HELENA - Tea party leaders stung by turmoil over anti-gay rhetoric from their ranks acknowledge the publicity over the issue hurts the movement but hope the rancor will be short-lived.

The Big Sky Tea Party Association was splintered at the top when it canned its president after learning of his part in an online anti-gay discussion. Some backed the president, Tim Ravndal, forcing the board to revisit the sticky issue before deciding to maintain its decision to remove Ravndal from leadership while making it clear he remains a member of the group.

The episode marks the first public setback for a new movement that has attracted throngs of supporters angry over federal spending and other issues.

"I'm not sure that we know for sure what the impacts are going to be," said Jim Walker, chairman of the Helena-area group. "I suspect there is going to be some negative impact within the tea party group here in Montana. I am not sure it will have adverse effects on the groups outside of Helena."

Some members left the group after the decision, arguing it should back Ravndal, who was fired for comments he made in an online Facebook discussion that appeared to joke about the 1998 Wyoming beating death of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student. Ravndal claims he did not understand what his online friend was talking about.