IN FOCUS The GOP’s Favorite Hate-Monger: How the Republican Party Came to Embrace Bryan Fischer RIGHT WING WaTCH WaSHINGTON D.C. NaME: Bryan Fischer addrESS: 1234 Main St. KNOWN ASSOCI ALIAS: None Anytown, ST 00000 D.O.B: 00/00/00 S.S.N: 00000000 CHarGE: Hate monger- highly influential in the GOP Na A ME: TES: MO: Tim Pawlenty Minnesota Former Gov. of SYNOPSIS OF FACTS: Blames gays for bullyingSays gay soldiers and an effeminized culture ruined the military Na ME: MO Claims the Constitution is only meant to : Haley Barbour protect Christians Mississippi Na Gov. of ME: MO : Mike Huckabee Says Progressives are God’s adversary Arkansas Former Gov. of Accuses President Obama of being a racist Communist Na Believes Biblical law should applyME: to the MO Jim DeMint animal kingdom : Na Senator (SC) ME: MO Dehumanizes African Americans and Native : Hermain Cain Americans Businessman Na ME: MO : Newt Gingrich Na Former Speaker ME: MO of the House : Michele Bachmann Congresswoman (MN-6) WWW .pfaw A project of People For the American Way .ORG WWW.RIGHTWINGwa TCH.ORG Introduction hosted radical anti-gay activist Scott Lively, who has been tied to a Uganda bill that would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death, and extremist Rusty Thomas, Responsible politicians wouldn’t fawn over an unhinged who blamed the Sept. 11 attacks on legal abortion and activist who opposes civil rights and religious freedom for homosexuality and seemingly condoned the murder of minorities, wants to make being gay a crime and decries abortion doctors. his personal rivals as enemies of God, right? But that is exactly what is taking place today in the Republican Party, as likely FISCHER MADE HIS MARK and declared GOP presidential WHEN HE SUCCESSFULLY candidates line up to win the approval of Bryan Fischer, a radio PRESSURED HALLMARK talk show host and spokesman STORES IN IDAHO TO for the American Family Association. REFUSE TO CARRY GREETING CARDS FOR Fischer’s unabashed bigotry is on full display throughout his SAME-SEX WEDDINGS. writings and on-air rants. His entire career is based on leveling venomous attacks against gays and lesbians, American Muslims, Native Americans, progressives Fischer made his and other individuals and groups he detests. He wants mark when he successfully pressured Hallmark stores to redefine the Constitution to protect only Christians, in Idaho to refuse to carry greeting cards for same-sex persecute and deport all American Muslims, prohibit weddings, campaigned against allowing undocumented gays and non-Christians from holding public office and students to receive in-state college tuition and fought impose a system of biblical law. legislation that would provide workplace protections for gays and lesbians. Following a plane crash that killed an While Fischer’s views are undeniably shocking, what is abortion doctor and his family, Fischer gained notoriety most disturbing is his growing influence within not only by suggesting that the prayers of anti-choice activists had the Religious Right but also the Republican Party. helped to bring about the deaths. BRYAN FISCHER’S ENTIRE CAREER In 2009, Fischer joined the AFA in its national headquarters and IS BASED ON LEVELING VENOMOUS was named Director of Issue Analysis for Government and ATTACKS AGAINST GAYS AND Public Policy. Founded in 1977 LESBIANS, AMERICAN MUSLIMS, by Rev. Donald E. Wildmon, the AFA remains one of the NATIVE AMERICANS, PROGRESSIVES most influential organizations in the conservative movement. AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND Originally named the National GROUPS HE DETESTS. Federation for Decency, the AFA has built a substantial political, fundraising and media apparatus for its boycott drives, electoral campaigns and From Idaho to Tupelo news commentary. Fischer began working with the American Family The Tupelo, Mississippi-based group has used its Association (AFA) as the head of its Idaho affiliate, the significant financial resources to fund anti-gay campaigns Idaho Values Alliance (IVA). Sarah Posner of Religion across the country. Most recently, the AFA donated Dispatches reports that while leading the IVA, Fischer $500,000 to the campaign to pass Proposition 8, the WWW.pfaw.ORG WWW.RIGHTWINGwaTCH.ORG 2 RIGHT WING WATCH IN FOCUS California referendum that overturned marriage equality most marginalized American communities: gays and in the state, and spent $140,000 on the successful 2010 lesbians, immigrants, African Americans, Latinos, Native campaign to defeat three Iowa Supreme Court justices Americans and American Muslims. who had ruled in favor of marriage equality. Newly- announced Republican presidential candidate Newt In addition, Fischer spews constant vitriol against Gingrich bolstered the AFA’s finances by funneling President Obama, denigrates members of the military $125,000 to the group to assist their Iowa efforts. The who don’t agree with his every position and promotes AFA is also hosting The Response with Texas Governor his own radical interpretation of the Constitution, one Rick Perry, a prayer rally with the goal of bringing people in which only Christians have rights, public officials face to Christianity and the support of anti-gay leaders like religious tests for office and homosexuality is criminalized. Jim Garlow, John Hagee, David Barton, Cindy Jacobs, These radical views, like Fischer himself, have increasingly David Welch, and members of the International House found a welcoming home in the Republican Party. of Prayer. The Shame of the GOP Fischer is the host of Focal Point, the principle talk show on AFA’s American Family Radio, which consists of nearly 200 stations and affiliates in 37 states and reaches Fischer’s radio show has become an obligatory stop for about two million listeners. Posner writes that Fischer’s Republican presidential candidates, prominent Republican clout has increased since Wildmon ended his day-to-day politicians and top social conservative activists. responsibilities at the AFA: “Since the elder Wildmon passed the presidency on to his son Tim last year, Fischer As the AFA’s leading talk show host, whose voice is heard has increasingly grabbed the spotlight.” on affiliates in the early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, FISCHER PROMOTES HIS OWN Fischer frequently hosts likely presidential candidates who are RADICAL INTERPRETATION OF looking to make inroads among THE CONSTITUTION, ONE IN Religious Right voters. Former Minnesota governor Tim WHICH ONLY CHRISTIANS HAVE Pawlenty, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, Minnesota RIGHTS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS FACE Rep. Michele Bachmann and RELIGIOUS TESTS FOR OFFICE AND businessman Herman Cain have all appeared on Fischer’s HOMOSEXUALITY IS CRIMINALIZED. radio show. In addition, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Mississippi Gov. Within the AFA, criticism of Fischer or the Wildmons Haley Barbour were both guests on Fischer’s show while is strictly prohibited – Posner has documented the they were weighing runs for the presidency. organization’s autocratic work environment of bullying, fear and intimidation. Most recently, when 17-year-old Many of these leading GOP figures have voiced support Elijah Friedeman of the AFA’s The Millennial Perspective for Fischer’s bigotry, conspiracy theories and extreme wrote a blog post criticizing Fischer’s assertion that Native views. Huckabee agreed with Fischer’s claim that President Americans are being punished by God for not converting Obama “has some fundamentally anti-American ideas,” en masse to Christianity, calling his remarks “repulsive,” and explained to Fischer that he believes the Mau Friedeman’s blog post was promptly removed from FISCHER’S RADIO SHOW HAS the organization’s website BECOME AN OBLIGATORY STOP (along with Fischer’s). FOR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL Fischer’s career at the CANDIDATES, PROMINENT AFA has been marked by unremitting bigotry REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS, AND TOP directed at many of the SOCIAL CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS. WWW.pfaw.ORG WWW.RIGHTWINGwaTCH.ORG RIGHT WING WATCH IN FOCUS 3 Mau Revolution, the Kenyan uprising against British Idaho, Rep. Alan Nunnelee of Mississippi and Rep. Tim colonialism in the 1950s, had detrimentally “molded” Huelskamp of Kansas. Among the major conservative Obama’s “worldview.” Huckabee added, “Most of us grew activists who have appeared on Focal Point are Tony up going to Boy Scout meetings and our communities Perkins of the Family Research Council, David Barton of were filled with Rotary Clubs, not madrassas.” WallBuilders, Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum and Amy Kremer of the Tea Party Express. Pawlenty and Barbour both promised Fischer that if elected they would reinstate the military’s discriminatory Journalist and commentator Andrew Sullivan aptly Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, with Barbour warning that asks, “Is embracing a man who believes this kind of bile openly gay troops could bring an “amorous mindset” to the now essential to being viable as a primary candidate for battlefield. When Fischer asked Gingrich how he would president in the current GOP?” “slow down the homosexual agenda” as president, Gingrich pledged to work against gay rights. “I think my emphasis The answer appears to be yes. Fischer’s extreme views would be pro-classical Christianity,” Gingrich said, “and are become mainstream in today’s Republican Party, and pro-the values that you and I have.” When asked a similar presidential candidates are taking notice. question, Cain told Fischer that Obama’s decision not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act was “bordering on Tying Gays