Trump’s nominee for top science post: ‘Gay marriage will lead to legalized pedophilia’

According to a CNN review of his writings, speeches, and radio broadcasts, President Trump’s pick for the top science post at the Department of Agriculture has argued that being gay is a choice and marriage equality will lead to the legalization of pedophilia.

Between 2012 and 2014, Sam Clovis made the comments during his time as a radio show host and political activist. Senate Democrats have slammed his nomination for the USDA due to his lack of background in any kind of science.

The American Psychological Association has declared that while there is no consensus on the cause of homosexuality, it’s clear that humans have “little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation.”

Writing in an op-ed for a conservative blog back in 2011, Clovis argued that since the science surrounding the origins of LGBT people is unsettled, they’re not eligible for 14th Amendment protections.

“Today, there are six protected classes of American citizens who benefit from the history of legal precedents associated with American traditions and the 14th Amendment,” Clovis wrote. “Two of these classes—religion and military—have long been established in the traditions of the nation. The other four—race, gender, disability and age—are based on primary characteristics. Primary characteristics are those human features we can generally discern by visual examination—something we can see. Following this logic, the only way to extend 14th Amendment protections to those in the LGBT lifestyles is if these behaviors are genetically mapped or otherwise discernible.”

“The science on this issue seems to be uncertain,” he continued. “and if one followed the arguments from plaintiffs, the issue argued was that these individuals, because of ‘love,’ should be allowed to ‘marry just like opposite-sex couples.’ What is it really? Is this about genetics or about emotions?”

During his failed bid for the Iowa Senate, Clovis said that civil rights protections for LGBT people could lead to the same protections being applied to pedophiles.

“Someone who engages in LGBT behavior — I don’t know what the science is on this, I think it’s still out — but as far as we know, LGBT behavior is a choice they make,” Clovis says in a video obtained by CNN’s KFile. “So we’re being asked to provide Constitutional protections for behavior, a choice in behavior as opposed to a primary characteristic.”

When a questioner called Clovis out for his extreme views, he said it was simply a “logical extension of thought.”

“And if you cannot follow the logic then you’re denying you’re in denial,” he said.

You can read CNN’s full KFile report here.

Featured image via YouTube

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.