New Anti-Gay Colorado Lawmaker Once Performed An Exorcism On Obama

Former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, center, speaks during a news conference in Richmond, Va. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008. He was joined by Rev. Joe Ellison, Jr, left, and Bishop Gerald Glenn, right, and... Former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, center, speaks during a news conference in Richmond, Va. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008. He was joined by Rev. Joe Ellison, Jr, left, and Bishop Gerald Glenn, right, and a group of pastors, all of whom objected to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's decision to keep prayers nondenominational at some public events. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Bob Brown) MORE LESS
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One of the GOP candidates swept into office Tuesday in Colorado was a former Navy chaplain who believes gays are “unhuman” and once performed an on-air exorcism of President Barack Obama.

Gordon Klingenschmitt won just under 70 percent of the vote in the state’s 15th House district, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. Republicans outnumber Democrats in that district by more than 2 to 1.

Klingenschmitt heads up the Pray in Jesus Name Project, which is designated as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The former chaplain hosts a daily “Pray in Jesus Name” program, where homosexuality is by far his favorite topic of discussion.

Right Wing Watch has a great round-up of Klingenschmitt’s most extreme statements. Here’s a sampling:

  • On gays: “They’re cooperating with the Devil and there is something unhuman inside of them.”
  • On “curing” a transgender teen: “The parents are encouraging that and really what the parents ought to do is take that boy to an exorcist, take that boy to a minister or at least discipline the boy, maybe give him a spanking.”
  • On teaching kids about gay marriage: Liberals think “every child has a right to be raped, at least in their mind, by somebody who is going to pervert them and recruit them into sexual immorality.”
  • On exorcising Obama: “Father in Heaven, we pray against the domestic enemies of the Constitution, against the demon of tyranny who is using the White House occupant and that demonic spirit is oppressing us.”

Apparently, Klingenschmitt himself has realized that those extreme statements could prove problematic during his time as a legislator. He’s already spoken with law enforcement at the state Capitol about death threats he’s received this year, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

“I would say it is time for people of good will on both sides of the political debate to come together to have reasonable discussions about these issues,” Klingenschmitt told the newspaper. “Maybe that includes me. Maybe I need to tone down my rhetoric, but there have been liberals who throw rhetoric at people of faith and I think are stirring up these crazy people on the left. They are inciting violence.”

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