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from Millennium March Funds National Gay Lobby's Michael Romanello Raises Drug Issue FBI Reportedly Investigating People Associated with MMOW |
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Compiled By GayToday
NationalGayLobby.Org Executive Director Michael Romanello issued a controversial statement Tuesday, calling attention to rumored drug sales during the weekend of the March out of a room in the prestigious Mayflower Hotel. This, by itself, would not be an occasion for surprise inasmuch as tens of thousands of visitors had migrated to the capital city. What gave Mr. Romanello's statement significance was its suggestion that drug-salespersons working out of the Mayflower Hotel might somehow be connected to associates of the Human Rights Campaign. Mr. Romanello founded NationalGayLobby.Org, his web-based activist organization, approximately a year ago. New members and a board of directors were welcomed. His Tuesday statement admits to his group's differences with the Human Rights Campaign, but the Director felt moved to go public with his concerns, believing his statement a preemptive show-- a willingness to be honest—should any Human Rights Campaign associates be found to be dishonest. Mr. Romanello's statement said:
"The third message was from an individual who I have known for 19 years, a person with an international reputation, and an individual whom I know to be truthful and reliable. "Realizing the terrible potential for harm to the reputation and standing not only of the Human Rights Campaign, but also of the entire gay and lesbian political movement should this information be true and become public knowledge, I decided to call Elizabeth Birch to tell her what I had been told. "Upon placing a call to Ms. Birch, I was informed that she was unavailable. It was suggested that I speak with HRC Communications Director David Smith, which I did. "I began my conversation with Mr. Smith by asking him if the HRC had a block of rooms at the Mayflower Hotel over the weekend of the Millennium March. Smith said that HRC had a number of rooms at the Mayflower. "I next asked Mr. Smith if room 223 was among the HRC's block of rooms. Smith replied, "Yes, that room was occupied by one of our board members." "It was only after establishing that there was a basis in fact -- that the HRC did have rooms at the Mayflower Hotel at the time in question, and that room 223 was among those rooms -- did I actually tell Smith the reason for my call. "After sharing my information with Smith, I ended my call by stating, "I realize that our organizations have their differences, but we have no desire to embarrass [HRC]. For the good of the community, we do not intend to go public with this information. I do think, however, that you should take steps to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again." "That was on May 4. Today, May 9, Michelangelo Signorile's story for Gay.com broke about the FBI investigation of missing Millennium March on Washington funds. After consideration, I decided that what had until then been at most an ugly and potentially embarrassing allegation of HRC connected facilities being used as a point of drug sales, when coupled with substantial amounts of money possibly misappropriated during the same period of time, became what a reasonable person could consider to be a pattern of abuse. I then placed a call to David Smith at HRC and left a message on his voice mail to the effect that I no longer thought that NationalGayLobby.Org could sit on the information provided us.
"During his second call placed within five minutes of the first, he cautioned me about being sure that I did not lead anyone to believe that HRC was aware of or had anything to do with the activities I reported to him on May 4. He ended by saying, "I do not believe that anyone connected to HRC would ever be involved in the sort of activity you described." He want on to add that "this sort of thing" comes from people who "want to get HRC." "The arrogance of that statement has prompted me to compose this document. I do not know anything more about what may or may not have transpired at the Mayflower Hotel over the weekend of the Millennium March. However, I do believe that it is incumbent upon HRC to take seriously such information, and initiate at the very least an internal investigation to determine whether or not the information is accurate and to defend our community from embarrassment. It was to this end that I placed my original call to Smith. "For HRC leadership not to not do so, and to take the position that such illicit activity could not possibly be the case, indicates to me a cavalier attitude toward activities such as those to which they were alerted. "Worse, it is indicative of a disregard by the Human Rights Campaign of its fiduciary responsibility to the community it represents, and from which it gains its financial support and political standing." |
Washington, D.C.--Michelangelo Signorile, Gay.com Editor at Large, revealed Monday, May 8, that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an inquiry into the whereabouts of at least a million Millenium March dollars. This amount, reportedly based on the number of $5 wrist bands sold at the entrance to the Millennium Festival, remains unaccounted for in cash receipts.
