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Bachmann Campaign Takes Retribution Against Local Iowa Station That Asked About Ex-Gay Clinics

Earlier this month, after an undercover investigation confirmed that Marcus Bachmann’s Christian counseling clinics performed ex-gay therapy, Michele Bachmann was asked about the practice by Iowa’s WQAD, a local ABC affiliate. The Congresswoman refused to comment on the matter, saying only that she is “very proud of our business” and “proud of all job creators in the United States.”

During the interview, Bachmann’s advisers reportedly “threatened WQAD producers that they would cut off the feed if Rae Chelle [the anchor] repeated the question.” On Sunday, the Bachmann campaign “openly, and aggressively denied News 8 access to the Iowa Republican front-runner” as retribution against the station for asking Bachmann about reparative therapy. The campaign also abruptly ended an interview when a different station asked about the counseling centers:

At Sunday’s Davenport fundraiser was our first chance to interview Bachmann since the satellite interview incident. All Quad Cities media were invited to attend and promised a one-on-one interview during the evening. While our competitors were accommodated, WQAD was blocked and denied. “One of her staffers said, ‘due to the interview last week WQAD would not have an interview.’ He said we would have to get our audio from a pool camera. … Then the same man came over and said I could have my interview outside,” said Chuck McClurg a veteran News 8 photojournalist. […]

McClurg continued to shoot the event. Afterwards, he walked with the Congresswoman and her team down the stairs and out the door.

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“I followed them outside hoping to get the interview I was promised,” said McClurg McClurg began rolling his camera as another local Quad Cities news station started asking their questions.

“I started to tape something off of that interview and a staffer pushed me aside and stood in front of my camera and said that this was for the other station only.” The reporter asked a question about Bachmann’s clinic and her husband. At that point, McClurg says the staffer took the microphone off of Bachmann, tossed it to the reporter and said their interview was over.

Since the undercover report, Marcus Bachmann has admitted that the clinic would perform reparative therapy upon request. In 2004, Michele Bachmann spoke before an ex-gay group in Minnesota, claiming that they will “present the truth about homosexuality.”