Iowa Anti-Gay Conservative Leader Enjoys 'Fag' Joke: VIDEO

Bob Vander Plaats, the President of The Family Leader, Iowa's leading anti-gay group and creator of the GOP 2012 presidential 'Marriage Vow', had a good laugh in March over a "fag" joke at one of its organization's events, Think Progress reports:

ATTENDEE: You know what my wife says? She says: Iowa, the state where you can’t smoke a fag, but you can marry one.

[Laughter]

VANDER PLAATS: Oh shoot, that’s pretty good, that’s pretty good. Oh shoot.

Watch (you may need to turn up your volume), AFTER THE JUMP...

Mitt Romney Rejects Conservative Iowa Group's 'Marriage Vow', Calls It 'Undignified and Inappropriate'

Mitt Romney has said he won't sign a "marriage vow" pushed by social conservative Iowa group The Family Leader which asked candidates to put their signature on a pledge to oppose same-sex marriage, Sharia law, infidelity, and pornography.

The document also contained a section which said that African-American families were better off during the time of slavery.

The section read:

Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President.

That section was removed after public outrage, but not before Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum had both signed the pledge.

Romney is the first GOP candidate to reject signing the vow, the AP reports:

Andrea Saul told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Romney "strongly supports traditional marriage," but that the oath circulated last week by The Family Leader "contained references and provisions that were undignified and inappropriate for a presidential campaign."

Romney is three points behind Bachmann in the latest GOP Iowa straw poll.

In a video posted today, Bob Vander Plaats (pictured), the head of The Family Leader and the leading anti-gay activist in Iowa, posted a video trying to explain what the "marriage vow" means and what he meant by the slavery reference.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Whoopi Goldberg Rips Michele Bachmann and the 'Marriage Vow': VIDEO

Whoopi Goldberg ripped Michele Bachmann this morning for signing "The Marriage Vow -- A Declaration of Dependence Upon Marriage and Family", a requirement for earning the Iowa conservative group The Family Leader's endorsement. The pledge also requires opposition to Sharia law and banning pornography.

The document also contained this statement, which was removed over outrage:

"Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President."

Ranted Whoopi Goldberg on this morning's View: "Dammit, I am sick of this crap!"

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Watch: Rick Santorum Defends Signing Anti-Gay Marriage Pledge

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum explained why he signed an Iowa conservative group's anti-gay "marriage pledge" on CNN's State of the Union this morning.

Though Santorum admits he was "taken aback" by some of the document's demands, particularly one requiring candidates themselves to pledge fidelity, the former Pennsylvania Senator also insists he had no qualms signing the controversial oath:

When I first read it I was taken aback, but I can't argue that I wasn't, but I understand why they are saying that. Because it does undermined peoples' respect for the institution, respect for the people governing this country. If you can't be faithful to the people that you are closest to, then how can we count on you to be faithful to those that you represent.

Watch Santorum and host Candy Crowley discuss his decision, AFTER THE JUMP...

Family Leader Removes Slave Reference From Marriage Vow

So, that vile "marriage pledge" Iowa conservative Bob Vander Plaats and his group, The Family Leader wanted GOP presidential candidates to sign?

In addition to all the homophobic language, it also included a section that suggested black families were better off during slave days.

Here it is:

Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President.

As Jason Linkins at the Huffington Post reports, however, the Family Leader has now removed that segment.

I suppose that's what conservatives mean when they say they have "common sense."

Iowa GOP Moves to Impeach Justices for Marriage Equality Decision

The Iowa GOP has "filed four articles of impeachment, one for each remaining member of the Iowa Supreme Court that participated in an April 2009 decision that struck down a legislative ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of the state’s equal protection clause," the Iowa Independent reports.

The four House resolutions target Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady (HR 48) and Justices Brent Appel (HR 47), Daryl Hecht (HR 49) and David Wiggins (HR 50) for “malfeasance in office” specifically for their ruling in the Varnum v. Brien case, saying that each justice “exercis[ed] functions properly belonging to the legislative and executive departments.”

The four GOP lawmakers offering the resolutions were Reps. Tom Shaw of Laurens, Dwayne Alons of Hull, Betty De Boef of What Cheer, Glen Massie of Des Moines and Kim Pearson of Pleasant Hill.

Right Wing Watch notes:

Bob Vander Plaats, the anti-gay activist who led the drive to remove the Justices and heads The Family Leader, has previously called for the resignation of the entire Supreme Court and advocated for their removal over the marriage equality ruling in Varnum v. Brien. He is also building ties with likely presidential candidates as Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Herman Cain have either addressed or plan to speak during The Family Leader’s “presidential lecture series.”

Iowa's Governor Terry Branstad, who has expressed his desire to have the judges removed by vote when they are up for retention, said in January that he didn't not believe impreachment was an appropriate measure to be taken.