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GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney distanced himself from Bryan Fischer at Saturday's Values Voters Summit, where both spoke.

Fischer, who left Idaho in 2009 after running the Idaho Values Alliance, hosts a radio show and is director of issues and analysis for the Mississippi-based American Family Association.

Meanwhile, two Boise writers, Jody May-Chang and Jill Kuraitis, have written a report for the Southern Poverty Law Center critical of Fischer.

Finally, Talking Points Memo, noted Fischer's comments Saturday that Major League Baseball's 7th-inning singing of "God Bless America" has helped avoid another attack similar to 9/11.

Romney said "decency and civility are values too," and said Fischer, without naming him, had crossed a line. "Poisonous language does not advance our cause," Romney said.

Fischer replied that Romney's comments were "tasteless and tawdry."

People for the American Way blogger Brian Tashman posted video of Romney's comments, Fischer's speech and Fisher's reaction to Romney. The group had urged Romney to "stand up to Fischer's long record of bigotry."

Fischer has attacked Mormons, Muslims and gays.

The article by May-Chang and Kuraitis is titled, "The Propogandists: Bryan Fischer, the American Family Association & and the Demonetization of LGBT People" and will appear in the winter issue of Intelligence Report, a publication largely received by law enforcement officials.

SPLC classifies the American Family Association as a "hate group" for its anti-gay positions.

SPLC scheduled a news conference Monday in Tupelo, Miss., AFA's home town, to unveil the article.

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