I understood this to be a public conversation about religious liberty. This is my fault for not doing my due diligence, and I will be declining the honorarium.”

The video of his talk can be found below (starts at 3:18:24 in):

[Media Matters]
[Image via screenshot/YouTubeADF]

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