Democrat Cory Booker branded ‘anti-Christian bigot’ for asking Trump nominee about his homophobic views

Democrat Senator Cory Booker is under fire from Republicans after scrutinising President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo about his views on homosexuality.

During a session in the Senate on Thursday, Booker challenged former GOP Congressman Mike Pompeo over his anti-LGBT beliefs following his nomination to the State Department, where he would control any future work on global LGBT rights.

Citing Pompeo’s past record, Senator Booker asked: “You made a speech warning an America that endorses a perversion and calls it an alternative lifestyle. Those are your words. Is being gay a perversion?”

Pompeo would only specify that he “stands by” his “very clear view on whether it was appropriate for two same-sex persons to marry,” though Senator Booker’s question did not refer to same-sex marriage.

But right-wingers are now hitting out at Senator Booker over his line of questioning.

Prominent Fox News pundit Todd Starnes branded him an “anti-Christian bigot” for questioning why Pompeo had referred to gay people as perverts.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Starnes said: “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people of the Christian faith to practice their religion in the public marketplace. Religious liberty is under attack — as evidenced by today’s sordid congressional hearing.

“Senator Booker publicly shamed Mr Pompeo because of his deeply held religious beliefs.

“That is disgraceful and it’s bigoted and it’s downright un-American. What a shameful day in the United States Senate. What a shameful day for America.”

Brian Brown of the National Organisation for Marriage piled on: “Senator Corey Booker just crossed a red line. He attacked President Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo because he is a Christian who believes the truth about marriage.