Romney campaign confirms disagreement with Boy Scouts’ gay ban

The Mitt Romney for President campaign has confirmed that the presumptive Republican nominee disagrees with the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gay scouts and leaders.

The confirmation followed the re-circulation of a 1994 video in which Romney said the BSA should welcome gay scouts.

Campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul says that is still Romney’s position.

Earlier this summer, the Boy Scouts of America announced that a secret committee, after a two-year review, had recommended the nonprofit continue to ban gay scouts and gay leaders.

Widespread protest followed – from both parties and from numerous civil rights groups, as well as scouts and former scouts.

The 1994 video of Romney, a former national board member of the BSA, shows him saying, “I feel that all people should be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts, regardless of their sexual orientation.”

He adds, “The Boy Scouts of America does a wonderful service for this country. I support the right of the Boy Scouts of America to decide what it wants to do on that issue.”


This week, Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout who is circulating a Change.org petition opposing the gay ban, said, “Scouts for Equality is proud to have Gov. Romney’s support on this issue amid such a polarized political climate. His leadership is to be commended, and we hope he can set an example of how people with differing religious beliefs can come together to support the Boy Scouts of America’s mission to serve our communities and develop tomorrow’s leaders, regardless of sexual orientation.”