DEVELOPING STORY: Anti-Gay GOP McCollum Confronted About Gay Dad Campaign Advisor


Candidate for Florida Governor and current Florida Attorney General was confronted by reporters on the contradiction of questioning the moral character and fitness of gay people to parent while having a gay parent as his political advisor.

The media deluge comes a day after McCollum called for a ban on gay people being foster parents. Florida is the only state with a law banning gay people from applying to adopt.
That law was declared unconstitutional by a Miami judge and McCollum has lead the fight to appeal the ruling. The case is expected to reach the Florida Supreme Court.

Here is the rough translation of audio .
More details to follow:

Press asking questions: Caputo, Bousquet, Deslatte, unidentified reporter

rough transcript:

Caputo: "...you said homosexuals should not be guiding our children. You have had a homosexual who has guided your political career for a while, Harvey Finkelstein, and I was wondering if you could comment on what you said there and the fact that your advisor is a gay man, I think he is married to another man and he has I believe adopted kids, if not foster kids.

McCollum: "Well what I said was that we have a case going on right now on gay adoption that we're handling that's carrying a constitutional question to the state Supreme Court. And the question was whether or not this is consistent with foster care where we do have provisions allowing for gays to have children in their home in foster care and I said I didn't think that was consistent. I'm not making any pronouncements other than a comment until we see what happens with the Supreme Court ruling on this case which will take some months to interpret."

Caputo: "Is it consistent though to prosecute this case and say that gay foster parenting should not be allowed and have a political advisor who is apparently a gay foster if not an adopted gay parent?"

McCollum: "Look, I don't discriminate against people I employ, I never have. I have folks who work for me and have for many years who are gay and I don't have any other comment I can make about it, that's it."

Caputo: "So is the gay law, the gay adoption ban then discrimination?"

McCollum: "Look, my personal belief is that children should be raised by a man and a woman, simple as that. And as far as, I have said already to you Marc that I am very much aware we have a law that is going up for a test before the state supreme court and that's as far as I can comment on it."

Caputo: "Well you also said in this same interview that I believe you said homosexuality is something that violates your sense of, your personal faith..."

McCollum: "Well I dunno if I said homosexuality was but I do believe that you have a problem in my religious views with having any other other than parents than a man or woman that's all."

Caputo: "...Are your religious views interfering or affecting your position as attorney general?"

McCollum: "No, we are taking the case..the case that involves the gay adoption is a case we are handling at the request of the Department of Family and Children. They asked us to do this case, Bob Butterworth asked us to carry this case to determine the constitutionality of it. And our legal team has been doing it, I have had no real role in it other than to direct a little bit and answer a few questions once in a while. But this is a decision being based upon law. Very objective."

Unidentified reporter: "Did you not tell the Florida Baptist Witness though that they asked 'should the law be changed regarding foster parents' and you said 'it would be advisable.' That's a decision about changing the law.

McCollum: "I don't recall my exact words you may have to look for the quote they may have given I really don't recall it.

reporter: "Those were your exact words 'it would be advisable.'"

McCollum: "But what I would say is that it's inconsistent certainly from my perspective it is not consistent. I have already given you my views.

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