BERLIN — U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who is openly homosexual, told reporters this past week that Vice President Mike Pence is “on board” with his plan to urge nations worldwide to decriminalize homosexuality.
Grenell spoke with Fox & Friends on Tuesday in regard to his remarks about Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, also a homosexual, who has characterized Pence as being “anti-gay.” Grenell had stated on a recent broadcast of “The Story With Martha McCallum” that Buttigieg’s assertions are a “hate hoax along the lines of Jussie Smollett.”
“Mike and Karen are great people. They’re godly people. They’re followers of Christ. They don’t have hate in their heart for anyone. They know my partner [and] they have accepted us,” he said, according to a report from Fox. “You asked me do we agree philosophically on every single issue? No.”
As previously reported, Pence swore Grenell into office last May as his “partner,” Matt Lashey, held the Bible.
“Ric, I know you’ve got a lot of friends from many years here, but most importantly, you’ve got people that you cherish, and your family. I want to acknowledge your mother Judi, who’s with us today; your brothers, Jeff and Brad; your partner, Matt Lashey; and his parents, Dave and Nancy; and many others,” Pence said during the occasion.
Buttigieg was asked about Grenell’s “hate hoax” comment during a televised CNN town hall event on Monday, but did not wish to respond.
“I’m not a master fisherman, but I know bait when I see it. I will not take it,” he said.
Grenell said on Tuesday that he was just trying to “defend my friend, Mike Pence, the vice president, who is a great man, an honorable man, a man of Christian faith and somebody that I admire.”
He then added, “I also want to just point out the fact that the vice president, Mike Pence, is fully on board with my push to decriminalize homosexuality around the world.”
The ambassador noted that homosexuality is illegal in 71 countries, and in some nations, it can result in prison time or the death penalty.
“Mike Pence is on board with decriminalizing homosexuality around the world,” Grenell repeated. “I think that speaks volumes.”
News that Grenell would be leading the effort to decriminalize homosexuality first made headlines in February, as NBC News reported that “[t]he U.S. embassy is flying in LGBT activists from across Europe for a strategy dinner to plan to push for decriminalization in places that still outlaw homosexuality — mostly concentrated in the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean.”
“This is a bipartisan push,” Grenell also stated at that time. “People understand — religious people, individuals who may not always be in the LGBTI fight — they understand that criminalizing homosexuality is absolutely wrong. It is unbelievable to believe that in today’s world a 32-year-old man in Iran can be hanged simply for being gay. That’s unacceptable.”
The Washington Blade reports that it has confirmed with Pence’s office that the vice president supports the initiative.
As previously reported, while some have been opposed to Pence in claiming that he is anti-homosexual — from Pete Buttigieg to Lady Gaga — Pence defended the Trump administration in February 2017 in its decision to retain an Obama-era order banning groups that contract with the federal government from “discriminating” against homosexuals and transgenders in their business or non-profit organization.
“I think throughout the campaign, President Trump made it clear that discrimination would have no place in our administration,” Pence said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” according to a transcript of the discussion. “He was the very first Republican nominee to mention the LGBTQ community at our Republican National Convention and was applauded for it. And I was there applauding with him.”
He also rejected reports about his beliefs regarding “conversion therapy” as being “fake news” in February 2018, as he cheered openly homosexual figure skater Adam Rippon in his Olympic quest.
“@Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU,” he wrote (caps in original.) “Don’t let fake news distract you. I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of #TeamUSA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em!”
It is not clear or not whether Pence, who identifies as an evangelical, believes that homosexuality is a sin. His wife works at a Christian school that cites homosexuality and transgenderism among various behaviors that are unacceptable for employees. Those who wish to serve as staff must agree to uphold Christian lifestyle standards, following “a personal life of moral purity.”
Proverbs 14:34 states, “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
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