Petrelis Files

Santorum's Charity Gave to AIDS Groups Serving Gays

Pennsylvania's conservative and rabidly anti-gay U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R), is the subject of a fascinating package of stories by Will Bunch in the American Prospect magazine's March issue.

The cover story, all about Santorum's questionable financial dealings, raises troubling issues for him to address, as the GOP Senate leadership contemplates naming him their go-to guy on ethics. I expect his Republican colleagues will dismiss Santorum's dubious ethical standards, in large part, because he's a fine standard-bearer for homo-hatred in the Senate and the GOP.

What most interested me though was the sidebar on Santorum's charity, the Operation Good Neighbor Foundation. Who knew he had a nonprofit? This was news to me. But what wasn't surprising in the least was this claim by the magazine: "[The foundation] isn’t very charitable and hasn’t filed the required papers with the state."

Even more surprising is the fact that the web site for Santorum's charity shows him awarding checks of $10,000 to two AIDS groups; AIDS Alive, a social support group, and MANNA, a hot-meals delivery program.

I called both groups and confirmed they provide services to gay men either living with AIDS, or at-risk of contracting HIV disease.

Maybe we shouldn't inform Santorum of the groups' nondiscrimination policies regarding gays. If he knew the groups don't discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, he might just ask for his money back because if there's one thing we know about him, it's that he hates homosexuals.