Reply #8: Clearly, some in the GLBT community think this matters [View All]

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid47516.asp

== The donation came on May 4 and is the maximum amount an individual can give to a presidential candidate per election. Washington used a homophobic slur against Grey's costar T.R. Knight last year, then repeated the word at this year's Golden Globe Awards in January; he later apologized on Larry King Live, and his contract was not renewed on Grey's Anatomy.

Obama now faces the classic "Should he or shouldn’t he return the money?" question asked of candidates who receive funds from donors that some observers find objectionable. Kenneth Sherrill, professor of political science at Hunter College, says the Washington case is par for the course==

== All three Democratic front-runners have faced check-rejection dilemmas in the past and likely will again. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Obama’s campaign gave back $37,000 to Wilmette, Ill., businessman Tony Rezko, who is fighting public corruption and business fraud charges. ==

==The Obama campaign declined to comment about whether they would return Washington's donation, instead forwarding the following statement to The Advocate: "Barack Obama strongly disagrees with the statements made by Isaiah Washington last year, but he joins members of the GLBT community in encouraging efforts to seek counseling and his decision to tape a public service announcement on behalf of GLAAD."==

And this was news in the prominent Washington Blade as well. http://www.washblade.com/distribution/