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Gay Movement Leaders
Respond to Sen. Jefford's Party Switch

NGLTF, Oral Majority, HRC, and LCR React to Announcement

More Favorable Senate Climate is anticipated on GLBT Issues

Compiled By GayToday

Washington, D.C.�Following Vermont Senator James M. Jeffords's Thursday announcement that he's withdrawing from the Republican Party, that he is becoming an Independent and that he can be expected to vote with members of the Democratic Party found officials of America's lesbian and gay movement quick to voice reactions.

NGLTF

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force believes that the resultant Democratic control of the U.S. Senate for the first time since 1994 will create an environment more favorable for issues that affect the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and other progressive groups. It also means that Senator Tom Daschle will become the Majority Leader and that Democrats will have the power to name the chairs of all Senate committees.

Because of this shift, Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, will replace Senator Orrin Hatch as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is the committee that votes on George W. Bush's judicial nominations.

Sen. Jeffords was able to shift control of the Senate from the GOP to the Democrats by becoming an independent and swinging his support to Senate Majority Leader-in waiting Tom Daschle

Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, will become chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. This committee considers a number of measures important to the GLBT community, ranging from nondiscrimination laws to school safety to programs that fight HIV and AIDS.

Senator Joe Biden, D-Delaware., will replace Senator Jesse Helms as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Helms is one of the senators who held up the nomination of James Hormel to be ambassador to Luxembourg during the Clinton administration.

"The new composition of the Senate will serve as a brake on Bush's more radical proposals," said NGLTF Political Director Tim McFeeley. "It will mean that Bush's nominees, particularly for the judiciary, will receive more careful scrutiny.

"It will mean that pro-GLBT measures, like the proposed hate crimes law, safe schools legislation, bans on discrimination and pro-GLBT immigration measures could stand a better chance of at least being aired for debate. All in all, this change will make the U.S. Senate more compassionate and less conservative."

Oral Majority

Bob Kunst, chair of the Oral Majority, addressed an open letter to Senator Jeffords following Oral Majority's 118th demonstration against the Bush regime since November 7. He wrote:

"I wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations for your efforts today in becoming independent and for your social conscience, which has the impact of making the GOP in the Senate, the minority party.

"This slap in the face of the Right Wing domination within the GOP, will have immense implications and hopefully others ,who feel as you do will also take this time to withdraw support from those who stole this election."

Kunst, the subject of a recent Associated Press article following Oral Majority's 114th protest against Bush at Yale, expressed his exasperation at how the Democratic Party has recently seemed leaderless and powerless in the face of George W. Bush's determined march toward fascist control.

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Related Sites:
Sen. Jefford's Statement

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

Oral Majority

Human Rights Campaign

Log Cabin Republicans

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Explaining his belief that Election 2000 was stolen by the Bush forces in Florida, the Oral Majority's leader invited Senator Jeffords to verify and speak out on the Election's theft. Kunst concluded by reflecting that no matter what course the Senator took: " I am proud of your efforts and hope we can join forces."

The Human Rights Campaign:

The Human Rights Campaign's Elizabeth Birch and Winnie Stachelberg have noted how Senator Jeffords is a strong supporter of issues of importance to the Human Rights Campaign. Their public statement said:

"He is an original lead cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a cosponsor of the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, formerly known as the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. And he was instrumental in the reauthorization last year of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, and was a leader on other key measures.

"HRC has been proud to endorse Sen. Jeffords during his Senate career. We hold the senator in the highest regard.

"Secondly, we know that Sen. Jeffords struggled with this decision. Our thoughts are with him, his family and his staff at this time.

"Thirdly, the senator's announcement about leaving the Republican Party has set into motion a series of events that will change the political landscape on Capitol Hill.

"We, at HRC, will be interacting with our allies in the Senate as the situation unfolds over the next several weeks, including when Congress returns June 4 after the weeklong Memorial Day recess.

"We see the change in leadership as a positive development, including the installation of Sen. Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota--who is also a supporter of issues of importance to HRC--in the majority leader's post now held by Senator Trent Lott, R-Mississippi.

"It is critical to note that the Republican leadership has fought progress on our issues at every step. HRC is a bipartisan organization and will continue to support our Republican friends.

Log Cabin Republicans:

Lesbian and Gay GOP members, as represented by Rich Tafel, Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans, were less enthusiastic about Jefford's decision to leave. Tafel wrote:

"It is with regret that we learned earlier this week of Senator Jim Jeffords' intention to leave the Republican Party. We understand that the decision was Senator Jeffords' decision alone, and while we disagree with it, we respect it."

Big Loser: Sen. Trent Lott will lose his Senate majority leader title because of the Jeffords defection

Tafel's analysis of the effects of Jeffords' decision attempted to show how all was far from being lost for Republicans. He continued: "Committee ratios are still in question, and the split remains contingent on a single vote."

The Log Cabin director lectured GOP politicians on the need for a truly inclusive party, one, he suggests, which should always welcome Americans of many persuasions rather than snubbing them. He said:

"We also believe that while this decision was Senator Jeffords' decision alone, it reminds us that a Republican majority is built through inclusion and outreach in a diverse coalition that works together, not through exclusion or driving Republicans away."