REVEALED: Mitt Romney’s Secret Donation to Race-Baiting NOMMar 30, 2012 | By ThinkProgress War Room Romney Helped Fund Race-Baiting, Anti-LGBT Group, Secret Document ShowsEarlier this week, we told you about the previously secret documents that revealed the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) divisive, race-baiting strategy for combating marriage equality — a strategy which was quickly denounced by leading civil rights organizations including the NAACP. Another secret document revealed today by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) shows that NOM’s hateful effort to take away marriage equality in California in 2008 was funded by none other than leading Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, via his Free and Strong America PAC. Check out the previously secret document, via HRC: 
In a move that raises several questions, it appears that Romney’s PAC used an elaborate scheme to evade disclosing its donation. If the federal account of Romney PAC had made the donation, it would have been quickly disclosed in Federal Election Commission reports. Instead, the more obscure Alabama chapter of Romney’s PAC made the donation to NOM. As the Huffington Post notes, Alabama’s lax campaign finance laws make it a haven for questionable political spending activities. HRC was quick to raise questions about the donation: “It’s clear now that Romney was a major financial donor to Prop. 8,” said Fred Sainz, HRC’s vice president for communications. “But it’s also clear that his campaign very cleverly hid this contribution in an obscure Alabama PAC.” “His spokesperson said that Romney had financially supported Prop 8 but there’s no disclosure of a contribution to any Prop. 8 effort, personal or through the national or Alabama PAC,” Sainz added. “He instead chose to give to NOM, an organization that has a history of shielding its donors. For what other purpose would you contribute $10,000 to NOM three weeks before the election other than Prop 8?”
HRC’s president also called Romney’s funding of NOM’s hateful campaign “beyond despicable”: “Mitt Romney’s funding of a hate-filled campaign designed to drive a wedge between Americans is beyond despicable,” said Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign.
If not for the whistleblower who provided the NOM document to HRC, it’s possible that Romney’s donation to NOM may never have come to light. Throughout the 2012 campaign, Romney’s penchant for secrecy has raised questions, particularly concerning his refusal to release most of his tax records, the disclosure of a previously unknown Swiss bank account, and the deletion of nearly all emails from his term as governor of Massachusetts. INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW: Does Mitt Romney agree with NOM’s shameful and divisive strategy of pitting African-Americans and Latinos against LGBT people in order to halt progress toward marriage equality? Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have MissedFollowing public outcry, General Motors has discontinued funding of the climate-denial think tank Heartland Institute. The New Hampshire House voted yesterday to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. High concentrations of deadly bacteria have been found in the tar balls from the BP disaster that are still washing up on beaches. One Republican Attorney General wants a government takeover of health care. Paul Ryan said he did not believe US military leaders’ budget assessment. America’s top general responds. Stocks just had their best quarter since 2009. Deadbeat dad and Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) attacks the service of his opponent, an Iraq war veteran who had her legs and part of one arm blown off during combat. President Obama clears the way for even tighter sanctions against Iran. Obamacare isn’t the only thing on trial — so is the Supreme Court’s reputation. | 
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