Subject: NGLTF, Others Meet w/AG Reno
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 1995 19:28:18 -0400

NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Robin Kane, 202-332-6483, ext. 3311; [email-masked] 

ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO MEETS
WITH GAY GROUPS TO DISCUSS CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES

Washington, DC -- September 13, 1995  -- The National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force (NGLTF) coordinated a meeting today at the Department of Justice
between gay organizations and Attorney General Janet Reno.  NGLTF Executive
Director Melinda Paras and Public Policy Director Helen Gonzales were part of
a contingent of organizations working on gay-related civil rights issues who
met with top Justice officials.

 The discussion focused on hate crimes, anti-gay ballot measures, and pending
and potential legislative attacks on gay, lesbian and bisexual people.  NGLTF
requested that the Department seek ways to use the office of Attorney General
and the Department as a whole to advance fair and equal treatment of all
citizens, regardless of sexual orientation.  Today's meeting was held in
response to a request by NGLTF and other groups to meet directly with the
Attorney General.  That request followed the decision by the Attorney General
against filing an amicus brief in the pending U.S. Supreme Court case
involving Colorado's anti-gay initiative, Amendment 2. 

 "We wanted to express our disappointment with the Department's decision in
the Colorado case, and explore opportunities for the Justice Department to
weigh in on future civil rights issues related to gay citizens," said Helen
Gonzales, NGLTF Public Policy Director.  "By meeting directly with the
Attorney General, we can elevate the Department's awareness of critical civil
rights issues facing the gay community.  The Attorney General seemed
genuinely moved when we discussed the issue of hate crimes, and interested in
using her office as a bully pulpit in condemning hate violence."

 "As we enter the Presidential primary season, we can expect that anti-gay
rhetoric and legislative attacks will only get worse before they get better,"
said Melinda Paras, NGLTF Executive Director.  "We need allies who support
justice and fairness to be vigilant in defending basic civil rights
principles.  The Justice Department should be one of those allies.  Our
allies must not miss a single opportunity to speak out on behalf of fair and
equal treatment for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals."

 NGLTF has been meeting with the Justice Department on various issues, and
worked regularly with the Department in 1993 and 1994 while NGLTF was
advocating federal mediation in the crisis involving Camp Sister Spirit in
Ovett, Mississippi.  Early in 1993, NGLTF met with then Attorney
General-designate Janet Reno about hate violence and victim advocacy issues,
and discussed other civil rights issues in a separate meeting that spring.

 Other Justice Department officials at the meeting were Deputy Attorney
General Jamie Gorelick, Assistant Attorney General Eleanor Atchinson, Richard
Roberts and Susan Liss of the Civil Rights Division, and Casey Cooper of the
Office of Policy Development.  Marsha Scott, Deputy Assistant to the
President for Political Affairs, also participated in the meeting.

 In addition to NGLTF, other organizations participating in the meeting
included the Human Rights Campaign Fund; Lambda Legal Defense and Education
Fund; the American Civil Liberties Union; the National Advocacy Coalition on
Youth and Sexual Orientation; LLEGO -- the National Latino/a Lesbian and Gay
Organization; Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund; Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; and People for
the American Way.

--end--