'Irish Catholics Did Me In': Anti-Gay Mouthpiece Cries Foul Over NYC St. Pat's Parade

When Irish eyes are crying ...foul.

For the past two decades while organizers fought to bar LGBT groups from marching under their own banner in New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, one of the loudest voices in support of the decisions to ban was Bill Donohue - president of the Catholic League. With the inclusion of gay professional group OUT@NBCUniversal in today's parade, Donohue is crying foul.

In an appearance Monday on conservative new outlet Newsmax's Steve Malzberg show, Donohue blasted the decision to include the gay professional group while allegedly denying participation to a pro-life group.

"I was told for 20 years that the reason they don't have gays is the same reason they don't have pro-life people with their own unit," Donahue told Malzberg. "So when this decision was made prior to Labor Day to allow one gay group in, they wanted me in. I said 'provided that you have a pro-life group', they said 'that'll happen.'"

"I was lied to," Donahue protested. "My own people, Irish Catholics, did me in and now I'm walking away from them."

Donahue will be boycotting this year's parade along with New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio, who will not be marching because he felt that the inclusion of one LGBT group to be a token gesture. This will be the second time the city's chief executive has sat out North America's largest Irish American celebration because of their exclusion of LGBT groups.

"I think it's an affront. Gays have their own parade," Donahue said. "Why does anyone gay or straight have to have their own banner to march in anyone's [parade] just blend in like everyone else?"

There is little doubt that Donohue is a blowhard. Former New York Times columnist Frank Rich referred the Catholic League as "a right-wing publicity mill with no official or financial connection to the Catholic Church." But it bears noting that Donohue does carry some clout with conservative causes and has been successful in silencing LGBT causes in the past.

"Someone has to draw a line in the sand," Donohue said "You're not going to double cross Bill Donohue."