AUGUSTA – In response to a stinging rebuke from the governor and legislative leaders, the head of the Christian Civic League of Maine apologized Wednesday for asking his members to gather information on the sexual orientation of lawmakers and other government officials.

“I am sorry for indicating that the League is going to keep a list of the ‘sexual orientation’ of public policy-makers and leaders,” Michael Heath said in a posting on the League’s Web site. “In the midst of fighting for something I feel very strong about, I wrote and said things that I should not have written and spoken. I feel terrible that my words and conduct have besmirched the fine reputation and important ministry of the Christian Civic League of Maine. And I apologize to the Legislature and the people of Maine.”

The apology was the latest public flare-up involving the League’s executive director, who got into a spat last week with Lee Umphrey, communications director for Gov. John E. Baldacci. Heath and about 500 supporters of a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriages showed up at the State House when the measure was defeated without debate in the Senate. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Brian Duprey, R-Hampden, also was killed in the House.

Reacting to the proliferation of anti-gay marriage protesters around the Capitol, Umphrey irritated Heath when he referred to the demonstrators as “a collection of cuckoo clocks.” The remark found its way into several newspapers, prompting Heath to demand an apology from the governor who immediately shot back, “No apology is necessary.”

Umphrey ultimately conceded he could have chosen his words more carefully. Heath presented the administration’s spokesman with a little cuckoo clock to remind him of the numerous Maine Christians who disagree with the governor’s opposition to a ban on gay marriages.

What had been perceived as a cease-fire turned out to be an opportunity for the League to rearm, and on Friday, Heath posted a message on the organization’s Web site asking for “tips, rumors, speculation and facts” about the sexual orientation of lawmakers and state political leaders. Heath promised to respect the confidentiality of any of the League’s informants in assembling his sexual orientation list.

In his Web message to members under the heading “cleaning out the closet,” the executive director indicated gay marriages would be an ongoing political issue and that it was “only appropriate that all of us here in Maine understand the ‘sexual orientation’ of our leaders.”

Reaction Wednesday in Augusta to published reports of the League’s list-gathering effort was swift and severe. After a morning press conference, Gov. John E. Baldacci anticipated questions from reporters about the issue and assumed an uncharacteristic harsh tone, referring to Heath’s remarks as “an offense of the highest order deserving all the condemnation I can muster.”

“The recent actions by the Christian Civic League cannot be taken sitting down,” he said. “History has proved that damage comes from developing lists of people based on who they are. The intent of any list can only be to destroy careers – the most insidious form of discrimination.”

The Maine Legislature ended its morning session with a demand for Heath to apologize for his remarks, an outcome that was precipitated in part by Rep. Brian Duprey, the Hampden lawmaker whose marriage ban proposal had sparked the entire debate. Duprey said he asked Heath to apologize because his remarks were just “too over the top.”

“I could care less about the sexual orientation of the people I work with,” Duprey said. “It’s how people vote that matters to me.”

House Republican leader Joe Bruno, R-Raymond, and House Democratic leader John Richardson, D-Brunswick, both castigated Heath for the Web site message as did the Legislature’s only Green Party member, John Eder of Portland.

In the Senate, a letter to Heath signed by Republican and Democratic leaders unanimously condemned and disavowed the League’s “efforts to ‘out’ individuals.” Senate Democratic Leader Kenneth Gagnon of Waterville said he would take Heath’s apology “for what it’s worth” and said how members of the Legislature will interact with Heath in the weeks ahead remains undetermined.

“We’ll see what [Heath’s] actions are from this point forward,” he said. “I have not received an apology from him.”

Heath said Wednesday his posted apology on the Web site indicated his regret over the incident.

“I’ve apologized on television to the Legislature; I have not considered apologizing to any individual legislators,” he said.