Richard Grenell Resigns; Mitt Romney Stands Only for Mitt Romney

Press Release - May 1st, 2012

Following the resignation of Richard Grenell from the Mitt Romney campaign, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis issued the following statement:

"Mitt Romney's Etch-a-Sketch-style attempt to shake away his anti-LGBT stances has backfired. The hiring of openly gay Richard Grenell was a crassly cynical political move by Romney to fool LGBT voters into believing he's not as anti-gay as his statements would have you believe. Grenell's subsequent resignation after being mercilessly hounded by religious conservatives is just more proof that Mitt Romney is no friend of LGBT Americans.

"From the moment the Romney campaign announced his appointment less than two weeks ago, the cacophony of vitriol from hate groups like the Family Research Council and the American Family Association has been non-stop. Neither his qualifications for the job nor his conservative bona fides matter in the least to these rabid homophobes. All that really matters is that Grenell is gay.

"Yet through every lie, every anti-gay remark, every bit of the nastiness, Mitt Romney sat silently and let the bigoted wing of his party control his personnel choices. Either Mitt Romney is a coward who is afraid to stand up to the anti-LGBT bullies in his party, or he is fine with an America where LGBT people can have a career only if they're willing to work quietly from the confines of the closet.

"Gay Republicans should be outraged and must demand that the organizations that represent them refuse to support Mitt Romney's presidential aspirations in any way."

National Stonewall Democrats to Honor Congressman Barney Frank

Press Release - April 17th, 2012

Washington, DC - National Stonewall Democrats will honor Congressman Barney Frank with a new award named in his honor at their Capital Champions reception on April 24th, 2012 from 7-9PM. The event will be held at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 25 Louisiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC.

Each year, during our Capital Champions celebration, National Stonewall Democrats gather in Washington, DC to honor some of the champions of LGBT equality. This year's gathering will be a break from tradition as we dedicate the entire night to one special honoree - our founder, Congressman Barney Frank.

Congressman Frank is the nation's most prominent openly gay politician and has had a public career spanning 40 years. Throughout his career, he has faced unspeakable discrimination and adversity as he has tirelessly championed the most important civil rights issues of our time. His wit, intelligence, and determination have brought strength and power to the LGBT and broader civil rights communities.

National Stonewall Democrats will be presenting Congressman Frank with a newly created award named in his honor - the Barney Frank Congressional Leadership Award. Future award recipients will be Members of Congress who have shown exceptional strength and resolve on behalf of LGBT equality.

"Congressman Frank is a legend in the LGBT community," said Jerame Davis, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director. "He is fierce, determined, and says exactly what's on his mind - and we love him for it," Davis continued. "I am proud to work for an organization founded by such a true champion of equality."

"I was among the original founders of National Stonewall Democrats," said Stephen Driscoll, National Stonewall Democrats co-chair. "Barney has been there for us time and again throughout the years and we cannot thank him enough for his leadership and tenacity throughout the years. While we're sad he is retiring from Congress, we are certain we haven't heard the last from Barney Frank," concluded Driscoll.

Featured speakers for the event will include: Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Congressman Jared Polis, Congressman David Cicilline, Congressman André Carson, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair and DNC Vice Chair Raymond Buckley, and DNC Treasurer Andrew Tobias. In addition, an ensemble from the Washington, DC Gay Men's Chorus, Potomac Fever, will perform.

Event Details 

Who: National Stonewall Democrats

What: Capital Champions honoring Congressman Barney Frank

Where: International Brotherhood of Teamsters - 25 Louisiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC

When: April 24th, 2012 7-9PM

Tickets are available at: www.stonewalldemocrats.org

For more information contact Jerame Davis at 202-625-1382 or jdavis@stonewalldemocrats.org

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National Stonewall Democrats is the national voice of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied Democrats, with more than 80 local affiliates across the nation. Stonewall Democrats works to elect more pro-equality Democrats regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity - and to improve the Democratic Party on issues important to LGBT Democrats.

US Senator Scott Brown Insults LGBT Voters While Asking for Their Support

Press Release - April 5th, 2012

US Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) recently penned a guest editorial in New England's LGBT newspaper, Bay Windows. National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director, Jerame Davis, issued the following statement in response:

"In his feeble attempt to woo LGBT voters, Scott Brown not only failed to make his case, but he also managed to insult the entire LGBT community in the process. Our community's struggle for equality is not a 'pet project'. The right to find and keep a job or the freedom to marry the person you love are fundamental to the American dream. The passage of ENDA and the repeal of DOMA are not just items on a checklist; they are wrongs that must be righted before LGBT Americans can claim anything other than second class status in our nation.

"LGBT people face a myriad of issues every day that Senator Brown will never truly understand, but he has now made it clear to the voters of Massachusetts that he simply doesn't care."

President Obama Opposes NC Marriage Amendment; GOP Candidates Toady Up to Anti-Equality Foes

Press Release - March 16th, 2012

Today, President Obama issued a statement through his campaign in North Carolina that he opposes the anti-gay Amendment 1, which seeks to ban marriage equality in the state. National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis issued the following statement in response:

"While President Obama is standing up for equality and opposing this discriminatory amendment, the presidential wannabes in the GOP are toadying up to the worst foes of the LGBT community. Mitt Romney has embraced several anti-LGBT warriors, including Frank VanderSloot and Kris Kobach. VanderSloot has spent a fortune in Idaho and elsewhere to promote his anti-LGBT agenda, including buying billboard advertisements to attack PBS for airing a pro-LGBT documentary. Kobach has ties to the proponents of the 'Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda and is the original author of the anti-immigration laws popping up in places like Arizona, Alabama, and across the South.

The differences between President Obama and his GOP rivals couldn't be more clear. Voters who care about the advancement of LGBT equality have only one candidate on the ballot in November: President Barack Obama.

"On behalf of National Stonewall Democrats, I applaud President Obama for his strong statement in support of equality for all families and denouncing the bigotry and discrimination this amendment represents."

GOP Field is Still Lackluster; President Obama Remains Best Choice for Equality

Press Release - March 6th, 2012

GOP Field is Still Lackluster; President Obama Remains Best Choice for Equality

As the results from the Super Tuesday elections continue to roll in, one thing is certain: While Republican voters are indecisively trying to choose between the worst of candidates, Democrats can rest assured that they are the big winners again tonight. With a field of nincompoops and homophobes running on the GOP ticket, President Obama clearly will be the best candidate on the ballot in November. His commitment to equality - LGBT and otherwise - has been obvious throughout his first term in office, but there's plenty of work left to do that only an Obama White House will accomplish.

National Stonewall Democrats tells Gay Republicans: Refuse to Endorse Anti-LGBT Candidates

Press Release - February 15th, 2012

Today, National Stonewall Democrats kicked off a petition campaign to urge Log Cabin Republicans to refuse to support anti-LGBT GOP Presidential candidates. 

Stonewall Democrats across the nation believe that any organization purporting to represent the interests of the LGBT community should only support candidates who stand strong with our community. In recent media reports, the leaders and members of Log Cabin Republicans have indicated a willingness to endorse Mitt Romney should he become the nominee, yet Romney - just like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich - signed a draconian anti-LGBT pledge written by a certified hate group.

"We're launching this action today to highlight the anti-LGBT rhetoric on the right and to hold accountable our friends at Log Cabin Republicans who are flirting with disaster," said Jerame Davis, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director. "Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich have all pledged to support a federal amendment to ban same-sex marriage and to launch a McCarthy-style investigation of the LGBT community for supposedly suppressing religious conservatives from 'exercising key civil rights to organize, to speak, to donate or to vote for marriage.' These candidates want to assume power so badly they're willing to crawl into the gutter with an organization that exists solely to demonize LGBT Americans and whose supporters have graphically said the 'solution to gay marriage' is a noose. 

"No purportedly pro-LGBT organization should endorse or support a presidential candidate who represents the worst of American politics," continued Davis. "Log Cabin Republicans refused to endorse George W. Bush in 2004 over his support for a federal marriage amendment. All of the top GOP candidates have made Bush look like a PFLAG Dad as they've careened to the right to attempt to sway Republican primary voters."

National Stonewall Democrats is asking supporters and concerned allies to join us in petitioning Log Cabin Republicans to rise above the partisan rhetoric and put the interests of LGBT people over the Republican political machine's desperation to defeat President Obama. Equality should never be open to debate and pro-LGBT organizations shouldn't be endorsing candidates who don't have the best interests of all Americans at heart.

"Partisan politics should never trump the constituency you represent. Log Cabin Republicans needs to hear that message loud and clear from every corner of the LGBT community," concluded Davis.

The petition can be found at Change.org: 

http://www.change.org/petitions/log-cabin-republicans-refuse-to-endorse-anti-lgbt-candidates-who-pledge-to-deny-us-equality or via the short URL: http://lgbtde.ms/w4Z6G8

National Stonewall Democrats Applauds Historic Prop 8 Ruling

Press Release - February 7th, 2012

National Stonewall Democrats applauds the ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California upholding the ruling by Judge Walker that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. The majority opinion from the court was very clear, "Prop 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in CA."

"It has been clear from the beginning that Prop 8 unjustly targeted gay and lesbian couples for discrimination," said National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis. "Enacting laws that take away rights from gays and lesbians is not only unconstitutional, it's simply un-American. Congratulations are in order for all who were part of this case, but particularly for the plaintiffs, whose bravery and steadfast demands for justice were heard loud and clear.

"This ruling should be required reading for the GOP presidential hopefuls who continue to vow their support for a federal constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality. The arc of history bends toward justice, not the bigotry and discrimination these candidates represent."

'Right-to-Work-for-Less' Becomes Law in Indiana; Hoosiers are Outraged

Press Release - February 1st, 2012

Today, Indiana became the 23rd state to pass a so-called right-to-work law - which is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to disempower labor unions, not protect workers. Indiana Stonewall Democrats and National Stonewall Democrats condemn the passage of this heinous and short-sighted legislation.

"Governor Daniels and the Republican-led legislature have ensured that working Hoosiers will turn out in droves this November to vote against every legislator who supported this incredibly short-sighted law," said Indiana Stonewall Democrats president Aaron Schaler. "The poor and middle class in Indiana are under attack by the right wing and their wealthy financiers - but we the people will fight back. In our great state, as with most of the nation, the first protections LGBT workers received were through union contracts, not legislation. We stand strong with our brothers and sisters in labor because they've always stood with us. We will organize, we will vote, and we will take back the Statehouse from these anti-worker demagogues."

"The Republican domination in the statehouse has wrought one of the most far-reaching and anti-worker laws in the state's history," said National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director and former Hoosier, Jerame Davis. "This legislation, which has been aptly named the 'right to work for less' law, will have a dramatic effect on the ability of Hoosiers to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions and will have the very real effect of depressing wages and reducing benefits for union and non-union workers alike. In 2006, Governor Daniels predicted a 'civil war' would break out if this legislation was introduced, but once his re-election efforts were successful, he reneged on his word and supported this ill-conceived bill. He should be ashamed."

A Pyrrhic Victory for a Hollow Candidate

Press Release - January 31st, 2012

National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis issued the following statement following Mitt Romney's win in tonight's Florida GOP primary:

"Mitt Romney's win tonight only proves that he can out spend and throw more mud than all of his opponents combined. It's a pyrrhic victory for a hollow candidate. When you have to buy your way to the top of the polls, it doesn't mean voters like you - it just means you have more money to tar and feather your competition. The GOP now has a very unpopular front runner, but the not-Romney wing of the Party is still the majority.

"You can't spell Romney without money and Florida has been a case study in why all that cash matters."

President's Bold and Clear Vision Stands in Stark Contrast to GOP Schemes

Press Release - January 25th, 2012

National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis release this statement following President Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday:

"Equality is a value at the heart of our movement and tonight, the President described a blueprint for America that is undeniably pro-equality - everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed and everyone should pay their fair share. This bold and clear vision for America's future stands in stark contrast to the tired and disproven schemes being peddled by the GOP. From a sensible and fair tax policy to rebuilding America's infrastructure, the President's blueprint for a lasting economy is exactly what our country needs to put millions back to work and make the American Dream a reality for generations to come."