Scott Rigell (and Other Republicans) Endorsed by Anti-Gay Hate Group

Once again GOP candidate for the 2nd Virginia Congressional District, Scott Rigell (pictured at right), has been endorsed by an anti-gay hate group.  As previously noted, Rigell has been previously endorsed by Lou Sheldon, founder of the virulently anti-gay hate group, Conservative Values Coalition.  Joining Sheldon in endorsing Rigell is the political arm of Family Research Council, another registered anti-gay hate group. Along with Rigell FRC Action has endorsed Randy Forbes for the 4th District and Rob Wittman for the 1st District.  

And let's be clear about something: an organization does not gain a hate group designation for merely stating religious beliefs.  It takes much more - the knowing and deliberate dissemination of lies and untruths aimed at creating animus toward a targeted group.   The litany of lies untruths disseminated by FRC that depict gays as diseased, mentally unstable, promiscuous, sexual predators, etc., would fill pages and pages.  No one should by the crocodile tears that FRC has been falsely labeled as a hate group.

In addition to LGBT citizens and their friends and family members, minority voters should also be deeply concerned about these endorsements in light of FRC's documented anti-minority stances not to mention FRC president Tony Perkins' long ties to white supremacy groups.  A full list of the candidates endorsed by FRC Action is set out below.  Anyone who cares about equality or religious freedom should vote for whoever is opposing the FRC endorsed candidates.  In the case of Rigell, they need to vote for Paul Hirschbiel.

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Paul Hirschbiel Calls Out Scott Rigell for Being an Extremist

While our Hampton home has been redistricted out of the Virginia 2nd Congressional District I am closely following the contest there between Scott Rigell - who was endorsed by hate group founder Lou Sheldon - and Paul Hirschbiel who, unlike Rigell, understands that religious freedom applies to others besides the Christofascists.   Hirschbiel also, unlike Rigell, opposes a return to the failed economic policies of Chimperator George Bush and the disastrous foreign policy championed by Emperor Palpatine Cheney.  In their first debate, things go heated, especially when Hirschbiel challenged Rigell on his support of a "personhodd" bill entitled the Life At Conception Act.  I have the added perspective of having formerly lived in the same neighborhood as Rigell, so that I know just how extreme Rigell's views are on nearly everything - including his utter contempt for LGBT Virginians.   If one wants an example of the Christian Taliban mindset, look no further than Scott Rigell.  Here are some excerpts from the Virginian Pilot on the debate fireworks:

In their first debate this election season, the two men competing in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District pointed out their sharp differences Friday night on health care, abortion and handling the federal government's fiscal problems.

The most aggressive exchange in the one-hour forum that was broadcast live on WHRO-TV came when Democratic challenger Paul Hirschbiel criticized U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell's support for anti-abortion legislation.
Hirschbiel, who favors abortion rights, noted that Rigell supported the Life At Conception Act. The bill, cosponsored by Rigell and 120 other lawmakers, would affirm that human life begins at conception and, from conception on, would be guaranteed full constitutional rights.

Hirschbiel criticized Rigell's vote in favor of the GOP budget plan, drafted by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin - the party's vice presidential candidate - that would reduce spending on programs including Head Start, make changes to Medicare benefits for those under 55, and reduce taxes for upper-income America.

Hirschbiel said a key to job creation and economic revival are strong educational programs.  He said he wanted keep intact the so-called Bush tax cuts for everyone except those earning $1 million or more each year. The tax on the high-earners, he said, would generate hundreds of billions to ease deficit spending but still allow federal spending on education and health care.

Why is Hate Group Endorsed Scott Rigell Lying to Hampton Roads Voters?

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I'll be right up front on my dislike of Congressman Scott Rigell of the Virginia 2nd Congressional District.  Mr. Rigell has (1) been endorsed by Louis Sheldon, founder of Traditions Values Coalition - perhaps one of the most dishonest and virulently anti-gay of the "family values" hate groups in America - (2) voted in lock step on woman's issues with Missouri's insane Todd Akins, and has voted for the Paul Ryan budget plan which would rape and pillage the middle class, and (3) voted for the Paul Ryan budget seven (7) times.  Now, faced with a credible challenger in the person of Paul Hirschbiel, Rigell is out right lying to local media outlets and obviously seeking to dupe voters.  His endorsers and actions in Washington tell the only story voters need to know.  Here's a sampling of the lies and bullshit being spewed by Rigell via the Daily Press: 

NEWPORT NEWS – U.S. Rep Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, said Monday that while he believes federal spending needs to be cut, the economic crisis facing the nation cannot be overcome without also raising taxes.

"The American people are ready for the truth — they can handle the truth," Rigell told the Daily Press editorial board. "They can handle solutions. They want solutions and they want leadership."

And the truth, Rigell says, is that the "Bush tax cuts" coupled with Grover Norquist's "no new tax pledge" signed by the vast majority of Republicans in Congress have locked federal revenue in at a rate that is unsustainable.

Rigell said he's willing to "compromise" with Democrats and bring revenues up to 20 percent of gross domestic product while cutting spending to the same level.

Rigell pointed out that federal revenues are at an 11-year average of 16.9 percent of GDP, which he said was the lowest level since 1959.

He said federal spending stands between 23 percent and 24 percent of GDP — peaking at 25 percent of GDP at the height of stimulus spending.

Rigell said the budget plan put forward by GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., lowers federal spending to 18.5 percent of GDP in 24 years.

But Rigell said the Ryan budget plan, which he has voted for, is "indefensible mathematically" without "revenue enhancements."  Ryan's austere budget plan makes deep cuts to social-safety-net programs, while protecting defense spending.

This change lead Rigell to disavow Norquist's "no new tax pledge" in February. However, he has voted to extend the Bush tax cuts for all income levels.

Steven Jones, spokesman for Rigell's Democratic opponent in the 2nd Congressional District, Paul Hirschbiel, said this is an example of Rigell "saying one thing in Hampton Roads and doing another thing in Washington."  "You can't say you are serious about a bipartisan approach when you have voted seven times to protect subsidies for big oil companies," Jones said.

In the interest of full disclosure, I used to live in the same neighborhood as Rigell and the man is a real bastard to put it mildly. He and his wife are pompous, arrogant, and just as out of touch with the reality of the circumstances as Ann "Marie Antoinette" Romney and her bumbling Louis XVI equivalent.