[SF Chronicle Friday May 29 1992 page A-1 middle of page]

Title:  Perot Wouldn't Give Gays Top Jobs or Hire Adulterers
by Robert Shogan, Los Angeles Times

Washington
  Adding to the roiling campaign debate over personal values and moral
principles, Ross Perot said in a television interview to be aired
today that he would not place homosexuals in sensitive positions in a
prospective presidential administration and that he would not hire
adulterers at all.
  "I put a very strong store on strong moral values," Perot told
reporter Barbara Walters during an hour-long interview with him and
his wife, Margot, that is to be broadcast tonight on ABC's "20-20"
program.

  Perot, who is expected soon to announce his independent bid for the
presidency, was asked whether he would have an acknowledged homosexual
on his staff.  He said at first:  "It would all depend.  We'd have to
be far more specific in what job."
  Pressed on whether he would consider a homosexual for a top cabinet
post, such as secretary of defense, treasury or education, he said:
"No, I don't want anybody there that will be at a point of controversy
with the American people.  It will distract from the work to be done."
  Perot drew a distinction between public service and private
behavior, saying:  "So far as I'm concerned, what people do in their
private lives is their business."
  But he indicated that he would not overturn the existing ban on
military service by acknowledged homosexuals.  Asked about gays
serving in the military, he said:  "I don't think that's realistic."
  Turning to the subject of adultery, Perot said he would "not
knowingly" hire someone who had been unfaithful.  "The American people
deserve better than that," he said.
  In other comments, Perot criticized Bush's appointment of Clarence
Thomas to the Supreme Court and defended a woman's right to abortion.

Gay Leaders Angered
  His remarks about his unwillingness to hire homosexuals for top
government jobs drew an angry response from gay leaders.
  David Mixner, a gay leader who organized a fund-raiser for Bill
Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, earlier this month, said he
was "stunned" by Perot's comments and predicted that they would
"become a major issue."

  "It historically has been a pattern of bigots to say you can pick
cotton, but you can't eat at the table," Mixner said.  "Bigots have
always put limits on how far you can go."
  Steve Weiss, a businessman and board member of Log Cabin LA, a gay
Republican organization, said Perot's remarks suggested a kind of
pandering that undermines the independent image that he has sought.
"Given the tenor of his campaign -- that he's going to stand up and do
what's right and not play politics -- it does seem to belie that," he
said.
  Although Perot's comments concerning homosexuals distanced him from
Clinton, who has sought gay support, his remarks on abortion place him
closer to Clinton than to Bush, who opposes abortion except in cases
of rape, incest or where the life of the mother is in danger.

  Perot told Walters: "It's finally the women's decision in terms of
abortion."
  But he also backed the requirement of parental consent for abortions
in some cases.  Asked about the hypothetical situation of a
15-year-old girl seeking an abortion, he said:  "I think her parents
should have a vote in that."
  Perot bluntly expressed disapproval of the Senate Judiciary
Committee's treatment of Anita Hill when she testified last fall about
her accusations of sexual harassment against Thomas.
  "I thought it was reprehensible," said Perot.  The Republican
senators who questioned her credibility "were willing to destroy her
for partisan reasons."

New Tax System
  In other comments, Perot said he would work with Congress to
"replace our current tax system with a new tax system" and to restore
the economy to create a growing base of taxpayers.
  He also told Walters that he is "absolutely against raising taxes"
to balance the federal budget.
  In a later interview, however, Perot said he might raise taxes for
education spending.
  "If we've got to cough up more, we cough it up, because this is very
precious money," he said in an interview taped for the "Both Sides
with Jesse Jackson" program, to be shown tomorrow on CNN.
  "If you have to spend more to help these tiny little children become
productive, successful, tax-paying citizens, it's the cheapest money
you'll ever spend.  Now it's pennies compared to having them on
welfare or keeping them in prison."

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