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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia delegate told a reporter Friday that he thinks “the LGBTQ is a modern-day version of the Ku Klux Klan.”
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that Del. Eric Porterfield made the comments after calling to discuss a story about some controversial earlier comments.
Porterfield, R-Mercer, also told the reporter that the gay community is a “terrorist group,” saying he received threatening voicemails and social-media messages after earlier remarks during a Wednesday committee meeting became public.
Porterfield was speaking in support of an amendment that would overrule local ordinances that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. The amendment failed.
“The LGBT is the most socialist group in this country,” he said at the meeting. “They do not protect gays. There are many gays they persecute if they do not line up with their social ideology.”
Del. Danielle Walker, a black woman with a gay son, challenged Porterfield on Wednesday in committee and Thursday on the House floor.
“Why do we need more hate?,” Walker, D-Monongalia, said Friday. “Why do we need more name-calling? Why do we need to reference other groups that illustrated so much hate and destruction and ugliness? Why do we need to do that?”
Some Republicans also criticized Porterfield’s comments. Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, told the paper, “He’s wrong, very wrong. There’s just no excuse, though, for some of the things that he said.”
In a news release, West Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Belinda Biafore called for Porterfield’s resignation.
Porterfield told the paper that the controversy will boost his re-election chances.
Porterfield didn’t immediately respond Saturday to a message from The Associated Press.
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