‘No mention’ of anti-LGBT Trump policies at gay Republican gala
The same week that Trump officials supported the legal right to discriminate against gay employees, LGBT Republicans held a gala at a Trump hotel in Washington DC.
But if you expected the issue would actually be raised at the Log Cabin Republicans gathering at Trump’s DC hotel, you will be sorely disappointed.
The Log Cabin Republicans group claims to advocate for LGBT rights within the Republican Party.
But the group – which has repeatedly opposed decisions on LGBT issues taken during the Trump administration’s time in office – didn’t seem at its most combative during its $200-per-ticket gala dinner last night, at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC.
According to the Washington Blade, not once during the entire event was Trump or his policies mentioned.
The event was headlined by failed Presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, who likewise avoided direct criticism of the leader.
The silence is utterly bizarre givent his very week officials from the Department of Justice appeared in court to argue that discrimination against gay employees is legal.
The DOJ made an uninvited intervention in a workplace discrimination case, with officials this week appearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
In its surprise intervention, federal government officials sided with the employer – arguing that it is entirely legal to discriminate against gay employees on a federal level.
The Department of Justice now insists that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlaws discrimination in employment based on sex, does not provide any protection for gay people.
The DOJ had insisted: “Discrimination based on sexual orientation does not fall within Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination because it does not involve “disparate treatment of men and women”.
But instead of condemning the move, the Log Cabin Republicans focused on celebrating the 40th anniversary of their work “to promote LGBT equality” inside the party.
It is unclear what fantastic achievements they hail, aside from electing zero openly gay Republican Congressmen, electing zero openly gay Republican Senators, the appointment of zero openly gay Cabinet members, and 40 years of GOP lawmakers resisting anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.
The Log Cabin Republicans has opposed a string of Trump policies, opposing the ban transgender people from the military, opposing anti-discrimination protections for LGBT workers, and the revocation of civil rights protections for trans kids in schools.
Republicans continue to oppose federal anti-discrimination protections to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Successive Democrat-led bills have sought to bring the law into line with civil rights protections that cover sex and race, but few GOP lawmakers are willing to break ranks on the issue.
Just two Republicans in Congress support the Equality Act, which would introduce federal rights protections.
The law has amassed the support of nearly 200 Democrats in the House and 43 in the Senate.
The only Republicans to declare support are Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is not seeking re-election in 2018, and Virginia’s Rep. Scott Taylor.
