Recording Doesn't Change Smith's LGBT Record

"The manipulation of the tape, the selective editing, is grossly dishonest, is a cheap political trick, and has no place in public discourse. To manipulate a tape and selectively edit a tape is scandalous."

These are the words of Congressman Chris Smith in reaction to a video released Sept. 12th where Smith purportedly claims orphanages are preferable to adoption by LGBT couples.

Earlier in the discussion, Smith was asked if foster care or orphanages were preferable. He quickly answered no. However, he is incredibly uncomfortable talking about LGBT adoption, and can’t bring himself to say that he supports it. At times, he seems to be suggesting that since there are heterosexual couples waiting to adopt, children should be placed with them. The most controversial part of the tape, where Smith brings up orphanages as “still an option for some kids” does come directly after a question about LGBT adoption, but he is cut off by a school administrator. What would Smith have said? We won’t know, you can listen to the full audio here.

However, we didn’t really need this tape to learn Smith’s views on LGBT adoption, nor know what he might have said. Smith has done admirable work to facilitate adoption, including sponsoring the tax credit he mentioned at the assembly. He believes there is an urgent need for children to be placed in homes with families, and even said so in his press release yesterday. Smith has also voted against marriage equality at every opportunity, and in 1999, voted for an amendment to prevent federal funding from facilitating adoptions by unmarried couples in Washington DC. As marriage was not a legal option in 1999, that ban would apply to all LGBT couples.

Smith is thus reducing the number of homes and families available to children in need, leaving them in the system. His statements are not a clear “I’d rather have kids in orphanages than LGBT homes,” but his actions amount to just that. Given his lifelong anti-LGBT record and his obvious discomfort on the recording, it’s not too far a leap to say he does not support LGBT adoption.

Smith does mention some states banning Catholic Charities from facilitating adoptions because they refuse to do so for LGBT couples. These are state laws unrelated to his vote in 1999. As a religious entity, Catholic Charities is entitled to its beliefs, but that means it shouldn’t receive taxpayer dollars. Their aid programs and record of placing children in loving homes may be a net positive, but accepting federal money means abiding by federal rules. Doing their otherwise good work discriminately is incompatible with our Constitution.

Most stunning however, is Smith’s outrage over the idea that someone would selectively edit a tape to mislead the public. When fake videos were released in summer 2015 claiming Planned Parenthood was selling fetuses for profit to the highest bidder, Smith couldn’t wrap himself in tight enough. He referenced the videos in speeches on the house floor, public appearances, and in an oped, even after they had been debunked. He made no attempt to correct the record. Naturally, he and others used the videos to justify yet another attack on Planned Parenthood.

There’s plenty in Smith’s record that shows he is serious about helping children find families, and plenty that shows he would rather those homes not be LGBT families. Debating this recording won’t change that. But Smith crying foul over editing a recording displays an incredibly short memory. Some might even call his use of the debunked Planned Parenthood videos, to quote the Congressman, “grossly dishonest,” a “cheap political trick,” and “scandalous."