Several LGBT and human rights groups on Tuesday issued a letter asking prominent Republican speakers to avoid attending the Family Research Council's Values Voters Conference. And while vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan still appears on the speaking schedule, Ann Romney won't be in attendance, reports GLAAD.
The Romney campaign toldBuzzFeed that there were no plans for Ann Romney to attend or speak at the conference. Previously posted schedules listed the GOP presidential hopeful's wife slated to speak after Ryan on Friday.
The Family Research Council, a certified hate group that progressive organizations decried in their letter as "far outside the mainstream" and consistently spreading "demonizing lies about the LGBT community," told BuzzFeed that the schedules posted included both invited and confirmed speakers.
"Sending Ryan to court the summit is one thing, but Mrs. Romney could risk jeopardizing her role as the soft, humanizing face of the campaign if she's perceived as engaging in divisive culture war issues," wrote BuzzFeed's McKay Koppins. "It's something she apparently realizes: Last week she repeatedly declined to answer an interviewer's questions about same-sex marriage, saying she wouldn't engage in 'hot-button' issues."