In the years before becoming co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign, Iowa college professor Sam Clovis, nominated to be the USDA’s chief scientist, said homosexuality was a choice and that same-sex marriage could lead to legalization of pedophilia, reported CNN’s KFile. The White House did not respond to a CNN request for comment and a USDA spokeswoman told the KFile, “The Supreme Court settled the issue in 2015.”
CNN based its story on comments made by Clovis from 2012-14 while he ran a conservative talk-radio show, was a Tea Party-influenced Republican activist and ran for the GOP nomination for Senate. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has said Clovis has the confidence of the president. Perdue also dismissed complaints that Clovis, who holds a doctorate in business administration, does not have the credentials to be USDA chief scientist, a job that by statute goes to “distinguished scientists with specialized or significant experience in agricultural research, education and economics.”
During his run for the Senate, Clovis said, “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,” reported the KFile. It said Clovis went on to say, “Follow the logic, if you engage in a particular behavior, what also becomes protected? If we protect LGBT behavior, what other behaviors are we going to protect? Are we going to protect pedophilia? Are we going to protect polyamorous marriage relationships? Are we going to protect people who have fetishes?”
Clovis is the most controversial USDA nominee in 15 years. In previous reports, the KFile said Clovis described black leaders as “race traders” and President Obama as a “Maoist” in blogs written several years ago in conjunction with his radio show.