George Rekers resigned this morning from the board of NARTH, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, amid a gay escort scandal.
NARTH vice president of operations David Pruden tells TPMmuckraker that Rekers first offered his resignation last Thursday, and officially resigned today.
NARTH is a group that promotes the idea that homosexuality can, and should, be cured.
Pruden also denied a report in the Miami New Times that NARTH had been involved in helping Rekers respond to the media.
“NARTH has never had any role in advising Dr. Rekers except to suggest that if he is innocent he needs to get a good lawyer,” Pruden said in an email. “He has friends who are members of NARTH and they are free to talk with, advise, and needless to say, they are free to help him in any way they might select.”
“NARTH as an organization has taken no official role in this other than asking him to explain to us what has happened and in accepting his resignation,” he said.
Rekers, who is also a co-founder of the Family Research Council and a member of groups that seek to protect children from homosexuality, was recently caught with a young male escort.
Rekers maintains nothing sexual occurred, but the escort has told the press that he was hired to give Rekers erotic massages.
Rekers has also testified for the states of Arkansas and Florida in defense of their bans against gay couples adopting children. Florida paid Rekers $120,000 for his testimony, which the judge said was not credible.
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