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Santorum's Name High On Gay Group's Donor List
by Doug Windsor
365Gay.com Newscenter
New York Bureau
Posted: May 23, 2003 6:27 p.m. ET
(New York City) Senator Rick Santorum's name ranks near the top of major donors to New York state's largest gay rights group, Empire Pride Agenda it was revealed today. However, none of the money is coming personally from the controversial senator.
Santorum’s major donor status with the Pride Agenda was made possible by Emmy nominee and Broadway entertainer Seth Rudetsky.
Last month, Santorum linked homosexuality to polygamy, incest and adultery in an interview with the Associated Press. (story) Rudetsky set up the Senator Rick Santorum Education Fund after reading Santorum's comments in a New York paper.
5% of all ticket sales from his Off-Broadway comedy, Rhapsody in Seth, are collected by the fund and donated every week to the Pride Agenda in Santorum's name.
“This is a great honor for Senator Santorum, and let me tell you, he has really earned it!" Rudetsky said Friday.
" Every night at Rhapsody, the crowd goes nuts when I mention his name and announce our donation to the Fund in his honor. He must come to the show - he'll get a standing ovation for all he’s done to remind people of the importance of equal rights for all - and afterwards he and Mrs. S. can come out for coffee with me and my boyfriend! Yay Rick!"
Asked what he thought about having Santorum as a major donor, Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle said, “We do not discriminate based upon sexual orientation. We welcome Senator Santorum to the Pride Agenda and are ready work with him so that he can better understand what it means to grow up as a second class citizen in this country.”
Senator Santorum's office did not return a request Friday by 365Gay.com for an interview about the donations.
Empire Pride Agenda has made certain Santorum knows about the contributions in his name.
The organization sent him a letter assuring him the money will be well spent.
"The Pride Agenda has one of the best records in the country fighting to end discrimination against gay men and lesbians a class of people you recently said are acceptable to you in theory but not in reality," the letter said.
A poll released yesterday showed that despite Santorum's homophobic comments his approval rating among Pennsylvania voters remains high. (story)
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