Values Voters Summit: Does Family Research Council Just Fib About Who’s Speaking?

Does the Family Research Council just blatantly fib about the politicians who are attending the Values Voters Summit, perhaps hoping that once people see they’re attending, they’re forced to go?

So far this week, both Ann Romney and Congressman Todd Akin were supposedly speaking at the Values Voters Summit, yet both their campaigns indicated thy were unsure how their names got on the schedule.

Mitt Romney a week ago, according to a Google cache of the Values Voters Summit website, was listed as addressing the annual conservative conference, sponsored by two anti-gay hate groups, yet one week later, his name mysteriously disappeared. Then yesterday, news broke that Ann Romney would be speaking at the event, just before the 12:15 break on Friday, as listed and reported by mnay news outlets, including The New Civil Rights Movement.

Yet last night, the Romney campaign stated, “Mrs. Romney is not scheduled to attend VVS this weekend,” and, “it has not been on our schedule.” Which would seem to mean there was no plan ever — at least confirmed — that the Republican presidential nominee’s wife would be speaking. Yet, here’s the schedule with her name, clear as day.

Then, just six hours ago, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins stood in front of a microphone and a podium at the prestigious National Press Club and announced Congressman Akin “will be there participating in one of our events and will be speaking at I believe our political action committee reception Friday afternoon.”

Video: Tony Perkins: My Friend, Patriot Todd Akin Will Speak At Values Voters Summit

Perkins then went into a long defense of Congressman Akin, under fire for his comments that victims of “legitimate” rape rarely get pregnant.

“Todd Akin is a great friend of mine,” Perkins offered, unasked. “I have known him since he arrived in Congress 12 years ago. I supported him in his primary when he was running for the Senate because of his record of being unquestionably strong on the issues of faith, family, and freedom. He is a American patriot, and you look at his family, all of his sons have served the nation in the military and in either the Navy or the Marine Corps, and he and his family are examples of what is good about America.”

Talking Points Memo reports:

Ryan Hite, spokesperson for the Akin Senate campaign, confirmed to TPM that Akin will not attend.

“There was some discussion about [Akin going],” Hite said. “But I don’t think there’s any plan for him to be there.”

Other changes to the published schedule include Senator Marco Rubio off the schedule, although as of September 4 he was scheduled to speak, as was “Governor Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican Presidential Nominee and Former Governor of Massachusetts.”

Laura Ingraham, Host, The Laura Ingraham Show was listed a week ago as speaking, now her name is absent.

Of course, events arise, schedules change, but when campaigns say they have no idea why their people were on the schedule, it does make one wonder — especially since Tony Perkins today also told the press he had a “waiting list” and the FRC has been forced “to turn away members of Congress” wanting to speak.

Curious.