An anti-gay letter urging Christians to vote for Mitt Romney that was printed today in The Springfield News-Leader has been confirmed by the newspaper as having been penned by Jane Pitt, mother of Brad Pitt.

The verification comes amid some confusion, as the newspaper first printed an editor's note denying any relation between the letter writer and movie star. That was later replaced with a second editor's note, reading, "To clear up earlier confusion, the News-Leader has verified the letter writer is the mother of actor Brad Pitt and local businessman Doug Pitt."

The letter -- itself a response to another opinion piece in the newspaper justifying Christians' rights to refuse to vote for Mitt Romney because he is a Mormon -- identifies Mrs. Pitt as "a Christian [who differs] with the Mormon religion."

But, Pitt continues, "any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon."

Pitt goes on to write that "any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama — a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage."

Along with Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt long been an outspoken champion of gay rights. Pitt once told Ellen DeGeneres, "I’ve said that we would not be getting married until everyone in this country had the right to get married." The two nevertheless announced their marriage in April, after seven years and six children together.

In January, Pitt said of his mother in The Hollywood Reporter, "She's very, very loving -- very open, genuine, and it's hilarious because she always gets painted in the tabloids as a she-devil. There's not an ounce of malice in her. She wants everyone to be happy."