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This week has brought us a lot of interesting updates and the passage of another historic piece of legislation. I hope you find the following updates useful and please let us know if you have any questions:
Democrats working to advance immigration rights and equality: In a recent press conference, Democratic leaders (including DNC Vice Chair Rep. Mike Honda), spoke to the importance of the Uniting American Families Act to truly inclusive and comprehensive immigration reform, and to their commitment to seeing comprehensive inclusive immigration reform come to pass.
Wall Street Reform headed to the President's desk: Hear the President's remarks or learn more about the bill which includes many new consumer protections.
President announces national plan to fight HIV/AIDS: "Government has to do its part, but our ability to combat HIV/AIDS doesn't rest on government alone... It requires each of us to act responsibly in our own lives, and it requires all of us to look inward -- to ask not only how we can end this scourge, but also how we can root out the inequities and the attitudes on which this scourge thrives."
Republicans work to stop LGBT inclusion at the United Nations: The Obama Administration & Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, is leading the charge to give LGBT people the world over a voice at the United Nations. Ambassador Rice is working to grant the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission 'consultative status' within the United Nations - just like hundreds of other non-profit organizations that participate in UN meetings. Unfortunately Republicans Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) are doing what they can to stop the effort. Read the letter they sent to UN member nations here.
More (and more and more) Republican Madness: Georgia GOP Gubernatorial Candidate comes out against LGBT adoption.
Q: Would you favor outlawing gay adoptions?
A: Yeah, I would consider that, absolutely.
Have a great weekend!
Jamie Citron
Director, LGBT Leadership Council
Democratic National Committee
The majority opinion correctly found that because the virtually identical DC Council who drafted the Charter Amendments creating the initiative and referendum rights also drafted the Human Rights Act and the Human Rights limitations on these initiatives and referenda in the same general time-period, the DC Council must have intended all of these laws to function coherently together as they have for the last 30 years. And while the complicated textual analysis of the interplay among the Home Rule Act, the Charter Amendments, and the implementation of those amendments in 1977-78 is open to some debate (and a 5-4 decision), we should all recognize there was unanimity among every single judge on the Court that denying gay and lesbian people the right to marry is invidious discrimination in violation of District of Columbia Law and DC's Human Rights Act.
As the attorney representing Gertrude Stein at the court challenge on the initial Jackson referendum, I am gratified that Stein could play such a pivotal role as the first community organization on the scene in court to defend the freedoms of our community. Our fight before the DC Board of Elections and the DC Superior Court led to the first court decision in the District to overrule the Dean decision and recognize not only the legal right of gay and lesbian people to marry, but also the prohibition on putting our civil rights to a vote. That decision was ultimately upheld today. Stein helped draft the legislation, we defended it in administrative proceedings, and we defended it in court. And in protecting the rights of gay and lesbian people in DC, Gertrude Stein played a vital role in protecting the rights of all DC citizens today, by enshrining into DC law the proposition that no one's civil rights should ever be put to a vote.
]]>This decision by the DC Court of Appeals affirms 5-4 the decision of the lower court that rejected the argument that the Human Rights Act safeguard provision is an invalid restriction on the right of initiative and agreeing with the Board that appellant's proposed initiative would authorize discrimination.
]]> The Conclusion:The Council acted within its authority under the CAA and the Home Rule Act in enacting the Human Rights safeguard of the IPA and in directing the Board not to accept initiatives that contravene that safeguard. Because appellants' proposed initiative would authorizes, or have the effect of authorizing, discrimination on a basis prohibited by the Human Rights Act, it was not a proper subject of initiative. Therefore, the Board acted lawfully in refusing to accept the initiative on that basis. Accordingly, the judgment of the Superior Court upholding the Board's determination is affirmed."
]]>For Immediate Release:
Monday evening, the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club held its final endorsement forum for the September 14th DC Democratic Primary.
It was standing room only at Town Night Club where after two hours of candidate statements and questions from members, the Gertrude Stein Club voted to endorse Kwame Brown as the Stein Club's candidate for Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia. Mr. Brown received 80% of votes casts.
The Stein Club closed out the evening by endorsing Phil Mendelson for re-election as an at-large member of the DC City Council over candidates Clark Ray and Shadow Representative Michael Brown. In a very close two way race between Clark Ray and Phil Mendelson, Mendelson pulled out a victory with 62% of the vote.
The Stein Club is honored that Vince Orange, Michael Brown and Clark Ray view the Stein Club as an important part of the Districts Democratic Political Party infrastructure and sought our endorsement.
Dorothy Douglas, School Board member representing Ward 7 who is also running for Chair of the City Council, was also in attendance.
The Board and members congratulate both Kwame Brown and Phil Mendelson and look forward to working hard to assure victories in September.
In May and June the Stein Club endorsed:
Jim Graham - Ward 1
Mary Cheh - Ward 3
Harry Thomas Jr. - Ward 5
Tommy Wells - Ward 6
Nate Bennett Fleming - DC Shadow Representative
Vince Gray - Mayor
Kwame Brown Candidate Questionaire.pdf
Vince Orange Candidate Questionnaire.doc
Candidates for At-Large City Council member
Thursday, May 25, 2010
Contact: Jeffrey Richardson, President (202) 491-9517, cell
president@steindemocrats.org
Washington, DC, Tuesday, June 15 - Last night in what was a very close endorsement vote for Mayor of the District of Columbia, the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club endorsed Vincent Gray as the Club's candidate for Mayor for the September Democratic Primary. The Stein Club also endorsed Eleanor Holmes Norton for re-election as the District of Columbia's Delegate to Congress.
Vincent Gray and Mayor Adrian Fenty were put in nomination for the Club's endorsement by members who have been very active in the Stein Club for many years. During what at times turned into a very tense but cordial debate; Mayor Fenty and Vincent Gray answered questions from Club members ranging from prevention of hate crimes, job creation, discrimination of Transgender persons in the workplace, and overall governance.
Vincent Gray won the club's endorsement with 63% of votes cast.
Eleanor Holmes Norton was challenged for the Stein Club's endorsement by Douglass Sloan. She won the Club's endorsement with 87% of votes cast.
"We thank Mayor Fenty for his support of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and his presence as an ally in our fight for equality. Having a mayor that didn't need to think twice about standing up for equality has been a major piece of armor in our local movement for marriage equality, and for that we cannot thank him enough ".
"Last night's endorsement forum reflects the importance of this election and the difficult decision that members of our community and DC residents at-large will make when we cast our ballots in September and November. While Mayor Fenty continues to have strong support among Stein Club Members, Vincent Gray's endorsement win demonstrates the passion, organization, and coordination within his campaign to make their case to members of the LGBT community and DC voters at-large. The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club Organization looks forward to joining the Gray Pride Team and working hard to elect Vincent Gray the next mayor of the District of Columbia."
- Jeffrey Richardson, Stein Club President
"The DC LGBT community has had no stronger or steady ally than Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. The Stein Club is proud to stand with her as she continues to stand with us and fight hard on behalf of all District residents."
- Sheila Alexander-Reid, Stein Club Vice President of Administration
"The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club is very honored to have had both Mayor Fenty and Chairman Gray seek our endorsement. We will do whatever is necessary to assist Chairman Gray and we wish Mayor Fenty luck as well. In addition, we are in the enviable position of endorsing, yet again, one of the most LGBT friendly members of Congress with our endorsement of Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton."
--Tim Mahony, Stein Club Vice President for Legislation and Political Affairs