An openly gay GOP presidential candidate says he was excluded from this year's Conservative Political Action Conference because of his sexual orientation.
Fred Karger, whose name is on the primary ballot in Michigan, North Carolina and California says that unlike the other presidential candidates, he was denied a speaking slot as well as a booth at CPAC.
Karger has filed a complaint with the D.C. Office of Human Rights, saying the organizer of the event, the American Conservative Union, violated D.C.'s 1977 anti-discrimination law.
GOProud, a conservative gay rights organization, also says it faced discrimination, citing an official letter from CPAC organizers stating that although it had previously co-sponsored the event, it was no longer invited to participate in a formal role in 2012.
One conservative gay rights group did get invited. Christian Berle, deputy executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, says that even though the group didn't have a booth at this year's event, it was offered the opportunity.
CPAC organizers could not be reached for comment.
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Kevin Joseph of NY 3:35PM February 22, 2012
Bing of AL 5:40PM February 21, 2012