No, it is wrong to defend someone of his meager stature getting involved in serious shailos affecting klal Yisroel for the sake of political gain.
Also, he is not saying to be mattir b’dieved or even b’shaas had’chak (when real poskim have clearly said this is NOT a shaas had’chak), he wants to make this an option for any potential giyores who wants. At least that’s what it says in the Jpost article which I read.
You shouldn’t dismiss popa’s more recent post so easily. Don’t take it literally, but take it seriously. He made an important point about the current state of affairs being the opposite of a shaas had’chak, which was a point made by Chacham Ovadiah, quoted by Patur Aval Assur, which you seem to have missed.