by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The openly Gay state comptroller of Connecticut has threatened to remove the American Family Association (AFA) from the state's list of approved charities, thereby preventing them from getting donations from state employees.

Comptroller Kevin Lembo charged that the AFA's 'so-called attempts to protect family values' cross the line from educational work into political advocacy, and thus disqualify the anti-LGBT organization from charitable status.

According to the Connecticut Post, Lembo and his husband, Charles Frey, are adoptive fathers of three sons and registered foster parents who take in emergency placements through the state Department of Children and Families.

Their youngest son, 17-year-old Jordan Lembo-Frey, still lives at home. The two eldest were adopted from the New York state foster-care system more than 20 years ago when Lembo and Frey lived and worked in that state.

The couple had to sue for the right to adopt, finally winning a precedent-setting ruling in 1994.

The AFA says it is merely upholding 'a biblical stance on marriage' and spreading information about 'several boycotts of companies, like Target, that champion values contrary to scripture.'

According to the AFA's attorney, Abraham Hamilton III, Lembo is abusing his authority.

'What's being foisted upon the American Family Association is the latest iteration of if you don't adhere to the nouveaux orthodoxy of the day - which is the sexual deviancy agenda - then you must be castigated and expelled from public life,' he said.

'Because of his personal objections to the American Family Association's stance on issues like marriage and the Target boycott, then he sees fit to threaten us with his governmental position.'

The AFA has been listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for the 'propagation of known falsehoods' and the use of 'demonizing propaganda' against LGBT people.

Lembo has been mentioned as a possible candidate for governor of Connecticut in 2018, if incumbent Dannel Malloy doesn't run for a third term.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, Danbury mayor Mark Boughton, and state Sens. Rob Kane and Tony Hwang have also expressed interest in the position.

'I'm not that far along in my personal decision even to think it's even something I want to do,' Lembo told the Connecticut Post.

'But I'm going to have to get there in the not-too-distant future, because it takes time. Anybody who's going to do it has got to be working through their decision tree right now.'

 Share on Facebook

Share on MySpace!

    Share on Delicious

Share on StumbleUpon!