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Clinic Tied To Bachmann Questioned Over Therapies

LAKE ELMO, Minn. (WCCO) -- In the past two days, two new polls in Iowa show that Minnesota's Rep. Michele Bachmann is the frontrunner in the critical state. Now comes national scrutiny of her husband, Marcus, of 33 years, and someone considered to be her closest political advisor and confidante.

The Bachmann's are the owners of the Twin Cities counseling clinic called Bachmann and Associates, which has offices in Lake Elmo and Burnsville. On the clinic's website, it says it offers Christian counseling.

This weekend, ABC News ran an undercover story on Dr. Marcus Bachmann's clinic. The report says that the clinic tries to treat gay men and women by urging them to pray away their gayness.

At the offices of OutFront Minnesota, the state's leading gay advocacy group, the story comes as no surprise.

"I think that now that there are people who are coming forward who were actually part of Marcus Bachmann's practice and who have gone to him for ex-gay therapy," said Monica Meyer of OutFront. "I think it's affirming what people already knew and the rumors they had heard about his practice."

Meyer says this latest publicity is a reminder of Michele Bachmann's views.

"That's one of her main issues in Minnesota," said Meyer. "We know her as a person who promotes discrimination against some people."

As least one expert believes among her enthusiastic supporters the report will have no impact.

"For her supporters, it may just fall into a pattern of attacks that are unfair and that are quickly discounted," said Professor Larry Jacobs of the Humphrey Institute.

Michele Bachmann has refused any comment. Also, no one at the clinics would comment.

Marcus' resume says he has a Ph.D. in Psychology from an Ohio correspondence school.

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