Reply #111: don't form an opinion on just one article, here's a better representation of his support

[bigtree]

2/22/2007

What about Bill?

Laura Kiritsy
[email protected]

Concord, N.H. — “He’s actually been wonderful. He’s kept every promise he’s ever made to the community.” Anyone remember the last time you heard an LGBT political activist say that about a candidate for the White House? It certainly can’t be said about Bill Clinton, whose 1992 campaign pledge to let gays serve openly in the military resulted in the disastrous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Ditto for John Kerry, whose reputation for being a longstanding champion of gay civil rights went bust when he came out for anti-gay marriage amendments in Massachusetts and Missouri in the heat of the 2004 campaign. But that’s how Alexis Blizman, the executive director of Equality New Mexico, sums up Democrat Bill Richardson’s record on LGBT issues as governor of her home state.

{snip}

The governor appears to be gearing up to make his support for LGBT rights more widely known on the presidential campaign trail. Though he didn’t mention it on the stump in Concord, at the Democratic National Committee’s annual winter meeting earlier this month Richardson was the only speaker on the roster — which included other presidential contenders Sen. Joe Biden, Clinton, Sen. Christopher Dodd, Edwards, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Obama, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack — to raise the issue. “I want to tell you, too, in New Mexico, our fight for equality extends to sexual orientation,” he told attendees, touting the state’s LGBT-inclusive civil rights laws and its domestic partner benefits for state workers. “Some call New Mexico the land of enchantment. I now like to think that we live in a state of enlightenment.” On top of that, he’s scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a Human Rights Campaign dinner in Los Angeles on March 24.

He certainly has a few things to talk about. In 2003, Richardson followed through on campaign pledges to sign into law LGBT-inclusive hate crimes and non-discrimination bills, making New Mexico one of just a handful of states to include transgender people in state’s civil rights laws. Not only did he sign the legislation, said Blizman, “he actively helped work the legislators to make sure it passed.” Richardson also issued a 2003 executive order providing domestic partner benefits to gay state employees. In 2005 he came out in opposition to proposed state DOMA legislation, unless it contained a civil unions or domestic partnership provision (the bill eventually died); he has also spoken out against a federal anti-gay marriage amendment. Blizman, who is supporting Richardson in his quest for the White House, says that Richardson is behind Equality New Mexico’s push to pass a comprehensive domestic partnership bill that would provide two “non-familial” adults with all of the state-level rights afforded to married couples.

Richardson’s support for LGBT rights extends back to his years in Congress, where he represented New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District for 14 years until 1997. He opposed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and supported a range of other gay-friendly legislation.

Now, for the downside: In 1996, Richardson voted in favor of the federal DOMA; he continues to oppose same-sex marriage. Asked if he stood by his DOMA vote in a brief interview after the Concord event, Richardson replied, “Yeah. I do.” He went on to add that, “I think that New Mexico has the most pro-gay rights legislation because of me and I’m going to continue that. We have domestic partnerships, we have a hate crimes law, we’re the first state to recognize transgender and as president I would continue that.” But on the issue of gay marriage, said Richardson, “I’m just not there. I want to be honest.”

Will Richardson’s DOMA vote hurt him with LGBT voters? After all, with the exception of Kucinich, who is on record in support of marriage equality, his position doesn’t differ from any of the other Democratic candidates, all of whom oppose civil marriage but support either civil unions or domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. That’s why Blizman doesn’t think it will. “I think he’s got the experience on foreign policy, I think he’s good on the issues I care about,” she says. “Obviously, with the DOMA he’s not perfect, but he’s better than the other candidates. At least he’s willing to be there and take a stand.”

Not so fast, says Matt Foreman, the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) . . .

http://baywindows.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=008EC9FBCFF24AD18614290016BE1303&nm=Current+Issue&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=0813BC739F2044E5A03DCF2DE3FDF7C9&tier=4&id=DE28FE4B33E043EF97576A4A91448621


Bill Richardson was one of only a handful of lawmakers to vote against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Governor Richardson was Congressman Richardson back in 1993, when lawmakers were debating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and wading through a swamp of anti-gay sentiment on Capitol Hill. But Richardson stood out even then as a champion of lesbian and gay service members. He was one of only a handful of lawmakers to vote against the law, advocating instead for the right of gay personnel to serve openly.
http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2007/01/another_bill_be.html

From Day 1, Richardson made clear that anything less than full citizenship for gay service members was simply unacceptable.

Today, Governor Richards continues to support open service, and a repeal of the ban. This entry from The Bill Richardson Blog also points out that the Governor is an outspoken advocate on other issues important to the LGBT community, too.
http://billrichardsonblog.com/?p=214

http://freedomtoserve.blogspot.com/2007/01/bill-richardson-long-time-champion-of.html



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