"This is repulsive, homophobic gutter trash...of the kind that has been historically used for the most nefarious smears."

The head of a progressive super PAC is facing a backlash over tweets speculating that Sen. Lindsey Graham has gone from anti-Trumpster to a rabid pro-Trump supporter because he is being blackmailed over “some pretty serious sexual kink.”

Jon Cooper, Chairman of The Democratic Coalition, tweeted that an unnamed Republican told him he doubts Graham is “kowtowing to Trump (and indirectly Putin) because he’s being blackmailed over his sexual orientation (an open secret) or even financial corruption. Rather, he thinks it probably involves some pretty serious sexual kink.”

Cooper then said that, as an openly gay man himself, he wasn’t personally interested in Graham’s sex life, but rather was concerned with the “strong likelihood that he’s being blackmailed by the Russians.”

A Republican just told me that he doubts @LindseyGrahamSC is kowtowing to Trump (and indirectly Putin) because he’s being blackmailed over his sexual orientation (an open secret) or even financial corruption. Rather, he thinks it probably involves some pretty serious sexual kink. — Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) January 13, 2019

By the way, as an openly gay man myself, I couldn’t care less about Lindsey Graham's sex life (gay, straight or otherwise). However, Graham is the Senate Judiciary Chair and there’s a strong likelihood that he's being blackmailed by the Russians. If so, that needs to be revealed. — Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) January 14, 2019

Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who is also gay, criticized Cooper’s tweet, calling it “repulsive, homophobic gutter trash,” and suggesting if it were being put forward by someone on the right it would be more widely challenged as such.

This is repulsive, homophobic gutter trash from the Chairman of @TheDemCoalition – of the kind that has been historically used for the most nefarious smears. But it's done with the right political ideology so it's fine. https://t.co/GWo414s1JX — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 13, 2019

Greenwald retweeted a twitter account suggesting the “kink” was an interest in “little boys,” calling Graham “a Dennis Hasert (sic) holdover.” Dennis Hastert was a Republican who served as the Speaker of the House, who admitted to sexually abusing boys whom he had coached, and was sentenced 15 months in prison, 13 of which he served.

He noted that it was the type of response that could have been expected from Cooper’s vague claim.

And, of course, this tweet from @TheDemCoalition spreading homophobic garbage about Lindsey Graham predictably and, by design, provokes even more disgusting & harmful progressive homophobia about gay men being pedophiles. All for the right cause, though: https://t.co/byBOKo1ECn — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 13, 2019

Greenwald wasn’t the only one who took offense.

I don't like @LindseyGrahamSC or his politics and I could care less about his sexual orientation. However, I also don't believe in making all these wild accusations. We need the facts and facts are the only thing on which he should be judged. Otherwise we're just like them. — jomac (@jomac23532643) January 13, 2019

This tweet seems far out of the bounds of good taste, even if true. — E O'Keefe (@ElainaOKeefe) January 14, 2019

This tweet seems far out of the bounds of good taste, even if true. — E O'Keefe (@ElainaOKeefe) January 14, 2019

I am no fan of Trump. I think he cheated to win in 2016. I think this is a pretty horrible smear job. On par with any Trump insult or lie or innuendo. — John (@buckeye_dad13) January 14, 2019

You are aware that this exact same logic was the justification used by McCarthyites to purge the federal government of queer people during the Lavender Scare, yes? — Ian Thompson 🌹 (@iantDC) January 14, 2019

This remark reminds me of Senator Joe McCarthy. Bit of a bummer to see Democrats saying this kind of thing. Wish today's Dems we're more like the Dems of my youth. — Lady Oldster (@OldsterLady) January 14, 2019