From: Hrccomm@aol.com Date: Tue, 6 Feb 1996 16:27:42 -0500 Subject: HRC Response To A Feruary 4, 1996 New York Times Magazine Article ________________________________________________________ Carbon Copy: NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: communications@hrcusa.org WWW: http://www.hrcusa.org ________________________________________________________ The following letter, sent to the New York Times Magazine by Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch, is in response to inaccuracies about the HRC in a February 4th New York Times Magazine article. Carbon Copy: February 6, 1996 New York Times Magazine 229 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036 Dear Editor: A Feb. 4, 1996, Q&A with Democratic Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.), mischaracterized a donation by the Human Rights Campaign to the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) as money to help Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey, who have consistently sided with the anti-gay extremists. Out of a total of $1 million to be donated in the 1995-96 election cycle, the Human Rights Campaign made a $5,000 contribution to the NRCC as part of an all-out effort to stave off anti-gay attacks in Congress and to reverse severe cuts in funding for AIDS programs, including the Ryan White CARE Act, a bill that funds community-based care for people affected by HIV/AIDS. This contribution was given to Rep. Bill Paxon, a Republican from New York who chairs the NRCC, in a meeting with HRC senior staff. During this meeting, it was made clear that this contribution was being made to cultivate support among moderate Republican House members for public policy positions that treat gay people fairly and maintain a strong federal response to the AIDS epidemic. Since the contribution was made in June 1995, several moderate Republicans have introduced a bill to repeal a pernicious measure in the defense authorization bill that would discharge all HIV+ service members. This same group of GOP moderates helped us stave off attempts last year to stall House approval of the Ryan White CARE Act. With their party in the majority, these moderate Republicans control the balance of power in this Congress and their support is central to preventing an anti-gay bloodbath. HRC works for the public policy interests of lesbian and gay Americans, not for any one party in Congress. We focused like a laser beam on the critical issues of that time and engaged a political tactic that paid off for our constituency. Our contributions to Democratic committees are not misconstrued in the same fashion, as money to help anti-gay Democrats. In these highly partisan times, it is a difficult challenge for the Human Rights Campaign to act independent of any one party. But it is more essential than ever that we put lesbian and gay equality ahead of partisan politics, find support where we can, and demand fairness and decency from both Democrats and Republicans. It is our job to make sure fairness is a non-partisan value. Sincerely, Elizabeth Birch Executive Director