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PORTLAND, Oregon, July 30, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – During a campaign fundraiser in Oregon last weekend, President Obama thanked and named as event organizer a man whom the New York Post pegged four years ago as the person who once controlled America’s largest producer of hardcore gay pornography.

“I want to thank somebody who put so much work into this event Terry Bean. Give Terry a big round of applause,” said the president July 24.

Bean, a longtime advocate for gay rights, became sole trustee of the Charles M. Holmes Foundation after its namesake and Bean’s friend, Chuck Holmes, died of AIDS in 2000. Until 2004 the foundation owned hardcore male gay pornography producers Falcon Studios, Jock Studios and Mustang Studios. The post reports the studios churn out $10 million worth of pornographic material each year, a source of profit Bean distanced himself from in 2008, saying he “never had anything to do with running the company.”

Before Holmes died, Bean was CEO of Conwest Resources, the holding company that owned Falcon before it was sold in 2004; the foundation continues to receive some proceeds from the studio.

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After The Weekly Standard recalled the Post article following Obama’s remarks, the Huffington Post’s Jason Linkins criticized the characterization of Bean as a “gay-porn kingpin,” quoting a spokesperson for Bean Investments who emphasized that the Oregon-based activist “did not, and does not, have any operational control or interest in Falcon Studios” beyond managing Holmes’ estate.

The Huffington Post also notes that Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongowski returned Bean’s $15,000 contribution in 2002, two years before Falcon was sold, out of reticence over the connection to the hardcore pornography.

Linkins wrote that “Bean has happily donated money to members of both parties, without incident.” Bean, who was “instrumental” in acquiring the D.C. headquarters building of Human Rights Campaign, has contributed to gay rights activists within the Republican party, such as Senator Gordon Smith, openly gay Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, and the Log Cabin Republicans, the three GOP contributions noted by the New York Post.