Marcus Bachmann
Born 1956
Nationality American
Education Ph.D. in clinical psychology
Alma mater Union Graduate School
Occupation Therapist/counselor
Employer President of Bachmann & Associates
Known for husband of Michele Bachmann
Religion Christian
Marcus David Bachmann (born c. 1956) is an American therapist. He is the founder and President of Bachmann & Associates, a self-described Christian counseling clinic.[1] He is the husband of United States Representative Michele Bachmann, whom he married in 1978.[2] He describes himself as the "strategist" of her campaign for president.[3]
Contents
* 1 Background
* 2 Views
* 3 Bachmann & Associates
* 4 References
* 5 External links
Background
Bachmann's parents came to the United States from Switzerland in 1950[4] and took up residence on a farm in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, which his family still owns.[4][5][6] He met his wife at Winona State University, where they worked on Jimmy Carter's 1976 Presidential campaign.[2] In 1988 Bachmann graduated from CBN University, now known as Regent University, with a master of arts in community counseling.[7] He wrote his thesis on how day care “may increase the insecurity” of infants, which included a biblical perspective.[7] In 1995 he received a Doctor of Philosophy with a concentration in clinical psychology from the Union Graduate School.[7] His dissertation expanded on his master's thesis, and explored the effect of day care on children 48 to 60 months of age.[7]
Views
Bachmann is a Christian. He left the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a conservative branch of Lutheranism in 2011 after not attending for a couple of years.[8][9] The New York Times reported that together with his wife, he now attends Eagle Brook Church,[10] a non-denominational Baptist congregation.[11]
Ken Avidor, who writes for the blogspot Dump Bachmann, created by the former head of a local gay Republican group, posted audio in which Bachmann seems to describe gay people as "barbarians" in a 2010 interview with the Christian radio show Point-of-View."[8] Bachmann stated that the audio was doctored, and that he was actually comparing children to barbarians.[12] Avidor disputed that he doctored the audio, and the Point of View program did not have an archive of the original interview.[13][14]
Bachmann & Associates
Bachmann's Lake Elmo Christian counseling clinic has attracted attention. He describes it as "distinctly a Christian counseling center" and is quoted as saying, "We have 27 Christian counselors, Christ-centered, very strong in our understanding of who the Almighty Counselor is, and as we rely on God's word and the Almighty Counselor, we have the opportunity to change people's lives."[15] Alex Luchenitser, staff attorney for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, called its receiving of state and Medicaid funds unconstitutional, saying "It's wrong for the government to buy clinical services that include submission to God or proselytization."[16][17]
In July 2011, a hidden-camera investigator with Truth Wins Out went undercover at the clinic, claiming that he was a committed Christian who wished to become a heterosexual. At the same time, testimony surfaced from a former patient at the clinic whose parents had sent him there when he came out to them. Both reported that the clinic's staff practiced reparative therapy, a practice repudiated by the American Psychological Association, which attempts to turn homosexuals into heterosexuals.[18][19][20] In a 2006 interview, Bachmann denied that his clinic tries to convert people from gay to straight. "If someone is interested in talking to us about their homosexuality, we are open to talking about that," he said. "But if someone comes in a homosexual and they want to stay homosexual, I don't have a problem with that."[21]
References
1. ^ Bachmann & Associates homepage; accessed July 15, 2011
2. ^ a b Weekly Standard: From Waterloo To The White House, Matthew Continetti, National Public Radio, June 28, 2011; accessed July 15, 2011
3. ^ "Congresswoman Michele Bachmann tests presidential waters". cleveland.com. March 24, 2011. http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2011/03/congresswoman_michele_bachmann.html. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
4. ^ a b Michele Bachmann's husband in unwanted spotlight, Patrick Condon, Associated Press, July 15, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011.
5. ^ Marcus Bachmann: Campaign Spouse, James Hohmann and Byron Tau, Politico, July 4, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011
6. ^ Bachmann's spouse Marcus: valued strategist or liablity?, Joe Kimball, MinnPost.com, July 5, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011
7. ^ a b c d The Education of Marcus Bachmann, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, July 18, 2011; accessed July 19, 2011
8. ^ a b Michele Bachmann’s husband shares her strong conservative values, Jason Horowitz, The Washington Post, July 5, 2011; accessed July 19, 2011
9. ^ Michele Bachmann left controversial church before campaign, Brian Montopoli, CBS News, July 15, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011
10. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (July 16, 2011). "For Bachmann, Gay Rights Stand Reflects Mix of Issues and Faith". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/us/politics/17bachmann.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&sq=bachmann&st=cse&scp=1. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
11. ^ Merritt, Bob. "Who We Are". http://www.eaglebrookchurch.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=37038. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
12. ^ Marcus Bachmann says audio of him comparing gays to barbarians was doctored, Andy Birky, The Minnesota Independent, July 15, 2011; accessed July 19, 2011
13. ^ Doctored Marcus Bachmann Tape? Nope, Says Blogger Who Posted It, Evan McMorris-Santoro, Talking Points Memo, July 15, 2011; July 19, 2011
14. ^ Blogger Who Posted Marcus Bachmann’s ‘Barbarians’ Remark: ‘I Didn’t Doctor a Damn Thing’, Dan Mira, New York, July 15, 2011; accessed July 19, 2011
15. ^ "Bachmann’s Christian counseling clinic receives state funds". Minnesota Independent. June 10,2010. http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2010/06/07/bachmann’s-christian-counseling-clinic-receives-state-funds. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
16. ^ Michele Bachmann's husband accepted over $137,000 in Medicaid payments, Christine Roberts, The New York Daily News, June 29, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011
17. ^ Bachmann’s Christian counseling clinic receives state funds, Andy Birkey, The Minnesota Independent, June 4, 2010; accessed July 16, 2011
18. ^ The Truth Behind Marcus Bachmann’s Controversial Christian Therapy Clinic, Mark Benjamin, Time.com, July 15, 2011; accessed July 16, 2011
19. ^ Bakst, Brian (July 12, 2011). "Clinic tied to Bachmann questioned over therapies". Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jDxVgLyjH-QB3gUNXyCPPAifjsfg. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
20. ^ Blake, Mariah (July 8, 2011). "'God Has Created You for Heterosexuality': Clinics Owned by Michele Bachmann's Husband Practice Ex-Gay Therapy". The Nation. http://www.thenation.com/article/161883/%E2%80%98god-has-created-you-heterosexuality%E2%80%99-clinics-owned-michele-bachmann%E2%80%99s-husband-practi. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
21. ^ "Michele Bachmann Clinic: Where You Can Pray Away the Gay?". ABC News. July 11, 2001. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/michele-bachmann-exclusive-pray-gay-candidates-clinic/story?id=14048691. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
